Israel cuts diplomatic ties with UN Secretary‑General over sexual‑violence blacklist

Israel’s foreign ministry announced that the state will sever all diplomatic links with United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres after the UN placed Israel on a blacklist of parties suspected of committing sexual violence in armed conflict. The list, released in a UN annual report, also includes Hamas.

Israeli officials, citing the decision as politically motivated, accused Guterres of bias and of turning the UN into an “anti‑Israel propaganda platform”. They said the break will remain in effect until a new secretary‑general is appointed, as Guterres’s term ends later this year. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric described Israel’s move as symbolic and affirmed that communication channels with the Israeli government remain open.

The dispute follows earlier claims by Israel that the UN’s handling of reports on sexual‑violence allegations, including those related to the October 2023 Hamas attack, has unfairly equated Israel with Hamas. No immediate changes to UN‑Israel cooperation were reported beyond the diplomatic statement.