UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres sought to reassure international Jewish community leaders that he would stand up against any perceptions of anti-Israel bias at the world organization. Guterres spoke amid a deepening row over alleged bias within the UN following US pressure, exacerbated last month when a UN rights expert issued a blistering criticism of Israel’s policies.
Guterres said he would “guarantee” that those working under him would abide by principles that he considers right. “As secretary general of the UN I consider that the state of Israel needs to be treated as any other state,” he said to applause at the
World Jewish Congress in New York.