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  • Israel defends Somaliland move at UN amid concerns over Gaza motives

    Israel defends Somaliland move at UN amid concerns over Gaza motives

    UNITED NATIONS: Israel defended on Monday its formal recognition of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, but several countries at the ​United Nations questioned whether the move aimed to relocate Palestinians from Gaza or to establish military bases.

    Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state on Friday.

    The 22-member Arab League, a regional organization of Arab states in the Middle East and parts of Africa, rejects “any measures arising from this illegitimate recognition aimed at facilitating forced displacement of the Palestinian people or exploiting northern Somali ports to establish military bases,” Arab League UN Ambassador Maged Abdelfattah Abdelaziz told the UN Security Council.

    “Against the backdrop of Israel’s previous references to Somaliland of the ‌Federal Republic of ‌Somalia as a destination for the deportation of Palestinian people, ‌especially ⁠from ​Gaza, its unlawful ‌recognition of Somaliland region of Somalia is deeply troubling,” Pakistan’s Deputy UN Ambassador Muhammad Usman Iqbal Jadoon told the council.

    Israel’s UN mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the remarks or address any of them in its statement at the council meeting. In March, the foreign ministers of Somalia and Somaliland said they had not received any proposal to resettle Palestinians from Gaza.

    US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza states: “No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and ⁠those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return.”

    Israel’s coalition government, the most right-wing ‌and religiously conservative in its history, includes far-right politicians who advocate the ‍annexation of both Gaza and the West ‍Bank and encouraging Palestinians to leave their homeland.

    Somalia’s UN Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman said ‍council members Algeria, Guyana, Sierra Leone and Somalia “unequivocally reject any steps aimed at advancing this objective, including any attempt by Israel to relocate the Palestinian population from Gaza to the northwestern region of Somalia.”

    SOMALILAND VS PALESTINIAN STATE

    Somaliland has enjoyed effective autonomy — and relative peace and stability — since 1991 when Somalia descended into civil war, but ​the breakaway region has failed to receive recognition from any other country.

    “It is not a hostile step toward Somalia, nor does it preclude future dialogue between ⁠the parties. Recognition is not an act of defiance. It is an opportunity,” Israel’s Deputy UN Ambassador Jonathan Miller told the council.

    In September, several Western states, including France, Britain, Canada and Australia announced they would recognize a Palestinian state, joining more than three-quarters of the 193 UN members who already do so.

    Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Tammy Bruce said: “This council’s persistent double standards and misdirection of focus distract from its mission of maintaining international peace and security.”

    Slovenia’s UN Ambassador Samuel Zbogar disputed her argument, saying: “Palestine is not part of any state. It is illegally occupied territory … Palestine is also an observer state in this organization.”

    He added: “Somaliland, on the other hand, is a part of a UN member state and recognizing it goes against … the UN Charter.”

    Israel said last week that it would seek immediate cooperation with ‌Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology and the economy. The former British protectorate hopes Israeli recognition will encourage other nations to follow suit, increasing its diplomatic heft and access to global markets.

  • UN, aid groups warn Gaza operations at risk from Israel impediments

    UN, aid groups warn Gaza operations at risk from Israel impediments

    UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations and aid groups warned on Wednesday that humanitarian operations in the Palestinian territories, particularly Gaza, were at risk of collapse if Israel does not lift impediments that include a “vague, arbitrary, and highly politicized” registration process.

    Dozens of international aid groups face de-registration by December 31, which then means they have to close operations within 60 days, said the UN and more than 200 local and international aid groups in a joint statement.

    “The deregistration of INGOs (international aid groups) in Gaza will have a catastrophic impact on access to essential and basic services,” the statement read.

    “INGOs run or support the majority of field hospitals, primary health care centers, emergency shelter responses, water and sanitation services, nutrition stabilization centers for children with acute malnutrition, and critical mine action activities,” it said.

    SUPPLIES LEFT OUT OF REACH: GROUPS

    While some international aid groups have been registered under the system that was introduced in March, “the ongoing re-registration process and other arbitrary hindrances to humanitarian operations have left millions of dollars’ worth of essential supplies — including food, medical items, hygiene materials, and shelter assistance — stuck outside of Gaza and unable to reach people in need,” the statement read.

    Israel’s mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the statement. Under the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, a fragile ceasefire in the two-year-old war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas began on October 10. Hamas released hostages, Israel freed detained Palestinians and more aid began flowing into the enclave where a global hunger monitor said in August famine had taken hold.

    However, Hamas says fewer aid trucks are entering Gaza than was agreed. Aid agencies say there is far less aid than required, and that Israel is blocking many necessary items from coming in. Israel denies that and says it is abiding by its obligations under the truce.

    “The UN will not be able to compensate for the collapse of INGOs’ operations if they are de-registered, and the humanitarian response cannot be replaced by alternative actors operating outside established humanitarian principles,” the statement by the UN and aid groups said.

    The statement stressed “humanitarian access is not optional, conditional or political,” adding: “Lifesaving assistance must be allowed to reach Palestinians without further delay.”

  • UN launches $35.3M humanitarian plan to assist Sri Lanka after Ditwah

    UN launches $35.3M humanitarian plan to assist Sri Lanka after Ditwah

    By Poojathmi Rivithma

    The United Nations and humanitarian partners have launched a Humanitarian Priorities Plan (HPP), seeking USD 35.3 million (LKR 10.9 billion) to scale up life-saving assistance for communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka.

    UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Marc-André Franche, said the plan aims to support 658,000 of the most vulnerable people in urgent need of aid between December 2025 and April 2026.

    The plan follows a formal request for international assistance by the Sri Lankan Government and complements ongoing national efforts by focusing aid on the most severely impacted areas and populations.

    Franche said the HPP includes support for immediate life-saving needs across sectors such as education; food security, agriculture and nutrition; health; protection; shelter and non-food items; camp coordination; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); and early recovery.

    The plan is based on identified vulnerabilities and findings from the Joint Rapid Needs Assessment conducted with the Disaster Management Centre. A more detailed analysis is also underway to guide additional interventions.

    Franche highlighted that Cyclone Ditwah caused extensive loss of life and property across the country. “Nearly 2.2 million people were affected, with over 600 deaths recorded so far and around 200 people still missing. More than 91,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed,” he said.

    While some families have returned home or sought alternative shelter, more than 85,000 people still remain in safety centres. Ongoing monsoon rains and landslide warnings continue to hinder resettlement in many areas.

    “Cyclone Ditwah has hit the poorest and most vulnerable the hardest. It has impacted nearly every aspect of their lives, worsening existing hardships,” Franche said.

    He added that the Humanitarian Priorities Plan offers a focused approach to delivering critical aid and supporting early recovery. “We are calling on the international community to stand with Sri Lanka at this crucial moment. Only through continued solidarity and strong support can we help families rebuild their lives with dignity and resilience.”

  • UN says states willing to fund Gaza’s $70 billion rebuild

    UN says states willing to fund Gaza’s $70 billion rebuild

    ANKARA/GENEVA: There are promising early indications from countries, including the United States as well as Arab and European states, about their willingness to contribute to the $70 billion cost of rebuilding Gaza, a United Nations Development Programme official said on Tuesday.

    “We’ve had very good indications already,” UNDP’s Jaco Cilliers told reporters at a press conference in Geneva, without giving details. He estimated that the two-year Israel-Hamas war had generated at least 55 million tonnes of rubble.

    Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan earlier said he will seek the support of Gulf states, the United States and Europe for the reconstruction of Gaza under the new ceasefire deal, and he believed project financing will be provided swiftly.

    Speaking to reporters on a return flight from Sharm El-Sheikh, Erdogan said Western countries’ decisions to recognize the Palestinian state should be seen as building blocks of a two-state solution, according to a transcript shared by his office on Tuesday.

  • Sharaa to become first Syrian leader to attend UN meetings since 1967

    Sharaa to become first Syrian leader to attend UN meetings since 1967

    Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in New York to attend meetings of the UN General Assembly, the first participation of a Syrian president since 1967, the state news agency reported early on Monday.

    Sharaa – a former al Qaeda leader who once had a $10 million bounty on his head – scored a major diplomatic victory in May when he won recognition from US President Donald Trump at a meeting in Riyadh.

    The US subsequently lifted most sanctions on Syria and the Trump administration has voiced its support for Sharaa’s efforts to unify and stabilize the country.

  • Top UN Gaza investigator hopeful Israeli leaders will be prosecuted

    Top UN Gaza investigator hopeful Israeli leaders will be prosecuted

    GENEVA: The UN investigator who this week accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza said she sees parallels with the butchery in Rwanda, and that she hopes one day Israeli leaders will be put behind bars.

    Navi Pillay, a South African former judge who headed the international tribunal for the 1994 Rwanda genocide and also served as UN human rights chief, acknowledged that justice “is a slow process.”

    But as late South African anti-apartheid icon Nelson “Mandela said, it always seems impossible until it’s done,” she said in an interview.

    “I consider it not impossible that there will be arrests and trials” in the future.

    Pillay’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI), which does not speak on behalf of the United Nations, issued a bombshell report on Tuesday concluding that “genocide is occurring in Gaza” – something Israel vehemently denies.

    The investigators also concluded that Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant have “incited the commission of genocide.”

    Israel categorically rejected the findings and slammed the report as “distorted and false.”

    But for Pillay, the parallels to Rwanda – where some 800,000 people, mostly ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus, were slaughtered – are clear.

    As head of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, she says watching footage of civilians being killed and tortured had marked her “for life.”

    “I see similarities” to what is happening in Gaza, she said, pointing to “the same kind of methods.”

    While Tutsis were targeted in Rwanda’s genocide, she said “all the evidence (indicates) it is Palestinians as a group that is being targeted” in Gaza.

    Israeli leaders, she said, had made statements, including calling Palestinians “animals,” which recalled the demonizing rhetoric used during the Rwanda genocide, when Tutsis were labelled as “cockroaches.”

    In both cases, she said the target population is “dehumanized,” signaling that “it’s ok to kill them.”

    ‘Traumatic’

    The International Criminal Court has already issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for suspected war crimes.

    Pillay said securing accountability would not be easy, highlighting that the ICC “does not have its own sheriff or police force to do the arrests.”

    But she stressed that popular demand could bring about sudden change, as it had in her home country.

    “I never thought apartheid will end in my lifetime,” she said.

    Pillay, who rose through the ranks to become a judge in apartheid South Africa despite her Indian heritage, has a knack for handling difficult cases.

    Her career has taken her from defending anti-apartheid activists and political prisoners in South Africa to the Rwanda tribunal, the ICC and on to serving as the UN’s top human rights official from 2008 to 2014.

    The 83-year-old took on a particularly daunting mission four years ago when she agreed to chair the freshly-created COI tasked with investigating rights abuses in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel.

    Since then, she and her two co-commissioners have faced a barrage of accusations of bias and antisemitism, which they deny, and a recent social media campaign urging Washington to sanction them, as it has ICC judges, Palestinian NGOs and a UN expert focused on the situation in Gaza.

    The pressure has been intense, but Pillay says the hardest thing for her team has been viewing video evidence from the ground.

    “Watching those videos is just traumatic,” she said, pointing to images of “sexual violence of women (and abuse of) doctors who were stripped naked by the military.”

    “It’s so painful” to watch.

    Pillay said that going forward, the commission aims to draft a list of suspected perpetrators of abuses in Gaza, and also explore the suspected “complicity” of countries supporting Israel.

    That work will meanwhile be left to her successor, since Pillay will be leaving the commission in November, citing her age and health concerns.

    Before that, she said she had her visa ready to travel to New York to present her report to the UN General Assembly.

    So far, she said, “I have heard nothing about that visa being withdrawn.”

  • UN General Assembly backs Saudi-French declaration for Hamas-free Palestinian state

    UN General Assembly backs Saudi-French declaration for Hamas-free Palestinian state

    NEW YORK: The UN General Assembly voted Friday to back the “New York Declaration,” a resolution which seeks to breathe new life into the two-state solution between Israel and Palestine — without the involvement of Hamas.

    The text was adopted by 142 votes in favor, 10 against — including Israel and key ally the United States — and 12 abstentions. It clearly condemns Hamas and demands that it surrender its weapons.

    Although Israel has criticized UN bodies for nearly two years over their failure to condemn Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, the declaration, presented by France and Saudi Arabia, leaves no ambiguity.

    Formally called the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, the text states that “Hamas must free all hostages” and that the UN General Assembly condemns “the attacks committed by Hamas against civilians on the 7th of October.”

    It also calls for “collective action to end the war in Gaza, to achieve a just, peaceful and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the effective implementation of the Two-State solution.”

    The declaration, which was already endorsed by the Arab League and co-signed in July by 17 UN member states, including several Arab countries, also goes further than condemning Hamas, seeking to fully excise them from leadership in Gaza.

    “In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with international engagement and support, in line with the objective of a sovereign and independent Palestinian State,” the declaration states.

    The vote precedes an upcoming UN summit co-chaired by Riyadh and Paris on September 22 in New York, in which French President Emmanuel Macron has promised to formally recognize the Palestinian state.

    – ‘Shield’ against criticism –

    “The fact that the General Assembly is finally backing a text that condemns Hamas directly is significant,” even if “Israelis will say it is far too little, far too late,” Richard Gowan, UN Director at the International Crisis Group, told AFP.

    “Now at least states supporting the Palestinians can rebuff Israeli accusations that they implicitly condone Hamas,” he said, adding that it “offers a shield against Israeli criticism.”

    In addition to Macron, several other leaders have announced their intent to formally recognize the Palestinian state during the UN summit.

    The gestures are seen as a means of increasing pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza, which was triggered by the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas.

    The New York Declaration includes discussion of a “deployment of a temporary international stabilization mission” to the battered region under the mandate of the UN Security Council, aiming to support the Palestinian civilian population and facilitate security responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority.

    Around three-quarters of the 193 UN member states recognize the Palestinian state proclaimed in 1988 by the exiled Palestinian leadership.

    However, after two years of war have ravaged the Gaza Strip, in addition to expanded Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the stated desire by Israeli officials to annex the territory, fears have been growing that the existence of an independent Palestinian state will soon become impossible.

    “We are going to fulfill our promise that there will be no Palestinian state,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Thursday.

    Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, may be prevented from visiting New York for the UN summit after US authorities said they would deny him a visa.

  • UN rights chief: Mounting evidence of Israeli war crimes, warns of genocidal rhetoric in Gaza

    UN rights chief: Mounting evidence of Israeli war crimes, warns of genocidal rhetoric in Gaza

    GENEVA: The UN human rights chief on Monday accused Israel of committing grave violations in Gaza, warning that mounting evidence could hold it accountable before the International Court of Justice.

    Volker Türk, speaking at the opening of the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, said he was “horrified by the open use of genocidal rhetoric, and the disgraceful dehumanization of Palestinians by senior Israeli officials,” describing Gaza as “already a graveyard.”

    Türk condemned what he called Israel’s “mass killing of Palestinian civilians, the obstruction of humanitarian aid, and the commission of war crimes,” adding that such acts were “shocking the world’s conscience.” He warned that “rules of war are being shredded – with virtually no accountability.”

    The UN rights chief said the situation in Gaza reflected a broader erosion of international law, where “the glorification of violence is coupled with disturbing trends that undercut our rights across the world.” He urged decisive international action to halt the bloodshed, stressing that the mounting evidence of atrocities requires urgent accountability.

    Türk also highlighted the crisis in Sudan, describing the scale of the suffering of the Sudanese people as ‘unfathomable’ and urging decisive action to prevent further atrocities.

    (With AFP and Reuters)

  • UN Resident Coordinator Meets Chief Adviser, Pledges Support for February Elections

    UN Resident Coordinator Meets Chief Adviser, Pledges Support for February Elections

    DHAKA, September 4, 2025 —United Nations Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis met with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka.

    During the meeting, Lewis praised the strong cooperation between the UN and the Interim Government. They discussed a wide range of topics on Bangladesh’s development priorities and reform agenda.

    A central topic of discussion was the upcoming national elections. The Resident Coordinator reaffirmed the UN’s ongoing commitment to support the Bangladesh Election Commission ahead of the general elections scheduled for February.

    “The UN fully supports the February general election. It is crucial for the country’s democratic transition,” Lewis stated.

    They discussed ways the UN could assist in ensuring a transparent, free, fair, and peaceful electoral process.

    The two also explored avenues for expanded UN support to advance the government’s ambitious reform initiatives.

    Preparations for the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York and the Rohingya conference later this month were also reviewed. Both leaders expressed deep concern over the sharp decline in international funding for Rohingya humanitarian efforts, which is already affecting education and other critical services in the camps.

    Chief Adviser Yunus stressed the urgent need for sustained international solidarity and increased support to address the funding shortfall and strengthen Bangladesh’s humanitarian response for the Rohingya population.

    Resident Coordinator Lewis reiterated the UN’s steadfast support for Bangladesh’s reform and transition process, emphasising the organisation’s commitment to helping the country achieve sustainable development and long-term prosperity.

  • UN chief puts Israel, Russia ‘on notice’ over conflict-related sexual violence accusations

    UN chief puts Israel, Russia ‘on notice’ over conflict-related sexual violence accusations

    United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Israel and Russia on Tuesday that he has significant concerns about patterns of certain forms of sexual violence by their armed and security forces, according to a report seen by Reuters.

    The alleged crimes included incidents of genital violence, prolonged forced nudity of captives, and abusive and degrading strip searches aimed at humiliation and interrogation.

    In his annual report to the Security Council on conflict-related sexual violence, Guterres put Israel and Russia “on notice” that they could be listed next year among parties “credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other forms of sexual violence.”

    The warning resulted from “significant concerns regarding patterns of certain forms of sexual violence that have been consistently documented by the United Nations,” he wrote.

    Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon described the concerns as baseless accusations.

    “The UN must focus on the shocking war crimes and sexual violence of Hamas and the release of all hostages. Israel will not shy away from protecting its citizens and will continue to act in accordance with international law,” Danon said in a statement.

    Palestinian militants Hamas – whose Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel triggered the current war in Gaza – were listed in Guterres’ report on Tuesday as a group “credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other forms of sexual violence” in armed conflict.

    “We categorically reject all these allegations,” senior Hamas official Basem Naim told Reuters, adding in reference to Israeli remarks: “These are certainly new attempts to use lies to divert attention from the ongoing brutal crimes committed by this fascist government and its army against our people in Gaza.”

    ‘CREDIBLE INFORMATION’

    In his warning to Israel, Guterres said he was “gravely concerned about credible information of violations by Israeli armed and security forces” against Palestinians in several prisons, a detention center and a military base.

    “Cases documented by the United Nations indicate patterns of sexual violence such as genital violence, prolonged forced nudity and repeated strip searches conducted in an abusive and degrading manner,” he wrote in the report.

    While Israeli authorities had engaged with his special envoy on sexual violence in conflict over the past year, Guterres said “limited information has been provided on accountability measures undertaken in relation to alleged incidents of sexual violence, despite witness testimony and digital evidence of Israeli soldiers committing such violations.”

    Russia’s mission to the UN in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. Guterres said Russian authorities have not engaged with his special envoy.

    Guterres wrote that he was “gravely concerned about credible information of violations by Russian armed and security forces and affiliated armed groups” primarily against Ukrainian prisoners of war, in 50 official and 22 unofficial detention facilities in Ukraine and Russia.

    “These cases comprised a significant number of documented incidents of genital violence, including electrocution, beatings and burns to the genitals, and forced stripping and prolonged nudity, used to humiliate and elicit confessions or information,” he said.

    Russia launched its full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February 2022.