Israel's Foreign Minister slams UN for 'shameful' IDF blacklist over child harm claims

Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, has launched a scathing rebuke against the decision by the United Nations Secretary-General to include the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on a blacklist of entities accused of harming children during conflicts. Katz vehemently condemned the move, labeling it as "shameful" and expressing Israel's outright rejection of it "with disgust."

In a strongly worded statement, Katz underscored the unilateral nature of the decision, emphasizing that it reflects the Secretary-General's ongoing hostility towards Israel and a deliberate disregard for key events, including the Hamas attack on October 7 and Israel's inherent right to self-defense. He criticized the Secretary-General for what he deemed as a failure to address Hamas' egregious actions, particularly regarding sex crimes, despite documented reports by UN Special Representative Patten.

Moreover, Katz raised serious concerns about the credibility of the report implicating Israel and the Palestinians, asserting that it relies on unverified and distorted data sourced from biased organizations such as the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Notably, Katz highlighted a recent discrepancy where OCHA reportedly halved the reported number of children and women killed in Gaza without providing a satisfactory explanation, allegedly relying on data from Hamas' Ministry of Health. Katz vowed to bring these alleged distortions to light on the international stage.

Affirming the IDF's reputation as the "most moral army in the world," Katz staunchly defended its integrity against what he deemed as fabricated allegations. He warned that the UN's decision would not go unnoticed, hinting at potential repercussions for Israel's relations with the international body.

The condemnation by Katz underscores the deepening rift between Israel and the UN, with the former vehemently contesting what it perceives as biased treatment and the latter defending its efforts to address alleged violations of international humanitarian law. As tensions escalate, the fallout from this decision is likely to reverberate across diplomatic channels, adding yet another layer of complexity to the enduring Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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