Israel Moves to Disengage From Key UN Agencies Over “Hostile Conduct”

Israel has decided to immediately sever all ties with several United Nations agencies and international organisations, following a review prompted by the United States' recent withdrawal from dozens of global bodies. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced the decision after consultations, citing longstanding issues of bias, politicisation, and actions perceived as hostile toward Israel. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on X that the move targets organisations already referenced in the US announcement, with further evaluations underway for additional entities.

Among the bodies from which Israel has already disengaged are the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict, blacklisted by Israel since June 2024 for including the IDF on a 2024 list alongside terror groups such as ISIS and Boko Haram. Israel has also terminated cooperation with UN Women, accusing the entity of deliberately ignoring sexual violence allegations against Israeli women during the October 7, 2023 attacks. The local UN Women head was removed at Israel's request, and all cooperation ceased in July 2024.

Israel has long maintained disengagement from the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which it accuses of producing dozens of strongly anti-Israel reports, and from the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), criticised for issuing annual virulent reports that fuel further anti-Israel resolutions within the UN system. These longstanding breaks have now been formally reaffirmed as part of the broader policy shift.

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Additional organisations now targeted include the UN Alliance of Civilisations, which Israel claims has excluded it from participation while serving as a platform for attacks against the Jewish state despite its mandate to promote intercultural dialogue. Israel will also cut ties with UN Energy, described as a wasteful and bureaucratically excessive body, and the Global Forum on Migration and Development, accused of undermining sovereign states' rights to enforce immigration controls.

The Foreign Ministry has instructed officials to conduct an immediate and thorough examination, in coordination with relevant government ministries where necessary, of Israel's continued cooperation with other international organisations. Further decisions on additional disengagements are expected following this review and subsequent discussions, signalling a potential escalation in Israel's selective engagement with multilateral institutions.

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