- Israel halts engagement with UN chief’s office after potential UN list inclusion.
- Officials accuse UN of false equivalence, bias against Israeli institutions.
- Reports cite alleged sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees in Israeli facilities.
- UN has not officially confirmed the list or its contents yet.
Israeli officials have launched a fierce attack on the United Nations following reports that Israeli institutions could be included in a U.N. register of parties accused of sexual violence during armed conflict. The backlash has triggered a major diplomatic confrontation, with Israel announcing that it will suspend all engagement with the office of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres. Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, accused the U.N. leadership of drawing a false equivalence between Israel and internationally designated terror organizations.
Israel Announces Freeze In Relations
Danon’s office confirmed that Israel would cut off contact with the Secretary-General’s office for as long as Guterres remains in his post. The move came after reports suggested Israeli bodies were being added to a confidential annex attached to the U.N.’s annual report on sexual violence in conflict zones.
According to Danon, Israel views the reported decision as politically motivated and deeply biased, as per reports. He argued that the U.N. had ignored Israel’s democratic institutions and legal mechanisms while advancing accusations against the country. In a video statement, Danon said Israeli authorities had opened the door for U.N. representatives to examine the allegations independently, but claimed those invitations were rejected.
He further accused the international body of continuing what he described as an anti-Israel campaign fueled by selective reporting and political pressure.
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UN Yet To Officially Confirm List
The United Nations has not formally confirmed whether Israeli entities will appear on the list. The Secretary-General’s annual report on conflict-related sexual violence has also not yet been released publicly.
Traditionally, the report contains an annex naming armed groups, governments, and institutions accused of committing sexual violence during conflicts. Inclusion on the list often brings intense international scrutiny and calls for accountability measures.
The reported development has nevertheless sparked immediate political outrage in Israel, with officials insisting the comparison to extremist groups is unacceptable.
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Allegations Detailed In Rights Reports
The controversy comes amid growing international attention over allegations made by human rights organizations and media investigations concerning the treatment of Palestinian detainees. Earlier this month, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof published an opinion article citing testimonies from Palestinians who alleged sexual abuse and mistreatment while in Israeli detention facilities.
Kristof wrote that while there was no indication senior Israeli leaders had ordered such crimes, he believed systemic failures had allowed abuse to occur repeatedly.
His article described allegations that included rape using objects, assaults targeting detainees’ genitals, threats of sexual violence, and humiliation during detention.
The report also referenced findings and allegations documented by groups including Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, Save the Children, B’Tselem, and the Committee to Protect Journalists. Kristof additionally cited an earlier U.N. report that alleged Palestinians had been subjected to systematic sexualized torture.
