A DECISION by the United Nations to formally blacklist Israel and Russia over allegations of conflict-related sexual violence has sparked a major diplomatic confrontation, with Israel announcing the immediate suspension of all relations with UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
The move marks a significant escalation in the UN's position on alleged wartime abuses, elevating both countries from a monitoring category to the organisation's official blacklist of parties suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape and other forms of sexual violence during armed conflict.
Reuters rpoerted on Sunday that the designation was contained in Guterres' latest annual report to the United Nations Security Council on conflict-related sexual violence, which details allegations involving members of the Israeli military and security forces as well as Russian armed forces operating in Ukraine.
The report represents a tougher stance than the previous year, when Israel and Russia were placed under a warning category as parties "reasonably suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other forms of sexual violence".
The latest report now formally includes both countries on the blacklist alongside other actors already designated by the United Nations, including Hamas, which was added following the group's October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel that triggered the Gaza war.
Israel reacted furiously to the decision, accusing the United Nations of political bias and abandoning principles of neutrality.
Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, described the decision as unprecedented and politically motivated.
"This is a political decision that is not based on facts and reality," he said in a statement posted on X after being informed of the decision during a telephone conversation with Guterres.
Danon further argued that equating Israel with organisations designated as terrorist groups represented what he described as the lowest point in the history of the United Nations.
The diplomatic dispute intensified when Israel's Foreign Ministry announced it would cease all engagement with the Secretary-General's office until a successor to Guterres assumes office.
"Following Guterres' decision to violate every standard of honesty, integrity and professionalism, Israel has decided to terminate all relations with the Office of the Secretary-General and will wait until a new UN Secretary-General is appointed," the ministry said in a statement published on X.
A new UN Secretary-General is expected to be appointed later this year.
The United States also criticised the decision, with US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz describing the move as inappropriate.
He characterised the designation as "absurd" because it placed a democratic state alongside organisations classified as terrorist entities.
Russia's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to the report, although Ukraine welcomed the development.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha praised the decision in a statement posted on social media, describing it as an important acknowledgement of documented abuses committed during the war.
While inclusion on the blacklist does not automatically trigger sanctions or other punitive measures, the designation carries significant reputational consequences and can influence future participation in United Nations operations.
Countries repeatedly appearing on the list may face restrictions relating to involvement in UN peacekeeping missions and heightened international scrutiny regarding human rights compliance.
The report's principal author, UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten, confirmed that Israel had invited UN officials to visit and assess allegations directly.
However, she said disagreements over the scope of the mission, access arrangements and operational cooperation ultimately delayed the visit before it was eventually suspended due to the continuing war in Gaza.
Patten also revealed a dramatic global increase in verified incidents of conflict-related sexual violence.
According to the report, the number of confirmed cases worldwide more than doubled in 2025 compared with 2024.
She described the trend as deeply alarming and warned that the documented figures likely represented only a fraction of the true scale of abuses occurring in conflict zones.
The report details multiple verified incidents involving Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank during 2025, affecting men, women and children.
Alleged violations documented by the United Nations include rape, attempted rape, sexualised torture, physical assaults targeting intimate body parts, invasive body searches lacking clear security justification, forced nudity and threats of sexual violence.
The report further cites allegations of rape and gang rape occurring during detention and interrogation procedures, including incidents allegedly taking place at military camps, detention facilities and security checkpoints.
In Ukraine, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission documented 310 verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence attributed to members of the Russian military and security apparatus.
The cases included allegations of rape, gang rape, genital mutilation and other forms of physical abuse.
According to the report, the victims comprised 280 men, 26 women and four girls.
Despite Israel's decision to suspend relations with Guterres, the United Nations insisted that channels of communication remain open.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the Secretary-General remained prepared to engage with Israel, as he does with all member states.
The dispute now threatens to deepen tensions between Israel and the United Nations at a time when scrutiny of conduct during conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon and Ukraine continues to intensify.
With the UN reporting a sharp rise in conflict-related sexual violence globally, the blacklist designation is likely to fuel further international debate over accountability, human rights enforcement and the responsibilities of states and armed actors during wartime. - May 31, 2026
