New York: A United Nations hearing in New York on Friday, June 19, descended into a heated exchange after Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, clashed with senior UN officials over reports accusing Israel of violations during the Gaza conflict.
The confrontation took place during an event marking the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict.
During his address, Danon called for the resignation of Pramila Patten, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, over a recent report that added Israel to a UN list of parties accused of conflict-related sexual violence violations.
“You caved to the secretary-general’s obsession with targeting Israel,” Danon said, referring to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Hearing disrupted
The meeting became tense when Vanessa Frazier, the UN representative for children and armed conflict, interrupted Danon’s speech and sought to raise a point of order.
“I’m sorry, but I have to make a point of order,” Frazier said, objecting to what she described as personal attacks against UN officials.
“This should not be personal,” she added as Danon continued speaking.
Danon rejected the intervention and responded sharply.
“We are a member state, and you work for the UN, and you will be quiet now,” he said. “You will be quiet … you and your shameful report.”
As organisers attempted to restore order, Danon accused UN officials of taking part in a campaign against Israel.
“We know why you took this position. We will not allow you to be part of this shameful campaign,” he said, before adding: “If you don’t want to listen, go out.”
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Israel rejects UN findings
Danon also criticised the decision to place Israel on the blacklist alongside groups such as Hamas, ISIS and Boko Haram.
“Israel was placed on the blacklist alongside Hamas, ISIS and Boko Haram. This is a moral disgrace,” he said.
He accused Patten of supporting a political decision without properly examining evidence provided by Israel and argued that the country had not been given a fair opportunity to respond.
Earlier this week, a report from Frazier’s office warned that Israeli settler groups could face inclusion on a global blacklist for grave violations against children. The report cited a sharp increase in violations affecting Palestinian children during the conflict.
Israel has rejected the findings of recent UN reports and accused the organisation of political bias.
Danon defends remarks
Following the hearing, Danon defended his conduct in a post on X, saying he chose to speak out after what he described as a flawed UN process.
“People often ask me how I remain composed in a challenging environment like the United Nations. The answer is simple: there are moments when staying silent is not an option,” he wrote.
Danon said a senior UN official attempted to interrupt his remarks while he was raising concerns about the decision to place Israel alongside Hamas on a UN blacklist. He described the move as an effort to prevent scrutiny of what he called a “deeply flawed process”.
“When our soldiers, our sons and daughters, are falsely accused, silence is not an option. I will always stand up for those who defend the State of Israel,” he added.
Following the publication of Patten’s report, Israel announced that it was freezing ties with the office of the UN Secretary-General and cancelling a planned visit by Patten.
