Israeli Envoy and UN Officials Clash Over Reports on Children in Conflict Zones
A public hearing at the United Nations on Friday witnessed a tense exchange between Israel's ambassador and UN officials over reports that blacklisted Israel for alleged violations against children in conflict zones. The meeting, held in New York to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, saw Israeli envoy Danny Danon demand the resignation of Pramila Patten, the UN secretary-general's special representative for children and armed conflict, accusing her of bias in compiling a report that included Israel on a blacklist for the first time.
Danon criticized Patten, saying, "You caved to the secretary-general's obsession with targeting Israel," referring to UN chief Antonio Guterres. During the exchange, Vanessa Frazier, Guterres' representative for children and armed conflict and author of a separate report also blacklisting Israel, interjected by raising a point of order. She asked Danon to refrain from "personal attacks" and asserted that her report contained "verified evidence." Danon responded by telling Frazier to be quiet, stating, "We are a member state, and you work for the U.N., and you will be quiet now. You will be quiet … you and your shameful report."
Frazier, a former UN ambassador for Malta, released her report this week on behalf of Guterres, warning that Israeli settler groups could be added to a global blacklist for violations against children. The report also noted a "staggering" rise in violations against Palestinian children. Israel itself appears in the report's annexes for alleged violations. Patten's report, issued last month, similarly blacklisted Israel. Both reports also included Hamas, Israel's arch enemy, on the blacklist.
Israel's foreign ministry had earlier called Patten's report "a new low" and threatened to sever all ties with Guterres, who is set to leave office at the end of the year after serving for a decade. The clash highlights the ongoing tensions between Israel and the UN over the handling of allegations involving children in conflict situations.
