In late January, newly elected Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres made clear reference to the fact that a temple once stood on the Temple Mount, and positively asserted its destruction during the siege of Jeruslaem in 70 AD during a speech commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the Palestinian National Authority and president of the State of Palestine later demanded that Guterres recant this claim and submit an apology to the Palestinian people. In response, Guterres instead directly affirmed the existence of a Holy Temple on the Temple Mount, and was condemned by the Palestine National Authority for violating, all legal, diplomatic and humanitarian customs, and chastised Guterres for overstepping his role as secretary-general. Israel has not commented on the situation thus-far.