News Links - This Week Through September 20, 2025

 

September 20, 2025 – U.S.–UN visa clash over Abbas, UNGA grants video address by Abbas; Waltz confirmed as US envoy; UNICEF caves to sex-ed pressure

Palestine / US / UN — The Trump administration denied visas to Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation, blocking them from attending the UN General Assembly in New York. UN officials say this violates the 1947 Headquarters Agreement, though Washington cites national security grounds. 

In response, the General Assembly voted 145–5 to allow Abbas to speak by video. The only prior case of a General Assembly leader being denied a U.S. visa was in 1988, when Yasser Arafat was blocked but later allowed to return in subsequent years. France, Britain, Canada, and Australia are expected to recognize Palestine at a two-state conference on Monday.

U.S. / UN — The Senate confirmed Mike Waltz as Trump’s new UN ambassador after months of delays. He takes office as the U.S. enforces deep cuts to UN funding and pushes for major reforms to the organization.

UNICEF — UNICEF has quietly removed at least six sexuality education guides from its website after pressure from the U.S.-based conservative group C-Fam, which accused the agency of promoting “gender ideology.” Staff warned that yielding to political pressure could set a troubling precedent as UNICEF braces for a 20% funding drop by 2026.

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September 19, 2025 – Israel blames Hamas for looting UNICEF infant foods, West Bank crackdown, US again vetoes ceasefire in Security Council, US/Israel challenge neutrality of UN staff, and Syria envoy exits

Palestine
Gaza: Israel accused Hamas of stealing four UNICEF aid trucks carrying baby formula meant for 2,700 malnourished children. UNICEF said “armed individuals” seized the trucks at gunpoint outside its Gaza City compound and diverted the cargo, calling it a major blow to lifesaving child nutrition efforts. However, reports from news outlets and humanitarian organizations indicate that various groups are involved in looting food supplies in Gaza, including desperate civilians, criminal gangs, and militias, some of which are allegedly backed by Israel. Conflicting information and the chaotic environment make it difficult to attribute all looting to a single party.

West Bank: OCHA-OPT reported Israel has intensified crackdowns in 2025—186 Palestinians killed to date—with new closures and road gates that threaten access to services and work. Demolitions and school raids in Hebron have displaced families and heightened fears of further restrictions.

UN
US vetoes Gaza ceasefire: Washington vetoed a Security Council resolution for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent” ceasefire in Gaza, backed by 14 of 15 members—its sixth such veto since 2023 (Al Jazeera). The move drew sharp rebukes from several diplomats who said it further erodes Council credibility amid catastrophic humanitarian conditions.

UN staff protests: Hundreds of UN staff in Geneva honored 370 colleagues killed in Gaza, prompting US and Israeli complaints claiming that UN staff were no longer impartial. Staff unions insist the event was humanitarian, while UN management reminded workers of strict neutrality rules—signaling rising tensions inside the system.

Autocrats fill US funding vacuum: The NYTimes reports that with US cuts squeezing UN budgets, China, Russia and others are moving to reshape the agenda, especially on human rights (New York Times). Analysts warn this power shift could dilute accountability mechanisms and weaken multilateral norms over time.

Syria
UN envoy to Syria: Geir Pedersen will step down after nearly seven years as special envoy, urging Syria’s interim leaders to drive reconciliation after Assad’s ouster. He leaves amid ongoing sectarian violence and displacement, raising questions about who can credibly shepherd the next phase of talks.

September 18, 2025 – Consulting reforms, NY security briefing, Syria education, and Palestine at the UN

After GHF Debacle Consulting Group to Retrains Staff — The Financial Times reports that Boston Consulting Group will train staff on “humanitarian principles” and add stricter oversight for aid-related projects after revelations of its role in the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The firm admitted partners misrepresented their pro bono work, which included economic models envisioning Gaza as a tourist hub after population relocation. BCG has since fired two partners, suspended similar projects, and barred involvement in aid delivery in war zones. It also created a new humanitarian response charter and oversight body, but continues to face fallout, with some NGOs cutting ties Click here for the article.

Ahead of GA NY Police Review Threats — New York City officials will hold a security briefing today ahead of the UN General Assembly, with heightened precautions due to overlapping Jewish High Holidays, Israel’s ongoing Gaza war, and political violence following Charlie Kirk’s murder. The NYPD plans to deploy more drones than ever, expand armed patrols at houses of worship, and coordinate with federal agencies to protect President Trump and over 200 visiting leaders. Officials warn of a “contagion effect” in threats against Israeli and U.S. diplomatic sites Click here for the article.

Syria — UNICEF USA highlights how a self-learning education program funded by Education Cannot Wait is giving displaced children in Syria a chance to study. The story of Mohamed, a 13-year-old boy maimed by war who now attends UNICEF-supported mobile classes, illustrates how more than 650,000 children have benefited from the initiative. Despite destroyed schools and ongoing instability, UNICEF and partners are expanding access to learning, teacher training, and supplies Click here for the article.

Palestine at UN

• Palestinian Statehood — Writing in Al Jazeera, Somdeep Sen argues that recent Western recognitions of Palestine at the UN General Assembly prioritize Israel’s security over Palestinian rights. While 142 states backed a resolution for a two-state solution, critics note that countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia attached conditions such as Palestinian Authority reforms and Hamas’ exclusion. Sen contends these recognitions are “too little, too late” and fail to address genocide and systemic displacement in Gaza and the West Bank Click here for the article.

• UN Security Council — France 24 and AFP report that the Security Council will vote Thursday on a resolution demanding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and full humanitarian access. Drafted by non-permanent members after the UN’s famine declaration, it also calls for the release of hostages. The U.S. has already rejected the approach and is expected to veto, as it has in previous attempts, but diplomats say forcing the vote keeps pressure on Washington and Israel. The latest veto threats have fueled anger among the other 14 Council members, and come just days after a UN commission formally accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza since October 2023 Click here for the article.

September 17, 2025 – Gaza at the GA, Syria child disappearances, U.S. trafficking rollbacks, Yemen vaccination, shifting UN operations out of Sanaa, Sudan volunteers honored

UN GA Should Lead on Gaza — In a legal analysis for EJIL:Talk!, Kushtrim Istrefi examines the call by 45 UN human rights experts urging the General Assembly to invoke the Uniting for Peace resolution to address famine and genocidal conditions in Gaza. Their six-point plan includes recommending a peace operation, UN-supervised humanitarian access, suspension of harmful aid mechanisms, deployment of humanitarian naval missions, UN-led convoys at all crossings, and a permanent ceasefire with release of detainees and hostages. Istrefi argues all measures are consistent with GA practice and Charter powers, framing the Assembly’s response as a test of its legacy on peace and justice.

Syria

• Disappeared children — A Lighthouse / BBC investigation reveals that thousands of Syrian children were “disappeared” under the Assad regime through facilities linked to SOS Children’s Villages International. Leaked documents and whistleblower testimony show children of detainees were falsely registered as orphans, identities altered, and relatives denied contact. SOS admits irregular admissions between 2013–2018 but denies formal ties to the Assad family. Mothers continue searching for missing children, while SOS faces scrutiny for complicity in forced disappearances.

• France repatriations — France 24 reports that France has repatriated three women and 10 children from Kurdish-run camps in Syria, its first such operation in two years. The move, welcomed by families, comes amid criticism of France’s restrictive policy, with 110 children still detained. Human rights groups accuse France of violating international obligations by refusing broader repatriations.

Human trafficking — A Guardian investigation by Aaron Glantz finds the Trump administration has dismantled key U.S. anti-trafficking programs, shifting DHS investigators to immigration enforcement and cutting State Department staff by 70%. The annual Trafficking in Persons report has been delayed, funding for victim services frozen, and grants withdrawn. Advocates warn traffickers are operating with impunity, while critics say the administration is politicizing trafficking to justify deportations.

Yemen - UN relocation — The UN has moved its resident coordinator’s office from Sanaa to Aden after Houthi authorities detained at least 18 staff. The Aden-based government welcomed the decision and urged other UN programs to follow. WFP condemned the detentions and raids on UN offices, warning the situation has severely compromised aid delivery in northern Yemen.

Sudan

• El Fasher famine — A Telegraph report describes catastrophic starvation in El Fasher, North Darfur, where 260,000 people—including 150,000 children—are trapped under RSF siege. With markets destroyed, food costs soaring, and aid convoys blocked, residents survive on unsafe animal feed. Experts warn the crisis is “as terrible as Gaza” but with less international visibility.

• Volunteer networks honored — Reuters reports that Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms (ERR), grassroots volunteer networks running community kitchens and aid services amid the war, have been awarded Norway’s Rafto Prize for human rights. Despite threats and killings of volunteers, ERRs continue to provide food, healthcare, and documentation of atrocities, described as “essential to building a better future.”

Sept 16, 2025 – Israel committing genocide according Commission of Inquiry, aid seekers killed, governments warn Israel against attacks on aid flotilla, UNICEF calls inhumane attempts to drive children from Gaza City; Nepali youth used gaming platform to select PM; UN aid chief interview; UN budget announced; alarms, , and ozone layer improving.

Gaza

• Genocide Report A UN Commission of Inquiry concluded Israel is committing genocide, citing systematic killings, starvation, destruction of homes, and targeting of children, and held Israeli leaders directly responsible. Israel rejected the findings as “fake” and “scandalous.”

• Aid Killings A New Humanitarian investigation found nearly 3,000 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid, many at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites described as “death traps.” Aid groups have demanded dismantling GHF and restoring UN-led aid.

• Flotilla Warning Sixteen governments, including Turkey, Brazil, South Africa, and Spain, warned Israel not to attack or detain the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civil society mission carrying aid to Gaza, pledging accountability for any violations.

• UNICEF UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram said it is “inhumane” to expect children to flee Gaza City only to end up in overcrowded, unsafe camps in the south, describing families walking barefoot into the unknown with no safe options.

USA (Mississippi) – Mississippi declares infant deaths emergency as CDC program that could have helped is halted (The Guardian) – Mississippi declared a public health emergency after its infant mortality rate hit 9.7 deaths per 1,000 births, the highest in over a decade. The state also suspended participation in the CDC’s Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (Prams), a key program for tracking maternal and infant health, following staff purges at the CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health under the Trump administration. Advocates warn that without Prams, effective policy responses and federal funding arguments will be hampered, worsening maternal and infant outcomes, particularly among Black families.

Nepal Gen Z protesters, including many in the diaspora, used the gaming platform Discord as the primary forum to debate and choose the country’s interim prime minister. After heated discussions and online polls, Sushila Karki, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was appointed on 12 September 2025 to lead until elections in March 2026. Read more.

Water & Sanitation A new report underscored the scale of water and sanitation challenges worldwide, with millions of children lacking safe drinking water, adequate toilets, and hygiene facilities, threatening health and education.

OCHA OCHA chief Tom Fletcher warned that the UN’s humanitarian work is “underfunded, overstretched, and under attack”, with only 19% of required funding received. Hundreds of aid organizations have shut down, OCHA has lost a quarter of its staff, and needs in Gaza, Sudan, and Haiti are growing.

UN Budget The UN has presented revised 2026 budget proposals with 15% cuts to resources and nearly 19% fewer posts, while shielding core programs and rolling out UN80 reforms such as consolidating payroll, relocating functions to lower-cost duty stations, and vacating leased buildings in New York.

Ozone The World Meteorological Organization reports that the ozone layer is on track for recovery by mid-century, thanks to the Montreal Protocol’s ban on ozone-depleting chemicals. While this avoids additional global warming, scientists caution that ozone itself is a greenhouse gas and recovery must be factored into climate models.

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September 15, 2025 – Targeting kids and malnutrition in Gaza, Sudan’s rejection of a peace plan, Iraq's water crisis and its push to close Al Hawl, , and US vaccine skepticism undermines global efforts.

Gaza
Targeting Children – Foreign doctors volunteering in Gaza reported that over 100 children have been treated for single bullet wounds to the head or chest, strong evidence they argue shows Israel is systematically targeting minors. Forensic experts confirmed the wounds were consistent with sniper or drone fire. One Dutch commander called the claims of accidents “implausible,” while the UN estimates nearly 20,000 children have been killed since October 2023.

Malnutrition Crisis – A New York Times report described severe child malnutrition, with famine declared in Gaza City in July. Sixteen percent of children screened were malnourished, and health workers warn even survivors will face long-term physical and cognitive consequences. Israeli officials have dismissed famine claims, but aid agencies stress that restrictions on food deliveries have left children starving and too weak to cry.

Sudan – Sudan’s army-aligned government rejected the Quad’s new peace proposal, which called for a humanitarian truce followed by a transition excluding both warring parties. Khartoum said only the Sudanese people could decide governance and denounced efforts to equate the army with the RSF. With millions displaced and Darfur under RSF control, the UN warns of one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Iraq – Al-Hawl Camp – Iraq is pressing to shut down Syria’s notorious Al-Hawl Camp, calling it a “ticking time bomb.” The camp holds nearly 27,500 people, including 5,800 Iraqis. Baghdad plans to repatriate all its citizens by 2027, starting with 1,000 returns this month. Yezidi leaders fear the move could enable an ISIS resurgence, recalling the 2014 genocide in Sinjar.

Iraq – Water Shortages – Human rights groups warned that Iraq’s worsening water crisis could trigger a major humanitarian disaster. Climate change, mismanagement, and upstream dams have cut river flows by half, and seven million Iraqis are already affected. Marshland ecosystems are collapsing, livestock are dying, and experts warn the Tigris and Euphrates could run dry by 2040.

Vaccines – U.S. Global Impact – A New York Times analysis warned that U.S. leadership under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is exporting anti-vaccine skepticism worldwide. While nations like Vietnam and Brazil have expanded immunization after Covid, the U.S. has rolled back mandates and defunded research. Experts fear this erosion will weaken global health systems and embolden misinformation.

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September 14, 2025 – UN’s two-state declaration, former Israeli military chief admits Israel has killed or injured over 200,000 Palestinians, late measles death, Florida's attempts to end school vax mandates falters.

UN Declaration – In a brief analysis, Bethell Seese examines the UN General Assembly’s adoption of a two-state solution draft. The resolution was overwhelmingly approved - 142 in favor, 10 opposed, and 12 abstained.  He notes that the resolution calls for  Gaza and the West Bank to be unified, governance to rest solely with the Palestinian Authority, and that the resolution ultimately calls for empowering a sovereign and economically viable State of Palestine.   Yet the resolution seems unlikely to change the equation in Palestine, due to  Israel’s entrenched settler colonialism, occupation, and annexation policies, none of which seem likely to change in the foreseeable future.  

Gaza Casualties – Former IDF chief Herzi Halevi admitted that Israel’s Gaza campaign has killed or injured over 200,000 Palestinians since 2022, nearly 10% of the enclave’s population. His remarks align with Gaza Health Ministry figures and reinforce concerns that military legal advisers acted mainly as “rubber stamps” amid accusations of genocide.

Measles Death – A child in Los Angeles County died from subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a fatal brain disorder developing years after a measles infection. Experts warn only vaccination can prevent such tragedies, as measles remains highly contagious and outbreaks have recently resurged in the U.S.

Florida Vaccines – Florida’s push to end vaccine mandates faltered after President Trump and health experts defended core immunizations. Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo had vowed to scrap all mandates, but requirements for measles, polio, and other diseases remain in place. Experts warn political attacks are already driving down vaccination rates and increasing risks for children.