Palestine condemns Israeli decision over UN chief

RAMALLAH -- The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday condemned Israel's decision to declare UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "persona non grata" and ban him from entering Israel.

"The undesirable persons are Israeli human rights violators and war criminals, not the head of the most important international institution concerned with human rights and international peace and security," the ministry said in a press statement.

The statement considered these practices as "organized state terrorism practiced by Israel against international organizations, figures, and figures such as the UN Secretary-General and all those working in international law institutions."

The statement called on all countries and international institutions to reject Israel's decision and consider it "a state outside international law, and impose sanctions on it for targeting individuals and institutions of international law."

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz declared Guterres persona non grata in Israel on Wednesday and banned him from entering the country.

According to a statement released by Katz, the decision was made after Guterres refrained from condemning the Iranian missile attack against Israel on Tuesday evening.

Iran launched about 180 ballistic missiles at targets in Israel on Tuesday evening. Tehran claims this action was in retaliation for Israel's assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and senior Iranian commander Abbas Nilforoushan, as well as Israel's escalating "malicious acts" against Lebanese and Palestinian people with US support.