From the Liveblog of
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Israel reportedly cutting ties with UN chief Guterres over inclusion on sexual violence list
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Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon says Jerusalem is freezing cooperation with the office of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres over a decision to place Israel on a list of sexual violence in conflict zone offenders, the Ynet news site reports.
In a tweet, Danon slams the alleged addition of Israel, which has not been announced by the UN, calling it a “political decision” and “disconnected from facts and from reality.”
A UN report released by Gutteress’s office in July 2025 included Hamas on its list of “parties credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other forms of sexual violence in situations of armed conflict.” The move followed a finding by Special Representative Pramila Patten that the terror group engaged in systematic sexual violence during the October 7, 2023, attack and against hostages held in Gaza.
According to Ynet, Israel believes the decision to include Hamas sparked pressure on Turtle Bay to also include Israel. The latest annual report on sexual violence in conflict zones has yet to be made public.
“Anyone able to include Israel on the same list as the terrorists and rapists of Hamas has no moral standing to seek cooperation,” Danon says, according to Ynet.
He adds that Israel “will wait for a professional and fair secretary general to enter office.”
Guterres is slated to end his term at the end of the year.
The Times of Israel Community.