Israel severs ties with Antonio Guterres over sexual violence report
Israel said it has cut ties wiht UN Secretary-General António Guterres and his office after Israel was placed on a UN blacklist for groups involved in conflict-related sexual violence.Israel’s Prison Service is expected to be included in the 2026 list, and other Israeli authorities are under review for possible future inclusion.
The move comes as Hamas was added to the same blacklist in August 2025, and groups remain on it for one year. Israel’s Foreign Ministry argued that the decision is politically motivated and meant to create “fake symmetry” between Israel and actions attributed to Hamas, while Israel denied allegations of sexual violence. Consequently, Israel said it would not maintain ties with Guterres’s office until a new UN secretary-general is appointed.The article notes the relationship between Israel and guterres has been tense, including prior “notice” language linked to alleged abuse concerns.
Israel on Thursday severed its relationship with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his office after the Jewish state was added to a blacklist of groups committing conflict-related sexual violence.
The Israeli Prison Service will be annexed in the 2026 list of countries and organizations that have engaged in conflict-related sexual violence, and other Israeli authorities are being monitored for future addition, the Jerusalem Post was first to report.
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Hamas was added to the secretary-general blacklist in August 2025, two years after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, and countries or armed groups stay on the registry for one year. ISIS is also on the list.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said the Jewish state’s addition shows the U.N.’s true nature, which is described as “a politicized and corrupt organization that has abandoned its founding principles and systematically targets Israel as its primary mission.”
The designation was an attempt by Guterres to produce a “fake symmetry” between Israel and the violence committed by Hamas, the ministry said, adding that attacking Israel is the U.N.’s “sole motivation.”
“The person behind this farce is [Antonio Guterres],” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “This is the same Guterres who sought to ‘contextualize’ the October 7 massacre, who covered up the involvement of UN employees in those atrocities, and who has dragged the UN to its lowest point.”
“Guterres is now exploiting his final months as Secretary-General to fabricate baseless accusations against Israel, completely devoid of any factual merit,” it added.
Israel denied all allegations that entities and personnel committed acts of sexual violence.
Due to the nation’s addition to the CRSV report, Israel said it would cut all ties with the U.N. secretary-general’s office until a new one is appointed.
“Given that António Guterres has chosen to violate every standard of honesty, integrity, and professionalism, Israel has decided to sever all ties with the Secretary-General’s Office and will wait until a new UN Secretary-General is appointed,” the statement said.
Israel and Guterres have had a rocky relationship in recent history as the secretary-general placed the nation “on notice” for the blacklist at the same time Hamas was added. At the time, Guterres cited “significant concerns” about alleged abuse, which Israel has continually denied.
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Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon has met with the secretary-general’s office several times, providing documents and data in response to the claims, even inviting U.N. personnel to visit the locations where the violence allegedly occurred.
The Washington Examiner contacted the U.N. Secretary-General’s office for comment.
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