Israel will not give UN officials visas to enter the country; its foreign minister has said as a row over comments made by the group’s secretary general intensifies.
Israeli officials have been outraged over Antonio Guterres’s remark that the deadly Hamas attack on southern Israel “did not happen in a vacuum”.
Israel’s envoy to the UN Gilad Erdan called for Mr Guterres’ resignation, saying Israel must rethink its relations with the world body.
Now, he has told Israeli media that UN officials will not be granted visas to enter the country.
“We will refuse to grant visas to UN representatives. We have already refused to give one to under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs Martin Griffiths,” he told Army Radio, accusing Mr Guterres of justifying a slaughter.
“It’s time to teach them a lesson.”
Israel historically has had tense relations with the UN, accusing it of being biased against it.
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