Israel briefly detains senior UN official at Ben Gurion Airport

Israel briefly detained and questioned a senior UN official at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv over his visit to the Gaza Strip last year, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu.

The Isralei daily Yedioth Ahronoth said late Tuesday that UN Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security Gilles Michaud was held for around 45 minutes upon arrival at the airport.

Michaud was questioned by the Shin Bet internal security agency about an official visit he made to Gaza in August 2025, which had been coordinated with Israeli authorities.

The daily, citing Israeli officials, described the incident as a “case of mistaken identity,” saying Michaud, a Canadian citizen, was released shortly afterward.

According to the report, his passport was confiscated during security checks before he was transferred to a waiting area and interrogated over the Gaza visit.

Following the incident, Michaud said the treatment was “unusual” for a senior UN official and unlike anything he had experienced in other countries.

The UN official reportedly intended to cancel his scheduled meetings in Israel after the incident, though the duration or purpose of his visit was not further detailed.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev