Israel Protests Inclusion on UN Sexual Violence Blacklist

Israel has issued a strong objection ahead of the United Nations’ release of its report on "conflict-related sexual violence." Anticipating that it may be placed on the UN blacklist due to allegations of sexual violence committed against Palestinian detainees, Israel has even declared a suspension of all contact with the office of the UN Secretary-General.

AP Yonhap News

On May 28 (local time), Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, criticized the UN’s decision as “outrageous” in a video posted on the social networking service X (formerly Twitter). He argued that putting Israel on the blacklist and accusing it of using sexual violence as a weapon of war was unacceptable.

Ambassador Danon stated, “The UN Secretary-General and his team continue to spread lies about Israel,” adding, “It is intolerable to list Israel alongside Hamas terrorists.”

The Israeli Permanent Mission to the United Nations also released a statement declaring that it would have no further contact with the Secretary-General’s office for the remainder of António Guterres’s term. Secretary-General Guterres’s term ends at the end of this year.

This dispute has arisen just before the release of the UN Secretary-General’s annual report on conflict-related sexual violence. Typically, such reports are shared in advance with the countries concerned prior to official publication.

Last year’s UN report indicated that there was credible information regarding allegations that Israeli military and security authorities committed sexual violence against Palestinian detainees. However, at that time, Israel was not placed on the blacklist. Hamas is already included on the relevant list.

Israel denies the allegations. Meanwhile, the UN has refrained from commenting on specific details before the report’s release but has maintained that the Secretary-General’s door remains open for dialogue.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.