Israel Threatens United Nations, Demands Guterres' Resignation

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Gilad Erdan, announced that his country will refuse to grant visas to officials of the international organization after its Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' recent statements about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Erdan told Israeli Army Radio on Wednesday: “Because of the statements of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, we will refuse to issue visas to representatives of the international organization. We have already refused an entry visa to the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths.”

Guterres said, in his speech before the UN Security Council during its session on developments in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict yesterday, Tuesday, that “it is also important to realize that Hamas’ attacks did not come out of nowhere,” linking them to “the stifling occupation that the Palestinians have lived under for 56 years.”

Following Guterres' statement, Cohen canceled the planned meeting with the UN Chief.

For his part, Erdan also attacked Guterres' statement, describing it as "horrific" and saying that Guterres was not qualified to lead the United Nations so he demand that he resign immediately.”