In an unusual letter delivered to Israel’s UN Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that Israel has been put “on notice” ahead of possible inclusion in the next annual UN report on sexual violence in conflict zones. The letter accompanies the publication of the current report, which states that there is “serious concern” concerning sexual violence by Israeli security forces against Palestinian Arabs in a number of prisons, a detention facility and a military base.
Guterres noted that due to the State of Israel’s refusal to allow access to UN inspectors, the organization has had difficulty determining patterns and trends, but warns of “significant concern” about the existence of documented patterns of sexual violence. In his letter, he details a series of steps that Israel is required to take immediately, including: clear command instructions against sexual violence, enforcement and punishment mechanisms, investigations into every credible complaint, personal commitments by commanders, and granting the UN free access for monitoring and delivering humanitarian assistance.
The Secretary-General emphasized that in the next reporting period (2025 report), he will examine whether Israel has implemented these measures and states that this will directly affect the decision whether to include Israel on the list in the next report.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, responded to the letter and said: “The Secretary-General chooses once again to adopt as their word baseless accusations, which are steeped in biased publications. The UN must focus on the shocking war crimes and sexual violence of Hamas and the release of all hostages. Israel will not shy away from protecting its citizens and will continue to act in accordance with international law.”