UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned Israel it could be named in next year’s report on sexual violence in conflict, prompting a fierce rebuttal from Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon.
In a rare and pointed warning, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has formally notified Israel that it is “on notice” for possible inclusion in the UN’s next annual report on sexual violence in conflict zones — a move that could place the Jewish state alongside some of the world’s most notorious human rights violators.
The warning came in a letter delivered to Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, accompanying the latest UN report, which expresses “serious concern” over alleged incidents of sexual violence by Israeli security forces against Palestinian detainees in multiple prisons, a detention facility, and even a military base.
Guterres claims that Israel’s refusal to grant UN inspectors access has hindered the organization’s ability to assess “patterns and trends” — but insists that documented allegations raise “significant concern.” He has laid out a list of immediate demands, including:
- Issuing clear command orders against sexual violence
- Establishing strict enforcement and punishment mechanisms
- Investigating every credible complaint
- Securing personal commitments from commanders
- Granting the UN full monitoring access and allowing humanitarian aid delivery
The Secretary-General stated that Israel’s compliance will be reviewed in the 2025 reporting period, and failure to meet these conditions could result in Israel being officially listed in the UN’s global blacklist on sexual violence in conflict.
Ambassador Danny Danon fired back, accusing Guterres of swallowing “baseless accusations steeped in biased publications” and ignoring Hamas’s war crimes and sexual atrocities. “The UN must focus on the shocking crimes of Hamas and the release of all hostages. Israel will continue to defend its citizens in line with international law,” Danon declared.
The clash adds yet another layer of tension between Israel and the UN at a time of heightened diplomatic and military strain — with Jerusalem viewing the move as an extension of the organization’s long-standing bias, and the UN insisting it is upholding human rights standards.
