Releasing terrorists is good, but approving new Jewish construction in Jerusalem is wrong, according to the head of the United Nations. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, in a statement he released on Wednesday, condemned Israel’s announcement that it will build 1,500 new housing units in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo. “Settlement activity is contrary to […]
(CNSNews.com) – At a first-ever Security Council meeting focused on strengthening ties between the U.N. and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a U.S. diplomat Monday described the bloc of Muslim nations as “a strong and respected voice” in the fight against violent extremism. Also praised was the OIC’s outgoing secretary-general, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, “for speaking out […]
Israel will attend a UN human rights review on Tuesday, a top official told AFP on Sunday. Earlier, Haaretz reported that Germany had warned Israel of a diplomatic backlash if it stayed away from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Periodic Review. “We will attend” the Universal Periodic Review, the official, who declined to […]
(CNSNews.com) – A United Nations’ review of the United States’ compliance with international human rights norms will not happen as scheduled because of the partial government shutdown, and the chairman of the reviewing body blames the Republican Party. The Geneva-based Human Rights Committee was due to have examined the U.S. record on Thursday and Friday, […]
Shahar Azran/Polaris/Newscom Today, Secretary of State John Kerry signed the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) on behalf of the United States. The reaction from Congress has been immediate, and rightfully so. In his remarks at the Signing Ceremony, Secretary Kerry offered the usual tired justifications for the treaty, which will supposedly “lift other countries up […]
Newscom President Obama this morning laid out a foreign policy roadmap for the remainder of his presidency. However, his audience at the United Nations General Assembly might be excused for finding it confusing. In Obama’s speech, assertions were followed by contradictions, and top priorities were undermined by caveats. Under leadership such as this, the […]
(CNSNews.com) – With key Muslim countries on the rise and the Muslim population on track to exceed a quarter of the planet’s projected total population by 2030, the Islamic world deserves a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council, says Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. In a speech this week, he laid […]
A new report from the United Nations’ nuclear agency finds that Iran has further boosted its capacity for uranium enrichment, reports the BBC. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says Tehran has now installed more than 1,000 advanced centrifuges at its Natanz enrichment plant, according to Wednesday’s report. The report comes as the IAEA says […]
House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) is sending a letter to President Barack Obama criticizing his level of consultation with lawmakers about potential military action against Syria and demanding a clear explanation of any mission in advance of its start, The Wall Street Journal reports. Separately, 114 House lawmakers—some 97 Republicans and 17 Democrats—have signed […]
The United States could be free to sign the United Nations’ Arms Trade Treaty as soon as Thursday. When the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) opened for national signatures on June 3, Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed it with open arms, noting that the U.S. “look[ed] forward to signing it as soon as the process […]
