Israel's Addition to the UN Blacklist for Harming Children During Conflict and the Likely Repercussions

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Reporting from Aljazeera, the United Nations (UN) is adding Israel to its "blacklist" of countries that have committed abuses against children in armed conflict, as confirmed by an Israeli diplomat. Thousands of Palestinian children have been killed as a result of the ongoing Israeli military assault on the Gaza Strip.

In a post on social media X on Friday, June 7, 2024, Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, said he received official notification from the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, regarding the decision.

Erdan called the decision "simply outrageous and wrong," while sharing a video of himself speaking on the phone and condemning the move.

"I responded to the shameful decision and said that our army is the most moral in the world. The only one being blacklisted is the Secretary-General who incentivizes and encourages terrorism and is motivated by hatred towards Israel," Erdan wrote.

Palestine Welcomes UN Decision

Annual reports on children in armed conflict have compiled "a list of parties engaging in violations against children," including killings and maiming, sexual violence, and attacks on schools and hospitals.

This blacklist aims to denounce parties involved in abuses against children. However, other countries may use this list to restrict arms sales to the offenders.

Senior Palestinian official, Riad Malki, welcomed the UN’s decision on Friday, saying that this step was long overdue.

"Now, faced with the catastrophe in Gaza that the world sees with its naked eyes with the genocide that specifically targets children and women, the UN Secretary-General no longer has excuses not to place Israel on the blacklist," Malki said in a statement.

Israeli atrocities in Palestine

Human rights groups have condemned the horrific impact of Israel's bombardment and siege of Gaza on Palestinian children across the region. More than 36,700 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since early October 2023, including 15,571 children, according to Gaza's government media office.

UN experts also said that Israel's restrictions on deliveries of food, water, medicine, and other essential supplies have created a humanitarian crisis, with parts of the coastal region facing the threat of famine.

What is the UN Blacklist

The UN blacklist, in the context of violations against children in armed conflict, refers to the annual list of offenders compiled by the UN Secretary-General. The list is annexed to the Secretary-General's Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) report.

These abuses include murder and maiming, recruitment and use of children as soldiers, sexual violence against children, kidnapping of children, attacks on schools and hospitals, and denial of humanitarian access to children.

The UN list came about as part of the international efforts to protect children's rights amid conflict. In 1999, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1261, which marked the first time children’s rights in armed conflict were recognized as an international peace and security issue.

Consequences of Being on the UN Blacklist:

- International Scrutiny: Blacklisted parties will be under strict supervision by the international community. They are expected to take concrete steps to stop and prevent abuses against children.

- Diplomatic and Economic Pressure: Countries or groups on this list may face significant diplomatic pressure from UN member states. This pressure includes international condemnation, economic sanctions, or restrictions on diplomatic relations.

- Restrictions on Military and Economic Assistance: UN member states can use this blacklist as a basis for limiting or stopping military and economic aid to the offenders to ensure the arms are not used to further exacerbate abuses against children.

- Stigma and Reputation Damage: Being blacklisted carries an international stigma and damages the offender’s reputation in the eyes of the world. This could harm their efforts to gain international support on various issues.

- Push for Reform: Blacklisted parties are often encouraged to reform and demonstrate a real commitment to protecting children's rights. This could include adopting new policies, training security forces, and working with international organizations to implement child protection measures.

AL JAZEERA | MICHELLE GABRIELA

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