UN To Add Israel To Human Rights Blacklist Benjamin Netanyahu Reacts Furiously

The upcoming inclusion of Israel on a UN list of countries and armed forces determined to be failing to protect children in war prompted a furious Israeli response Friday. Benjamin Netanyahu called the move “shameful” and said it would only give Hamas hope. The annual “Children and Armed Conflict” report, produced by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, will not be published until June 18. Still, Israel’s UN ambassador, Gilad Erdan, spoke out after receiving private notification of the inclusion.

In a social media post, he said the decision was “outrageous” and “wrong.” He said it would also affect Israel’s relationship with the United Nations and threaten its international reputation. He argued that the move was based on unsubstantiated allegations.

The listing process is meant to encourage engagement with the parties cited for violations and spur them to take measures to mitigate harm to children. This is intended to be a positive tool for protecting children in war zones. However, human rights activists say it has become politicized and manipulated for purposes other than the protection of children. The current process has several flaws, including a lack of transparency and using unverified casualty figures that are often considerably lower than actual ones. Verification is difficult, given the intensity and nature of many armed conflicts, limitations to access affected areas, and the unwillingness or fear of some survivors and witnesses to share information for fear of retaliation.

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This year’s report will name the Israeli government and armed Palestinian groups as those that have failed to meet their obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The report will also name several other states, militias, and armed groups that are involved in grave violations of children’s rights.

Palestinian civil society organizations have signed a letter to Guterres calling for the inclusion of Israel and Hamas in the list, which also includes Russia and jihadist groups such as ISIS and Boko Haram. The signatories include Amnesty International, Al-Haq, Addameer, BADIL, Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center, and Defense for Children International – Palestine.