Joseph A. Klein, CFP United Nations Columnist

The United Nations Balks at Jordan’s Response to ISIS Brutality

The barbaric murder by ISIS of captured Jordanian fighter pilot, First Lt. Moaz al-Kasabeh, whom the sadistic jihadists videotaped as he burned alive in sheer agony in an iron cage, has stiffened Jordan’s resolve to fight back. Jordan promptly executed two of its convicted jihadist prisoners whom had previously received death sentences for their crimes.

UN Session on Anti-Semitism: Words Versus Actions

Forty years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the infamous Zionism equals Racism resolution. Thankfully, as a result of the prodigious efforts of former U.S. Ambassador to the UN John Bolton, this resolution was revoked by the General Assembly in 1991. Nevertheless, the General Assembly and its subsidiary body the UN Human Rights Council have served as forums for anti-Semites trying to de-legitimize the Jewish state of Israel.

Jihadists’ Sword Proves Mightier Than Freedom’s Pen

The jihadists are succeeding in their campaign to squelch freedom of expression in the West. Many mainstream media outlets have been too afraid to display the offensive images that were said to have triggered the deadly jihadist attack on the headquarters of the French satirical publication Charlie Hebdo in Paris on January 7, 2015.

Palestinians’ Machinations at the United Nations Continue

The United Nations Security Council was called into a special session on December 30, 2014 at the behest of the Palestinian Authority and its Arab Group supporters. The intent was for the Security Council to approve a resolution, submitted by the non-permanent Council member Jordan, imposing deadlines for resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on Palestinian terms, including full Israeli withdrawal from all “occupied” territories within three years.

UN Security Council Debates North Korean Human Rights Abuses

In what was probably the last significant United Nations Security Council meeting of the year, Security Council members heard on December 22nd a horrific accounting of flagrant, systematic and widespread human rights abuses committed by the totalitarian Communist regime of North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or DPRK). The regime’s crimes against humanity were detailed in a report issued in February 2014 by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the DPRK, which recommended that these crimes be referred to the International Criminal Court for possible prosecution. The UN General Assembly voted earlier this month, by a wide margin, to recommend that the Security Council take up the human rights issue as documented in the Commission of Inquiry report, in addition to the nuclear non-proliferation concerns it normally addresses in dealing with North Korea.

A United Nations Timetable for Israel’s Surrender

The Obama administration is shamelessly outsourcing the United States' historic leadership in facilitating negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel of a workable, secure two-state solution to the United Nations and European governments. In putting its trust in these two centers of anti-Israel sentiment, the Obama administration refuses to say categorically that it would veto a UN Security Council resolution setting some sort of deadline for the creation of a Palestinian state and Israeli withdrawal to the pre-June 1967 lines.

UN Celebrates Palestinian Fashions While Palestinians Celebrate Murder of Jews

The United Nations hosted a fashion show on November 10th celebrating the UN’s international year of solidarity with the Palestinian people. The event was held on the same day that Palestinians, incited by their leaders, murdered two Israelis in cold blood.

Obama Administration Trusts Russia on Iran

The Obama administration is so desperate to reach a nuclear deal with Iran by the current deadline of November 24th that it is willing to trust Russia to play a key implementation role.

Obama Administration Joins UN in Hostility Against Israel

The Obama administration’s contemptible hostility towards Israel has reached the level of the kind of despicable Israel-bashing one hears every day at the United Nations.

John Kerry Regurgitates Falsehood to Revive His Failed Peace Talks

Secretary of State John Kerry chose a White House ceremony on October 16th for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha to regurgitate a false theory linking the Israeli/Palestinian conflict with the increase of jihadist violence and recruitment in the Middle East region.

Venezuela, Russia’s New Ally on the UN Security Council

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose country was just elected by the United Nations General Assembly to serve a two year term on the Security Council during 2015 and 2016 in place of departing Argentina, gave a preview of the anti-West, anti-capitalism rhetoric we can expect his country to contribute. He blamed the United States for the recent decline in global oil prices, noting what he claimed was the intent to hurt Russia.

John Kerry: “Life as you Know it on Earth Ends”

Speaking at the Wind Technology Testing Center in Boston Massachusetts on October 9th, the windsurfer and windbag-in-chief himself, Secretary of State John Kerry, pronounced that climate change, if left unaddressed, will result in the end of times: “Life as you know it on Earth ends,” Kerry said.

Prime Minister Netanyahu Delivers the Truth in the UN’s General Assembly of Untruths

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a powerful and sobering speech to the United Nations General Assembly on September 29th. He said he came from Jerusalem to speak on behalf of the Israeli people and to “expose the brazen lies spoken from this very podium against my country and the brave soldiers who defend it.”

Turkey, the Jihadists’ Fifth Column in NATO?

Turkey may well be the jihadists’ fifth column in NATO. Turkey’s autocratic president, Tayyip Erdogan, has allowed Turkey’s border to become a passageway for jihadist fighters streaming into Syria to join ISIS and the al Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra.

President Obama’s Mixed Messages to the UN General Assembly

President Obama delivered his annual speech to the United Nations General Assembly on September 24th. This speech was his strongest UN General Assembly address to date, which doesn’t say very much given his prior speeches that presented a portrait of a humble America that must defer more often to the will of the “international community.” And even this speech, like many of his prior speeches directed to global audiences, contained some strains of America-bashing.

President Obama Finally Pulls the Trigger Against ISIS in Syria

President Obama finally decided to pull the trigger and approve 
intensive airstrikes on key ISIS positions in Syria. Several Sunni Arab 
countries participated. Secretary of State John Kerry said that the 
Obama administration is also getting what it needs from Turkey, but did 
not elaborate.

Syria, ISIS and the United Nations

The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), established in 1974 to “[m]aintain the ceasefire between Israel and Syria” and … “[s]upervise the areas of separation and limitation” in the vicinity of the Golan Heights, has recently withdrawn its peacekeepers from its positions on the Syrian side of the border. They have been moved to Israeli territory.

Putin’s Unchecked Aggression

Russia has expanded the scope of its military intervention in Ukraine. Following on the heels of its illegal occupation and annexation of Crimea and arming of the separatists fighting the Ukrainian government in eastern Ukraine, Russian regular troops have now joined the separatists’ fight.

UN Says Reconstruct Hamas-Controlled Gaza Now and Investigate Israel

The United Kingdom’s United Nations Ambassador Lyall Grant, serving as this month’s president of the Security Council, said that the Security Council met on August 18th in closed consultative session following a public briefing on the Middle East by Robert Serry, the UN’s Special Coordinator for the Middle East. The main focus was on Gaza. The members discussed a number of parameters they considered necessary for a durable ceasefire in Gaza going forward.

UN reaction to Hamas's breaking of the ceasefire

Hamas resumed its firing of multiple rockets, aimed for Israeli population centers, immediately at the end of the 72 hour ceasefire Friday morning, Israel was willing to extend the ceasefire indefinitely, but Hamas refused. Indeed, Hamas's military wing signaled its intention to go back on the warpath with its threat that, unless Israel acceded to its demands, Hamas would launch new rockets with larger warheads and thousands of Israelis would die.