Hadassah Responds to UN Commission of Inquiry’s Biased March 13 Report

Monday, March 17, 2025

NEW YORK, NY – Today, in response to the March 13, 2025, report released by the United Nations (UN) Commission of Inquiry (COI), Carol Ann Schwartz, National President, Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, made the following statement:

“Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, is alarmed by the biased UN Commission of Inquiry report, which shows the same bias and distortion as the previous reports, fails to acknowledge Hamas’ terrorist actions and ignores the well-documented systematic weaponization of sexual violence by Hamas. For example, the report fails to mention that Hamas deliberately hides weapons and military operations centers inside public facilities like hospitals and health care centers, putting its citizens at risk and turning them into military targets.

“With this report, the COI once again provides excuses that embolden Hamas terrorists, and fails to hold Hamas accountable for its grotesque weaponization of sexual violence against Israeli women, girls and men on October 7, 2023, and against hostages it has held for over a year. The United States and the European Union have acknowledged these crimes and taken steps to sanction Hamas. Sadly, the UN – despite having documented some of the evidence itself – has not taken steps to hold Hamas accountable. We continue to call on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to list Hamas in the Annex to the 2025 Report on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and to vigorously pursue justice for the victims of Hamas’ sexual violence.

“As Hadassah has done so many times in the past, we call on the UN to disband the unprecedented, unending COI targeting Israel and remove its biased leaders, who have repeatedly made antisemitic statements and excused Hamas' terrorism in clear violation of UN impartiality standards.”

About Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America:

Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, is the largest Jewish women’s organization in the United States. With nearly 300,000 members, donors and supporters, Hadassah brings women together to effect change on such critical issues as ensuring Israel’s security, combating antisemitism and promoting women’s health care. Through its Jerusalem-based hospital system, the Hadassah Medical Organization, Hadassah helps support exemplary care for more than 1 million people every year as well as world-renowned medical research. Hadassah’s hospitals serve without regard to race, religion or nationality and in 2005 earned a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for building bridges to peace through medicine. Hadassah also supports two youth villages that set at-risk youth in Israel on the path to a successful future. Visit www.hadassah.org or follow Hadassah on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads and X.