Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, declared on June 6 that his country would sever relations with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres after the latter's office added Israel to a “blacklist” concerning sexual crimes in conflict zones. The announcement came in a video posted on social media platform X.
“We are done with this secretary-general,” Danon said, denouncing the upcoming report from Guterres's office as an “outrageous decision.”
The UN Secretary-General's annual report on conflict-related sexual violence is typically shared with relevant nations before publication. In August 2025, the report warned that Israel could be added to the list of parties suspected or responsible for sexual violence in armed conflict situations.
Israel's UN mission issued a statement saying there would be no contact with the Secretary-General's office as long as Guterres remains the head of the organization. Israel's Foreign Ministry also expressed outrage. Spokesperson Oren Marmorstein called the decision “proof of the true nature of the UN: a politicized and corrupt organization that has abandoned its founding principles and makes Israel its primary target.”
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Secretary-General Guterres, said they were aware of Danon's remarks. “On our side, the Secretary-General's door remains open,” Dujarric said.
Earlier, in August 2025, the UN cited “credible information” about incidents of sexual violence committed by Israeli security forces against Palestinian detainees in prisons and detention centers, adding that UN monitors were denied access to those facilities.
Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, particularly those captured from Gaza during Israel's devastating war since 2023, have repeatedly revealed inhumane treatment, including torture and sexual violence. According to international human rights organizations, these testimonies are part of a systematic and widespread pattern.
A report from the West Bank Protection Coalition in April 2026 also showed that sexual violence and gender-based abuse by Israeli settlers and soldiers are driving Palestinians out of the occupied West Bank.
Even foreigners, including activists on a recent Gaza aid flotilla, have alleged that activists abducted from international waters faced abuse during detention in Israel, including at least 15 incidents of sexual assault or rape.
In early May 2026, Israel also denied allegations of rape by its forces detailed in a New York Times article by veteran journalist Nicholas Kristof. The Israeli government announced it would sue the newspaper.
Relations between the UN and Israel have hit an all-time low since October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked and triggered Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians. Israeli authorities have criticized Guterres and other UN officials for condemning their atrocities in Gaza. The UN Secretary-General was declared persona non grata by Israel in 2024.
