UN blacklists Israel and Russia for systematic sexual violence in conflicts
Israeli forces and Russian troops face UN blacklisting for systematic sexual violence in conflict zones, as Israel’s military escalation in the West Bank disrupts children’s education and fuels humanitarian crises.
The United Nations has added Israel and Russia to its annual "list of shame" for armed forces and groups credibly accused of committing or condoning sexual violence in conflict, Secretary-General António Guterres announced in a report released Friday. The document, covering 2025, identifies 77 parties—including the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)—responsible for patterns of rape, sexual slavery, and other abuses, with nearly 10,000 cases recorded globally last year . The IDF’s inclusion marks the first time Israel has appeared on the list, which cites abuses against Palestinian detainees in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel’s foreign ministry rejected the allegations as "biased," suspending cooperation with the UN and accusing the organization of politicization .
In the West Bank, Israeli military operations are increasingly targeting schools and children, disrupting education amid a surge in violence. On Tuesday, students at a school near Hebron were forced to abandon exams when Israeli forces opened fire nearby, sending children scrambling to the floor in panic, according to witnesses cited by *Aftenposten*. The incident reflects a broader pattern: 2026 has seen record levels of violence against Palestinian minors in the West Bank, with at least 42 children killed and hundreds injured since January, per UNICEF data . Israeli officials defend the operations as necessary to counter militant threats, but human rights groups argue the tactics violate international law, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The UN report’s findings coincide with mounting criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, where five children were among those killed on the first day of Eid al-Adha earlier this week. A *Guardian* editorial condemned the "grotesque contrast" between global outrage over isolated incidents involving Western activists and the "silence" over Palestinian civilian casualties, urging European governments to leverage their trade and diplomatic ties to pressure Israel . Meanwhile, France’s strict repatriation policies have left hundreds of Palestinian families stranded, with only a fraction of Gaza evacuees granted entry despite escalating humanitarian needs, *Libération* reports .
Israeli-American historian Omer Bartov, a Holocaust scholar, warned in *Libération* that Israel’s government is operating under a "spirit of vengeance" since the October 7 attacks, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies in the West Bank reflecting "blindness" to the consequences of unchecked settlement expansion. Bartov advocates for a US-led "shock therapy" to push Israel toward a confederation with Palestine—a proposal dismissed by Netanyahu’s coalition as "unrealistic" . The UN’s blacklisting, however, may signal a shift in international scrutiny, with the EU and US yet to respond to calls for concrete action.
UN blacklists Israel and Russia for systematic sexual violence in conflicts
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Barna satte seg ned for å ha eksamen. Da startet skytingen. ISTANBUL: Israelske angrep på Vestbredden fortsetter å øke. Nå rammes barn og utdanning i økende grad.
aftenposten · 8 days ago
De skulle ha eksamen, så begynte skytingen: – Barna fikk panikk. De kastet seg ned på gulvet ISTANBUL: Israelske angrep på Vestbredden fortsetter å øke. Nå rammes barn og utdanning i økende grad.
aftenposten · 8 days ago
Guerre à Gaza : en France, «laccueil des Palestiniens est quasiment impossible» A Rennes, «Libé» a rencontré un père et ses fils évacués de Gaza où leur famille est encore bloquée. Une situation qui na rien dun cas isolé : alors que Paris impose des critères de rapatriement toujours plus stricts, un collectif dénonce linaction de lEtat face à lurgence humanitaire.
liberation · 8 days ago
Omer Bartov : «Si vous ne critiquez pas Israël, vous lui donnez carte blanche» Lhistorien israélo-américain spécialiste de la Shoah, pointe laveuglément des Israéliens sur la colonisation en Cisjordanie et lesprit de vengeance qui guide le gouvernement Nétanyahou depuis le 7 Octobre. Il propose un partage du territoire entre Palestiniens et Israéliens sous la forme dune confédération. Une option qui nécessite une «thérapie de choc» menée par les Etats-Unis.
liberation · 8 days ago
Izrael i Rosja na "czarnej liście" ONZ. Izraelczycy zawieszają stosunki Organizacja Narodów Zjednoczonych umieściła Izrael i Rosję na liście krajów podejrzanych o stosowanie przemocy seksualnej w strefach konfliktów. Opisy nadużyć ze strony izraelskich i rosyjskich wojsk oraz sił bezpieczeństwa znalazły się w raporcie sekretarza generalnego ONZ António Guterresa.
gazeta.pl · 8 days ago
Melnyk calls inclusion of Russian army on UN list of shame for sexual crimes historic event Ukraines Permanent Representative to the UN, Andrii Melnyk, considers it a historic event that Secretary-General António Guterres has added the Russian army to the list of shame—a list of armed forces that systematically commit crimes of sexual violence.
ukrinform · 8 days ago
World Brief: A U.N. report blacklists Israel and Russia for sexual violence in conflict, Pakistans foreign minister visits Washington, and a Russian drone violates Romanian territory. foreignpolicy.com/2026/05/29/i...
bluesky bot · 8 days ago
ONU inclui forças israelitas e russas em relatório sobre violência sexual em conflitos Relatório identifica 77 partes consideradas responsáveis por padrões de violência sexual relacionados com conflitos.
publico · 8 days ago
UN accuses Israel of committing sexual violence against Palestinians Report by secretary-general says perpetrators include Israel Defense Forces
financial times · 8 days ago
U.N. Blacklists Israel, Russia for Sexual Violence in Conflict Both countries have refuted the allegations and accused the agency of bias.
foreignpolicy.com · 8 days ago
Opinion : "Yet where is the reaction? Justified international outrage over the treatment of western activists in the Gaza flotilla by Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far‑right national security minister, is in grotesque contrast to the silence over the abuse of Palestinian detainees..,.,,..,There is a similar gulf between the anger after Russia struck a Romanian apartment block this week and the silence over attacks in Gaza – where five children were among those killed on the first day of Eid al-Adha. Germany voiced concern about the expansion of Israeli military control in Gaza, but Israel is unmoved by toothless criticism. European governments, with little sway over Russia, could put real pressure on an ally and trade partner.If Mr Trump wants to be remembered as a peacemaker – admittedly unlikely, given his record – he should ensure that Israel complies with his Gaza plan, that Palestinians can live in peace, and that reconstruction begins. If Europe believes in its frequent invocation of rules-based order and moral decency, it must use its leverage with Israel and end its complicity in these crimes." #Europe #NATO #trump #israel
mastodon bot · 8 days ago
Israel, Russia among new additions on UN sexual violence blacklist New report says nearly 10,000 cases of conflict-related sexual violence were recorded worldwide last year.
aljazeera · 9 days ago