UN blacklists Israel and Russia for conflict-related sexual violence; Israel severs ties with Secretary-General

The UN report and its findings

The United Nations has for the first time placed Israel and Russia on its annual blacklist of parties credibly suspected of committing systematic sexual violence in armed conflicts. The report, compiled by Secretary-General António Guterres and shared with Security Council members ahead of its public release, documents what it describes as patterns of abuse by Israeli security forces against Palestinian detainees in Gaza and the West Bank, and by Russian forces against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians in occupied territories.

The allegations against Israel include rape, gang rape, rape with objects, attempted rape, physical violence against genitals, targeted shooting of genitals, forced nudity, and threats of rape. The UN says it verified cases involving 14 men, seven women, nine boys, and one girl. The report also notes that both Israel and Russia repeatedly denied UN investigators access to detention facilities and conflict zones.

Violations consisted of rape, including with objects, gang rape, attempted rape, physical violence to the genitals, instances of targeted shooting of the genitals, touching of breasts and genitals, strip and cavity searches conducted without apparent security justification, forced nudity and threats of rape.

Israel's furious response

Even before the report's official release, Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon announced that his country would cut all contact with Guterres and his office until the end of his term later this year. Danon called the decision to blacklist Israel "outrageous" and "shameful and absurd," accusing the Secretary-General of spreading lies and conducting a campaign against the Jewish state.

We are done with this secretary-general. The decision to blacklist Israel and accuse us of using sexual violence as a weapon of war is outrageous.

Israel's mission to the UN said it would have no further contact with Guterres's office. The move is largely symbolic, as relations were already at a historic low: Israel declared Guterres persona non grata in 2024, and the country has long accused the UN of systemic anti-Israel bias.

The UN's measured reply

UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said the organization learned of Israel's decision through social media and characterized the break as symbolic, unlikely to change day-to-day operations. He stressed that the Secretary-General's door remains open and that engagement is always preferable to disengagement.

For our part, the secretary-general's door remains open. We think that member states should engage and continue to engage. Engaging is always a better solution than disengaging.

Russia and the broader blacklist

The report also documents 310 verified cases of sexual violence by Russian forces against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians in occupied areas. Moscow rejected the findings, accusing the UN of attempting to portray Russia as a villain. The blacklist now includes 77 state and non-state actors across a dozen countries, with cases rising sharply in 2025 compared to the previous year. Hamas, which was added to the list last year for sexual violence during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, remains on the list.

A deepening rift

The confrontation marks a new low in the already deeply strained relationship between Israel and the United Nations. Israel views the organization as politicized and biased in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while the UN has consistently criticized Israeli actions in the occupied territories. The report comes just days after The New York Times published its own investigation into widespread alleged sexual abuse against Palestinian detainees, adding further pressure to an already volatile diplomatic standoff.