Israel is breaking all contact with United Nations chief Antonio Guterres, the country’s ambassador announced Thursday, saying it was “outrageous” Israel is being blacklisted over alleged sexual violence in conflict zones.
“We are done with this secretary-general,” Ambassador Danny Danon said in a video posted on X.
“The decision to blacklist Israel and accuse us of using sexual violence as a weapon of war is an outrageous decision,” he said, referring to an upcoming report from Guterres’ office.
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“The secretary-general and his team continue to spread lies against Israel. To put us and Hamas terrorists on the same list, that’s unacceptable.”
The Israeli mission to the UN said in a statement it will have no contact with the secretary-general’s office as long as Guterres serves as head of the organization.
Guterres’s spokesman said they were aware of Danon’s remarks.
“For our part, the secretary-general’s door remains open,” Stephane Dujarric said.
The UN secretary-general’s annual report on conflict-related sexual violence is customarily presented to relevant states ahead of publication.
Last August, the report warned that Israel could be added to the list of parties suspected of, or responsible for, sexual violence in situations of armed conflict.
Militant group Hamas appears on the list.
At the time, the UN cited “credible information” regarding sexual violence allegedly committed by Israeli security forces against Palestinian detainees in prisons and other detention centers, and saying UN inspectors had been denied access to the facilities.
“We invited the representative of the UN to come to Israel to check those ridiculous allegations. They chose not to come,” Danon said.
Relations between the UN and Israel are fraught and have reached an all-time low since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack that triggered Israel’s war on Gaza.
Israeli authorities have reproached Guterres and other UN officials for criticizing devastating Israeli strikes against Gaza. The UN chief was declared “personal non grata” in Israel in 2024. - AFP