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Israel criticizes Guterres for ignoring attacks

The Foreign Ministry accused the U.N. chief of failing to mention the Iranian regime and its terror proxies in his Middle East escalation post.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres attends a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo on May 20, 2026. Photo by Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres attends a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo on May 20, 2026. Photo by Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday criticized U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres after he warned of renewed hostilities in the Middle East, accusing him of failing to identify the Iranian regime and its regional terror proxies as aggressors targeting Israel.

In a post on X, the ministry said Guterres “failed to mention the one country that was under missile attack from the Iranian terror regime and its proxies—the Houthis and Hezbollah—whose declared goal is the annihilation of a UN member-state,” adding that Israelis “deserve ceasefires too.” It also argued that not acknowledging the source of attacks places the U.N. chief “on the wrong side of history.”

Guterres had earlier called for an immediate halt to all attacks, respect for ceasefires in Lebanon, Iran and Gaza, and the reopening of crossings into Gaza to allow humanitarian aid. He also urged all parties to adhere to international law and pursue diplomatic solutions.

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