Brazil condemns Israel’s decision to declare UN secretary persona non grata

The Brazilian government expressed its condemnation of the Israeli government’s decision to declare António Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, as persona non grata. In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil emphasized that the measure compromises the efforts of the United Nations to mediate an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East, in addition to harming initiatives aimed at releasing hostages and implementing the two-State solution.

The Israeli decision was announced by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who stated that Guterres would be remembered as “a stain on the history of the UN”. The Brazilian response highlighted the importance of the UN in protecting human rights and working for peace between Israel and Palestine, stating that the attack on the organization does not favor stability in the region. Lula was also labeled persona non grata by Katz, when he accused genocide against the Palestinians.

Declaring someone persona non grata in the field of diplomacy indicates that that person is not welcome in a given country, although they are not necessarily prohibited from entering the territory. But in the case of António Guterres, the Israeli foreign minister formally banned his entry into Israel, claiming that he “does not deserve to set foot on Israeli soil.”

Furthermore, Brazil reaffirmed its support for the UN and efforts for a peaceful solution based on coexistence between an independent Israeli State and a Palestinian State. Israel has long been at odds with the UN and many other international organizations. UNRWA, the UN body that takes care of Palestinian refugees, was also criminalized by the Israeli government.

In another statement, the Brazilian government also took a stance on the launch of missiles by Iran against Israel, condemning the escalation of the conflict and calling for restraint from all parties involved. Brazil highlighted the urgent need for a broad ceasefire in the Middle East and called on the international community to use all diplomatic means to prevent the intensification of hostilities.

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which recently intensified with Israeli bombings in Lebanon, was also mentioned in Itamaraty’s communications. Brazil sent a Brazilian Air Force (FAB) plane to assist in the evacuation of Brazilian citizens residing in Lebanon, where around 21 thousand Brazilians currently live.

The Brazilian embassy in Tel Aviv continues to monitor the safety of Brazilian citizens in Israel, while the crisis in the Middle East continues to worsen with attacks and military responses from both sides.

Security Council

The United Nations Security Council expressed this Friday, the 4th, “full support” for the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, a few days after the Portuguese was declared persona non grata. Without directly mentioning Israel, Switzerland’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Pascale Baeriswyl, warned of the possible consequences of cutting off contact with the head of the entity. Switzerland holds the rotating presidency of the body.

The United Nations Security Council meets extraordinarily, this Wednesday (2/10), in New York (USA), in an attempt to facilitate a solution to the conflict in the Middle East, following Israel’s land invasion south of the Lebanon and the consequent retaliation by Iran, with bombings of the Israeli cities Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

The session was opened by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres. In the speech, he condemned Iran’s attacks on Israel and called on the arch-rivals to avoid an all-out war in Lebanon. Guterres defended the establishment of states for Israel and Palestinians.

In another criticism of Israel’s attacks on Lebanese territory, the secretary-general called for “Lebanon’s sovereignty to be respected”, stressing to the Council that the “deadly cycle of retaliatory violence must stop”. “Time is running out,” he highlighted.

The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, also came to the defense of the UN secretary general. “We must reject attacks on the Secretary-General of the United Nations, which is the only instrument we have to try to guarantee peace in the world,” said Borrell in a speech at the La Toja-Vínculo Atlântico Forum in the Spanish province of Pontevedra.

Israel should reconsider its decision to declare the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, “persona non grata” in accordance with the position taken on Wednesday by the Portuguese government, said the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, this Thursday -fair.

“I think it would be very wise for the Israeli authorities to reconsider this attitude because it was disproportionate. Where the Secretary-General spoke of regret, they would have preferred to condemn, that regret was insufficient,” he said.

“It is a virtually unprecedented situation regarding a United Nations secretary-general or high international numbers. Even with countries that normally veto each other in the Security Council and, as you know, are paralyzing the Security Council,” he said.

Responding to Israel’s decision to declare UN Secretary-General António Guterres persona non grata, Spain expressed support for Guterres. “We completely reject this slander and this ban, and we support, of course, the UN secretary general,” Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told Spanish broadcaster La Sexta.

Albares said that Guterres, a Portuguese politician, “is a good friend of Spain and, above all, he is a friend of peace.” Several other UN officials have also been banned from entering Israel in recent months, including UN Special Rapporteur for the Palestinians Francesca Albanese, who is accused of siding with the Palestinians, and the head of the UN humanitarian office in the occupied Palestinian territory, who said in August that Israel did not extend his visa due to a UN report accusing Israel of violating the rights of Palestinian children.

Asked about the move at a press conference, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said: “Steps like these are not productive for (Israel) improving its standing in the world.”

“The UN does incredibly important work in Gaza. It does extremely important work in the region. And the UN, when it is acting at its best, can play an important role in security and stability,” Miller added.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric described the announcement as political and “just another attack, so to speak, on the UN team that we have seen from the Israeli government.” He said the UN has traditionally not recognized the concept of persona non grata as applying for UN staff.