Israel placed on UN sexual violence in war-zones blacklist for first time
BBC Middle East reports that Israel has been added for the first time to the annex of the UN Secretary-General's annual report on conflict-related sexual violence. Israel says it rejects the allegations contained in the report.
According to BBC Middle East, Israel has been added for the first time to the annex blacklist of the UN Secretary-General's annual 'Conflict-related sexual violence' report. The allegations have not been established by independent court ruling; the report's primary function is to add the listed party to the Secretary-General's monitoring list. Israel's Foreign Ministry said it 'rejects entirely' the allegations contained in the report and is requesting a review of the assessment.
The report is based on testimony from Palestinian communities, evidence submitted by women's organisations and case reports from UNFPA and UN Women databases. The document also includes allegations from several conflict zones including Sudan, Ethiopia, Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The World Health Organization and UNFPA are calling for donor support to protect affected communities.
The US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce is expected to comment on the report, while EU High Representative Kaja Kallas supports follow-up via an 'independent investigation'. Türkiye's Foreign Ministry issued a statement emphasising women's safety and the international-law framework. This commentary is not legal advice.
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