The United Nations has included Israel and Hamas in its “list of shame,” documenting rights violations against children in armed conflict, as reported by The Times of Israel.
In a significant development, Israel and Hamas find themselves alongside entities like Russia, the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, Afghanistan, Iraq, Myanmar, Somalia, Yemen, and Syria on this list. This marks the first time a democratic country like Israel has been included in such a manner.
Previous reports focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and accused Israel of serious rights violations against children. However, Israel had not been listed in the annex of “listed parties that have not put in place measures during the reporting period to improve the protection of children” until now, known as the “list of shame.”
In response to the UN’s decision, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it “delusional,” asserting that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are the “most moral army in the world.” Netanyahu criticized the UN for siding with “Hamas murderers” and stated that no decision by the UN would change the IDF’s ethical standards.
Israel’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Gilad Erdan, echoed Netanyahu’s sentiments, emphasizing the IDF’s moral conduct and condemning the UN’s decision as aiding terrorists and rewarding Hamas. Erdan criticized the UN Secretary-General’s decisions as incentivizing terrorists to use children for their acts.
The inclusion of Israel in the UN’s “list of shame” is a contentious move likely to impact Israel’s relations with the UN. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz described the decision as an “act of villainy” by the UN Secretary-General, warning of consequences for Israel’s relationship with the international body.
The debate over the veracity of data provided by Hamas, particularly regarding casualties in the Israel-Hamas conflict, adds further complexity to the situation. The drop in reported casualties by Hamas has raised questions about the reliability of the information used in the UN report.
This development underscores the ongoing challenges in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and raises broader questions about accountability and the use of data in international assessments of armed conflicts involving non-state actors.
Sources By Agencies
