A senior UN official who clashed publicly with Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, was later seen engaging on X with an account that posted antisemitic content, including an image of an Israeli flag with a swastika at its center.
Vanessa Frazier, the UN secretary-general’s representative on children and armed conflict, replied Saturday night to the account after it had shared the image comparing Israel to Nazi Germany. In her response, Frazier wrote: “I look forward to constructive engagement — together we can eliminate this scourge and do justice to all victims and survivors.”
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Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon
(Photo: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
The exchange came one day after an unusually tense confrontation between Frazier and Danon at a UN event marking the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. Frazier, who is behind the UN’s annual report that added Israel to a blacklist on children and armed conflict, tried to interrupt Danon during his remarks.
Danon responded sharply from the podium.
“You will be quiet because I am speaking now,” he told her. “You spoke, now I am speaking. Shame on you. You are part of the persecution of Israel. Shame on you. You can leave.”
Following Frazier’s interaction with the X account, Danon accused her of showing tolerance for antisemitic content.
“Yesterday she tried to silence me in the UN hall,” Danon said. “Today it turns out she is also corresponding with accounts that spread antisemitic content and compare Israel to Nazis. Anyone who shows tolerance for antisemitism cannot present themselves as a defender of human rights. The mask is off.”
The confrontation at the UN two days earlier
The confrontation followed Danon’s call for the resignation of Pramila Patten, the UN secretary-general’s special representative on sexual violence in conflict. Israel has been furious over the UN’s decision to include Israeli bodies on a blacklist of countries and organizations accused of committing sexual violence in conflict zones.
Israeli officials say the move came after Hamas was included on the same list and after heavy pressure was placed on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Over the past year, Danon and members of Israel’s UN mission held several meetings with the secretary-general’s representatives and their teams. Israel submitted documents, data and detailed responses to the claims raised in reports and drafts sent to Jerusalem. Israel also invited UN officials to visit the country and examine the allegations directly.
Israeli officials say that despite the material provided and the explanations given, Guterres chose to move ahead with what they describe as a political decision to include Israel on the list.
In response, Israel announced it was freezing ties with Guterres’ office and canceling Patten’s planned visit to Israel. Israeli officials said they would not maintain contact with the secretary-general’s office as long as Guterres remains at the head of the organization.