Israel to Withdraw from 7 UN Agencies

On 13th January 2026, Israel announced that it will withdraw from 7 United Nations agencies and affiliated bodies, a move that follows the United States’ recent withdrawal from 66 international organisations, including many tied to the UN system.

Key Points:

Immediate Severance: Israel will “immediately sever all contact” with seven UN agencies and related bodies, citing alleged anti-Israel bias and ineffective or bureaucratic structures.
List of Agencies: The bodies from which Israel is withdrawing include:
- Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
- UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
- UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
- UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
- UN Alliance of Civilizations
- UN Energy
- Global Forum on Migration and Development
Background: The decision follows a review triggered by the United States’ decision to withdraw from 66 international organisations and treaties, many of which are UN-related, earlier this month.
Reasons Given: Israel accuses several of the agencies of producing what it calls “virulent anti-Israel reports,” ignoring issues it deems important, or functioning inefficiently.
Previous Disengagements: Before this announcement, Israel had already cut ties with some UN bodies, including those that had criticised or “blacklisted” the Israel Defence Forces.
Further Reviews: The Foreign Ministry has signalled that it will continue to review other international organisations and determine future cooperation on a case-by-case basis.