Sources confirm that Israel has been added to the United Nations’ annual blacklist of state and non-state actors credibly accused of sexual violence in armed conflict. The decision, included in the UN Secretary General’s delayed report to the Security Council, was formally communicated to Israeli diplomats last week. It marks the first time a close Western ally has been placed on the register, which typically names groups like Islamic State, Boko Haram, and the Myanmar military.
The UN report cites multiple incidents during the 7 October attacks by Hamas and the subsequent Israeli military operation in Gaza. Investigators documented “verified patterns of sexual violence against Israeli civilians” by Hamas fighters, and separately “credible allegations of sexual abuse and degrading treatment” by Israeli forces against Palestinian detainees and civilians at checkpoints. The inclusion of Israel – alongside Hamas – has triggered a diplomatic firestorm. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the decision as “antisemitic” and “a moral stain on the UN”. His office has recalled the Israeli ambassador to the UN for consultations.
Whitehall sources confirm the UK government has not opposed the listing, which required a majority vote on the UN Special Representative’s recommendation. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “The UK supports impartial, independent investigations into all allegations of sexual violence in conflict. We have seen the evidence presented by the UN team. Our security relationship with Israel remains strong, but we cannot pick and choose when to apply international standards.”
The statement marks a careful balancing act. The UK abstained during the UN General Assembly vote on the report’s language, but did not veto or block the blacklist at the Security Council. Diplomatic cables seen by this newsroom show internal Foreign Office memes warning that “a vote against the report would be perceived as complicity in alleged abuses”.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military has announced its own investigation into claims of sexual misconduct by soldiers, but human rights groups have dismissed it as “window dressing”. Amnesty International’s Middle East director said: “Israel’s military justice system has never convicted a soldier for sexual violence against Palestinians. Placing both Hamas and Israel on the same list risks equating a terrorist organisation with a state military, but the evidence cannot be ignored.”
The blacklist carries no legal enforcement power but creates significant reputational damage. Israeli officials fear it could fuel International Criminal Court investigations and trigger aid restrictions under the US Leahy Laws. The US State Department has so far declined to comment on the listing, but leaked diplomatic cables suggest Washington lobbied heavily to delay the report until after the November presidential election. Sources close to the Biden administration say the White House is “deeply uncomfortable” with the decision but recognises the strength of the UN’s documentation.
For the UK, the move reinforces its stated commitment to international law while preserving the bilateral security relationship. Sources in the Ministry of Defence confirm that intelligence sharing and joint military exercises with Israel continue uninterrupted. One senior defence source put it bluntly: “We can walk and chew gum. The blacklist doesn’t change our operational calculus. Israel is still an essential partner against Iran’s proxies.”
This is a developing story. This newsroom has obtained internal UN memos detailing the specific incidents cited in the report. We are withholding names pending confirmation of the victims’ safety. Follow for updates.
