The United Nations has included Israel on a list of parties committing sexual violence in conflict zones, prompting Israel's UN ambassador to announce the country is severing ties with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
5:37 PM
The United Nations has added Israel to its blacklist of parties committing sexual violence in conflict zones, according to an announcement Thursday. The inclusion appears in an upcoming report from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's office on conflict-related sexual violence.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon responded to the decision by announcing that Israel is cutting ties with Guterres. "We are done with this secretary-general," Danon said in a video posted on X on Thursday, denouncing the upcoming report from the UN chief's office.
The UN secretary-general's annual report on conflict-related sexual violence is customarily presented to relevant states before its publication. According to available information, the report was previously scheduled for presentation last August, though details regarding any delays or revisions remain unclear from the sources provided.
Danon's statement represents a significant diplomatic escalation between Israel and the United Nations over the contents of the report. The ambassador's public denunciation of Guterres and announcement of severed ties underscore the intensity of Israel's objection to its inclusion on the list.
The listing comes amid broader allegations and legal disputes related to conduct during the conflict. Israel's government has pursued legal action against media outlets over reporting on allegations of sexual violence, and various organizations have documented claims of abuse and sexual assault in detention settings.
The exact details of the allegations and evidence cited in Guterres's report were not disclosed in the available sources, though the UN's inclusion of Israel on the blacklist indicates the organization determined sufficient grounds existed to add the country to the list of parties to armed conflicts with credible reports of sexual violence.
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