A United Nations expert says he will examine the Israeli government's treatment of human rights groups in the region in his next report.

Michael Lynk, the U.N.'s special representatives on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, said Friday that human rights defenders in the region face scorn and accused Israel of trying to delegitimize their work.

Lynk said he was especially troubled by the Israeli government's reaction to the recent appearance of the human rights group B'Tselem before the Security Council.

In a statement, Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon called Lynk's comments offensive and said it "shows the immense damage done by Israeli organizations that defame us in front of the international community."