Kremlin spokesman says Israel has no role for UN in Middle East settlement

Israel does not see any role for the UN in the settlement of the Middle East conflict, which became evident after the country declared Antonio Guterres, the organization’s secretary-general, as persona non grata, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Shot, a Telegram channel.

"Essentially, we see Israel's point of view, which says that Israel does not allow any role for the United Nations. Indeed, the situation is extremely tense in the region, and we call on everyone for restraint," he said.

Peskov made the comment when asked whether Israel’s declaration of the UN secretary-general as persona non grata could be viewed as a sign that the UN role in the settlement of the Middle East conflict is diminishing.

The spokesman also commented on whether the UN needs reforms.

"There is a lot of issues on the agenda for reform, especially of the Security Council," he said. "The Russian Federation has a well-known position, and there is a position of other countries. But this process requires absolute consensus. Of course, at this time, it is probably almost impossible to say that consensus can be reached on such thorny issues."