UN adds Israel to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Blacklist
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, says the UN has added Israel to its blacklist of parties accused of conflict-related sexual violence, placing it alongside groups such as Hamas and ISIS.
According to Danon, the decision prompted Israel to sever contact with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his office. He described the move as “an outrageous decision” and accused the UN of spreading false allegations against Israel.
“The secretary-general and his team continue to spread lies against Israel,” Danon said. “To put us and Hamas terrorists on the same list is unacceptable.”
The blacklist is included in the UN secretary-general’s annual report on conflict-related sexual violence. States mentioned in the report are usually informed before its official publication. Last year, the UN warned that Israel could be added to the list over allegations linked to the war in Gaza and the treatment of Palestinian detainees.
Israel’s mission to the UN said it would halt communication with Guterres’s office while he remains secretary-general. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein also condemned the expected report, calling the UN “politicised and corrupt” and accusing it of unfairly targeting Israel.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for Guterres, responded by saying the UN chief’s “door remains open” despite Israel’s decision.
UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls Reem Alsalem welcomed the reported listing, saying it was “long overdue”. In a post on X, she said allegations of sexual violence committed against Palestinians by Israeli forces had been “independently documented and verified”.
The UN has previously cited what it described as “credible information” regarding sexual violence and abuse against Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons and detention centres. UN investigators have also said they were denied access to some detention facilities.
Danon rejected the allegations, saying Israel had invited UN representatives to inspect the claims but that officials “chose not to come”.
Palestinian detainees and several human rights organisations have repeatedly accused Israeli forces and prison guards of torture, degrading treatment and sexual abuse, particularly since the start of the Gaza war in 2023.
A recent report by the West Bank Protection Consortium also alleged that sexual violence and gender-based abuse by Israeli settlers and soldiers have contributed to the displacement of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
Separately, activists detained after attempting to deliver aid to Gaza by sea recently alleged mistreatment in Israeli custody, including claims of sexual assault.
Earlier this month, Israel rejected accusations published in a column by veteran New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof, who cited testimonies from 14 Palestinian men and women alleging rape and abuse by Israeli forces. Israeli officials threatened legal action against the newspaper over the report.
Tensions between Israel and the United Nations have sharply intensified since the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza. Israeli officials have repeatedly criticised Guterres and other UN figures over their condemnation of Israel’s military operations.
In 2024, Israel declared Guterres “persona non grata”, further deepening the diplomatic rift between the two sides.