International Relations | 2014-01-26 22:09:00

Following the United States' withdrawal from dozens of international organizations, Israel has announced it is severing ties with several United Nations agencies and international bodies, citing persistent anti-Israel bias, politicization, and inefficiency. The decision was announced by Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Tuesday, January 13 or 14, 2026.

Israel's move comes after a review prompted by the US withdrawal from 66 global bodies last week, an order signed by US President Donald Trump.

The three organizations Israel immediately withdrew from—UN Energy, the UN Alliance of Civilizations, and the Global Forum on Migration and Development—were also among those the US exited.

Beyond these, Israel had already ceased cooperation with several other UN bodies:
 

  1. Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict: Israel cut ties in June 2024 after the office blacklisted the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) alongside groups like ISIS and Boko Haram.
  2. UN Women (UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women): Cooperation was suspended in July 2024, with Israel accusing the organization of deliberately ignoring cases of sexual violence against Israeli women during the October 7, 2023, attacks.
  3. UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): Israel cited "virulent anti-Israel reports" as the reason for disengagement, noting it had been disengaged for years.
  4. UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA): Similar to UNCTAD, Israel accused ESCWA of issuing annual anti-Israel reports that serve as a basis for further resolutions. Foreign Minister Sa'ar has also instructed the Foreign Ministry to further review Israel's continued cooperation with an unspecified number of additional international organizations. Israel has long had strained relations with the UN, frequently accusing its agencies of bias, particularly intensified after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
  5. UN Alliance of Civilizations — accused of bias and not inviting Israel to participate.
  6. UN Energy — described by Israel as inefficient and wasteful.
  7. Global Forum on Migration and Development — criticized for undermining sovereign immigration policies.