A report has emerged indicating that United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned Israel and Russia that their armed forces and security personnel may be added to a list of parties credibly suspected of committing sexual violence in conflict zones.
According to Guterres, the warning issued earlier this week stems from significant concerns regarding patterns of sexual violence that the United Nations has consistently documented.
Speaking to VOC News, Dr. Ahmed Jazbhay, Executive Member of the Media Review Network, said the issue is not receiving the attention it deserves, particularly the actions of Israeli occupation forces in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
“No, most certainly we are not talking about that,” said Jazbhay.
“Israel used October 7, 2023, as a pretext to accuse Hamas and other resistance movements of sexual violence. Now that it is in the dock with credible evidence, especially related to detainees or prisoners of war from Gaza and the West Bank, the tables have turned.”
Jazbhay added that Israel has responded in its “typical nonchalant way,” dismissing the UN’s concerns while continuing to promote “the myth of sexual violence on October 7,” despite credible reports of atrocities committed against Palestinian women, children, and men.
As South Africa marks Women’s Month, Jazbhay said these revelations should resonate strongly. He criticised the “absolute deafening silence” from global feminist movements on the issue.
“That’s a million-dollar question,” he said. “Whenever feminist movements talk about liberation and emancipation of women, Palestinian women and girls are excluded from the conversation. Palestinians are an exception to human rights norms, sexual violence norms, and even to international law.”
Jazbhay argued that Israel has “monopolised suffering” and is treated as “an exception to every rule,” whether in human rights, the laws of war, or genocide.
He stressed that while allegations of sexual violence on October 7 have been “debunked as a myth,” the United Nations now has “credible, verifiable evidence” implicating Israel, particularly in detention centres in Gaza.
“The UN is saying there’s credible evidence to accuse Israel,” Jazbhay concluded. “It has put them on notice that perhaps next year they will be regarded as a predator nation.”
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
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