The United Nations (UN) plans to include Israel and the Hamas terrorist group in a blacklist of countries and groups that harm children, prompting a furious reaction from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who described the decision as “delusional.”
This is the second recent instance where an international body has equated Hamas and Israel in condemnation. Previously, the International Criminal Court announced its intentions to issue arrest warrants for both Israeli officials and Hamas leaders regarding alleged war crimes during the Gaza conflict.
The United Nations is set to list Israel alongside Hamas in its annual report on children and armed conflict. This decision is based on the severe impact of the war in Gaza on minors, including fatalities, injuries, and starvation, according to U.N. officials.
Reuters reported that United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is personally responsible for Israel’s inclusion in the blacklist, and the United Nations Security Council will review the listings next week:
The global list will be part of a report on children and armed conflict, which Guterres is scheduled to submit to the U.N. Security Council on June 14. … Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated the decision “will have consequences for Israel’s relations with the U.N.” Israel’s relationship with the U.N. has been contentious for years, and it has deteriorated further during the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip. … “I am utterly shocked and disgusted by this shameful decision of the Secretary-General,” said Erdan. “Israel’s army is the most moral army in the world, so this immoral decision will only aid the terrorists and reward Hamas.”
Netanyahu responded in a statement on Friday: “Today the UN added itself to the black list of history by aligning with Hamas supporters. The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] is the most moral army in the world; no delusional UN decision will change that.”
Israel has had a strained relationship with Guterres, accusing him of disregarding alleged involvement of UN personnel in terror activities. Israel demanded Guterres’ resignation months ago.
It remains unclear how the Biden administration will react to the report when it is presented to the UN Security Council next Friday.
Update: Erdan has caused a stir at the UN by releasing a video of his phone call with UN officials, who had informed him of Israel’s blacklisting.
I received the official notification about the Secretary-General’s decision to put the IDF on the “blacklist” of countries and organizations that harm children. This is simply outrageous and wrong because Hamas has been using children for terrorism and uses schools and hospitals… pic.twitter.com/o1civfJFAk
— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) June 7, 2024
The Times of Israel reported that a UN spokesperson described the video’s release as “shocking.”
