The United Nations has added Israel to its annual blacklist of countries and armed groups that commit sexual violence in conflict zones, a decision that has drawn sharp condemnation from Tel Aviv and a cautious call for a transparent investigation from the British government. The report, due to be published this week, names the Israeli military and security forces alongside Hamas and other militant groups for acts including rape, sexual exploitation, and forced marriage during the October 7 attacks and the subsequent war in Gaza.
For Sarah Jenkins, listening from her kitchen in Doncaster, this news lands like a cold weight. She remembers the headlines from last autumn: the horrors of the Nova music festival, the families torn apart. Now the UN says that in the chaos of those attacks and the military response, sexual violence became a weapon. The blacklist, created in 2010 under Security Council Resolution 1888, is a tool of shame. It names parties that fail to protect civilians or perpetrate these crimes. Israel joins Myanmar, Syria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are also listed.
Britain, usually a steadfast ally of Israel, has not shied away. Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated: “The allegations are deeply disturbing. We call on Israel to cooperate fully with the UN and allow an independent, impartial investigation. There can be no impunity for sexual violence, regardless of the perpetrator.” Downing Street stopped short of endorsing the blacklist outright, but the message was clear: this cannot be brushed aside.
The Israeli government responded with fury. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office called the decision “a stain on the UN” and accused the body of bias. “Israel defends itself within the rules of international law,” a statement read. “We will not accept being singled out.” The Israeli ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, said the move “gives a green light to Hamas and all terrorist groups to continue using sexual violence as a weapon.”
For human rights groups, the blacklist is a long overdue reckoning. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have documented accounts of rape and sexual assault by Israeli forces against Palestinian detainees and by Hamas fighters against Israeli civilians. The UN’s own investigations, led by Special Representative Pramila Patten, found credible evidence that sexual violence occurred during the October 7 attacks and that Palestinian women in Israeli detention faced abuse. Israel denies these claims and has launched its own inquiries.
But for the families of victims, the Blacklist is cold comfort. In Tel Aviv, relatives of hostages held in Gaza gathered outside the UN offices. They held photos of their loved ones, women and girls who may have suffered unspeakable acts. One mother, clutching a picture of her 19-year-old daughter, said: “We need the world to act. We need them back. And we need justice.” In Gaza, women in displacement camps whispered of checks at military checkpoints, of humiliations that linger.
The UN report will be presented to the Security Council this week. It will not trigger automatic sanctions, but it places Israel on a list of pariahs. The UK’s call for an independent probe adds pressure. For Labour’s new government, balancing support for Israel’s security with human rights is a tightrope. Voters in Manchester, Leeds, and Edinburgh are watching. They want a foreign policy that is both principled and practical.
For Sarah, the story is not about geopolitics. It is about the women and girls caught in the crossfire. It is about the boycotts of Israeli goods she sees in the co-op and the arguments in the pub. It is about a world where the worst weapons are not bombs but bodies used as weapons. The UN blacklist is a piece of paper. But it is a piece of paper that says: we see you. And we will not look away.
