PARIS: France on Thursday condemned Israel’s move to declare UN chief Antonio Guterres “persona non grata,” saying the decision was “unjustified.”
“France regrets the unjustified, serious and counter-productive decision taken by Israel to declare the secretary general of the United Nations, Mr.Antonio Guterres, persona non grata,” the French foreign ministry said in a statement.
Paris said it had “full support for and confidence” in Guterres, adding that the United Nations played “a fundamental role in the stability of the region.”
“France reiterates its commitment to the United Nations Charter, to international law and to the importance of respecting Security Council decisions in maintaining international peace and security,” the statement added.
On Wednesday, Israel declared Guterres “persona non grata,” accusing him of failing to specifically condemn Iran’s missile attack on Israel.
Israel has been a harsh critic of the UN, with ties between the state and the international body souring even more after the October 7 Hamas attacks.