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UN blasted for funding committee ‘created to destroy the Jewish state,’ despite budget crisis
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Critics slammed the United Nations for rewarding a controversial anti-Israel Commission of Inquiry with four new positions worth up to three-quarters of a million dollars, even as the world body undergoes a severe cash crisis.
«When it comes to spending money for the spread of antisemitism, the U.N. doesn’t have a spending limit,» Anne Bayefsky, director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and president of Human Rights Voices, told Fox News Digital.
On June 4, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Palestinian Territory, Including East Jerusalem (COI), led by South African Navi Pillay, announced four new job openings for senior-level positions in Geneva. These include two P-2 level associate interpreters, one higher-level P-3 level human rights officer, and a still more senior P-4 level human rights officer.
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UN Secretary-General António Guterres is seen on a screen delivering a speech at the opening of the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, on February 24, 2025. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)
Combined, their salaries will range from $530,000 to $704,000, based on salary scales released by the U.N. and its location-based salary multiplier (set at .814 for Swiss employees), published in a document supplied to Fox News Digital by a diplomatic source.
These salaries do not include other senior-level U.N. employee benefits, including dependent costs, housing allowances, or relocation fees.
Bayefsky asked why the U.N.’s «belt-tightening exercise…applies to all kinds of urgent matters but exempts the COI, which has simultaneously gone on a spending-spree.»
«The COI was created to destroy the Jewish state and is now conducting itself accordingly.» She said its latest report, issued in June, is «totally unhinged» and «claims Israelis are like Nazis engaged in ‘extermination’ of the Palestinians, refers to those ‘extremist Jews,’ denies biblical history, [and] fuels antisemitism by claiming Jews defile Muslim holy sites.»
Controversial South African judge Navi Pillay, chair of the independent United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel arrives to a press conference in Geneva, on June 18, 2025. (Photo by Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images.)
A spokesperson from the U.N. Human Rights Office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about the Commission’s findings.
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Pillay and the COI have come under fire previously for anti-Israel sentiment. In January 2022, 42 Republicans and Democrats in Congress signed an open letter calling for the U.S. to defund the COI. The Representatives expressed concern that «Chairwoman Navi Pillay, while serving as U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014, repeatedly and unjustly accused Israel of committing war crimes.» They stated that while she condemned Israel, Pillay «reportedly said nothing at all about egregious human rights abuses in dozens of other countries which, unlike Israel, received the worst, ‘Not Free’ rating from the respected Freedom House.»
In October 2023, a representative from the U.S. Mission to the U.N. in Geneva said before the Third Committee of the U.N. that the U.S. «remains deeply concerned about the scope and nature of the open-ended Commission of Inquiry established in May 2021. The COI demonstrates a particular bias against Israel in subjecting it to a unique mechanism that does not exist for any other U.N. Member State.»
Anti-Israel demonstrators burn a U.S. flag, on the day of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint meeting of Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., July 24, 2024. (Reuters/Nathan Howard)
In October 2024, a report from the COI excluded information about Hamas’ use of Kamal Adwan Hospital for operations, failed to recount the maltreatment Israeli hostages received at Gazan hospitals, and could «not verify» that tunnels found below Al-Shifa hospital «were used for military purposes.» Bayefsky said the report trafficked in blood libels.
In March, Pillay’s commission claimed that rape and sexual violence are part of the Israel Defense Force’s «standard operating procedures towards Palestinians.» Pillay also said that the IDF’s sexual violence creates «a system of oppression that undermines [Palestinians’] right to self-determination.» In response, Bayefsky called Pillay «the world’s leading champion of the 2001 U.N. ‘Durban Declaration’ slander that a Jewish state is a racist state.»
Protestors demonstrate near Columbia University on February 02, 2024, in New York City. (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
In March 2024, Congress passed a budget bill that eliminated funding for the COI while simultaneously banning funds for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), according to the Jerusalem Post.
The U.N. Human Rights Council is already experiencing the impact of the organization’s liquidity crisis.
In a June 16 letter penned by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, the Human Rights Council outlines more than a dozen reports, as well as studies, regional workshops, and panels mandated by the Council, which were not able to be completed due to inadequate resourcing.
In response to a request for comment about how the COI has received additional personnel while the Human Rights Council deals with scarcity, spokesperson Pascal Sim told Fox News Digital that the Human Rights Council’s «views are only expressed in the resolutions and decisions that its 47 Member States adopt at the end of each of its sessions.»
The United Nations building in New York City. (Reuters/Mike Segar/File Photo)
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To the question of whether the council is in greater need of personnel or funds to fulfill its current workload, Sim said that «Member States of the U.N. are currently continuing consultations on this matter.»
In a press conference on July 1, U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Policy Guy Ryder updated reporters on U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres’ cost-cutting UN80 Initiative.
Ryder said that the U.N. recognizes «that we have a difficult task of untangling the undergrowth of decisions and resolutions and mechanisms that we put in place to implement them, and we wonder if we’re going to be able to advance significantly.»
Ryder also admitted that «When a similar review was undertaken 20 years ago, it ran rather quickly into the sand. It did not produce the results that were hoped for and expected at that time. We’re looking at that experience of 20 years ago and we hope we can avoid some of the pitfalls.»
However, Bayefsky said, «For decades, the U.N. has engaged in phony cost-saving measures while their actual expenditures have ballooned,» she said, noting that the U.S. «has always been satisfied by moving around the deck chairs on the Titanic.»
The exterior of the State Department complex is seen on March 14, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) (Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Bayefsky said that «it’s our government’s job to put an end to this devious calculus by immediately withholding the entire U.N. budget until such time as the dangerous lesions are removed. It’s our job to deny visas to the COI members planning to come to the United States in the next couple of months.
«Contrary to popular belief, it is not required by the U.S.-U.N. host agreement to allow international travelers into the U.S. to fan the flames of antisemitism, and vandalize our fundamental values and the Constitution from the middle of New York City,» Bayefsky said. «We need a new boat, not new deck chairs.»
A budget proposal from the Trump administration leaked in April announced the intention to eliminate all expenditures to the U.N. and international organizations.
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In response to questions about whether a decision about U.N. funding has been finalized, a senior State Department official told Fox News Digital that «President Trump is ensuring taxpayer dollars are used wisely. Any announcements regarding funding to international organizations will come from the President or the administration.»
The U.S. through its taxpayers is the single-largest contributor to the U.N. In 2022, the U.N. reports that $18.1 billion, or 26.8%, of its $67.5 billion in expenditures came from the U.S.
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Trump says he plans to order federal ban on Anthropic AI after company refuses Pentagon demands
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President Donald Trump on Friday said he was ordering every federal government agency to stop using Athropic AI immediately.
«THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL NEVER ALLOW A RADICAL LEFT, WOKE COMPANY TO DICTATE HOW OUR GREAT MILITARY FIGHTS AND WINS WARS! That decision belongs to YOUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, and the tremendous leaders I appoint to run our Military,» Trump began in a lengthy Truth Social post Friday afternoon.
He added, «The Leftwing nut jobs at Anthropic have made a DISASTROUS MISTAKE trying to STRONG-ARM the Department of War, and force them to obey their Terms of Service instead of our Constitution. Their selfishness is putting AMERICAN LIVES at risk, our Troops in danger, and our National Security in JEOPARDY.»
The president said he would immediately direct every federal agency to stop using Anthropic technology.
Secretary of War for Public Affairs Sean Parnell speaks to the media. Earlier this week, Anthropic leadership refused demands from the Department of War to use its artificial intelligence for «all lawful purposes.» (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
«We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again!» he continued.
There will be a six-month phase out period for agencies such as the Department of War, he added.
«Anthropic better get their act together, and be helpful during this phase out period, or I will use the Full Power of the Presidency to make them comply, with major civil and criminal consequences to follow,» he wrote.
He continued, «WE will decide the fate of our Country — NOT some out-of-control, Radical Left AI company run by people who have no idea what the real World is all about.»
Earlier this week, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei refused demands from the Department of War to use its artificial intelligence for «all lawful purposes,» but Amodei said no, concerned over the possibility it could be used for «mass domestic surveillance» or «fully autonomous weapons.»
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President Donald Trump on Friday said he was ordering every federal government agency to stop using Anthropic AI immediately. (Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)
«The Department of War has stated they will only contract with AI companies who accede to ‘any lawful use’ and remove safeguards in the cases mentioned above. They have threatened to remove us from their systems if we maintain these safeguards; they have also threatened to designate us a ‘supply chain risk’ — a label reserved for US adversaries, never before applied to an American company — and to invoke the Defense Production Act to force the safeguards’ removal,» Amodei said in a Thursday statement.
He declared that the «threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.»
Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs Sean Parnell declared in a post on X that the department does not want to engage in either of those activities but is asking to use Anthropic’s AI for all legal purposes.
«The Department of War has no interest in using AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans (which is illegal) nor do we want to use AI to develop autonomous weapons that operate without human involvement,» Parnell said in the post. «Here’s what we’re asking: Allow the Pentagon to use Anthropic’s model for all lawful purposes.»
«This is a simple, common-sense request that will prevent Anthropic from jeopardizing critical military operations and potentially putting our warfighters at risk. We will not let ANY company dictate the terms regarding how we make operational decisions. They have until 5:01 PM ET on Friday to decide. Otherwise, we will terminate our partnership with Anthropic and deem them a supply chain risk for DOW,» he noted.
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Anthropic Co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei declared this week that the «threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.» (Chance Yeh/Getty Images for HubSpot)
Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael accused Anthropic and Amodei of lying.
In a post on X, Michael called Amodei «a liar» who «has a God-complex.»
«He wants nothing more than to try to personally control the US Military and is ok putting our nation’s safety at risk. The @DeptofWar will ALWAYS adhere to the law but not bend to whims of any one for-profit tech company,» he asserted.
In another post he asserted, «Anthropic is lying. The @DeptofWar doesn’t do mass surveillance as that is already illegal. What we are talking about is allowing our warfighters to use AI without having to call @DarioAmodei for permission to shoot down an enemy drone swarms that would kill Americans.»
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«It is the Department’s prerogative to select contractors most aligned with their vision. But given the substantial value that Anthropic’s technology provides to our armed forces, we hope they reconsider,» Amodei said in a statement sent on Thursday to Fox News Digital. «Our strong preference is to continue to serve the Department and our warfighters — with our two requested safeguards in place. Should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions. Our models will be available on the expansive terms we have proposed for as long as required.»
«We remain ready to continue our work to support the national security of the United States,» he added.
Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
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The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) abruptly cut off a video statement after the speaker began criticizing several United Nations officials, including one who has been sanctioned by the Trump administration. The video message was being played during a U.N. session in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday morning.
Anne Bayefsky, director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the and president of Human Rights, called out several U.N. officials in her message, including U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who is the subject of U.S. sanctions.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against Albanese July 9, 2025, saying that she «has spewed unabashed antisemitism, expressed support for terrorism and open contempt for the United States, Israel and the West.»
«That bias has been apparent across the span of her career, including recommending that the ICC, without a legitimate basis, issue arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant,» Rubio added.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Francesca Albanese (Getty Images)
«I was the only American U.N.-accredited NGO with a speaking slot, and I wasn’t allowed even to conclude my 90 seconds of allotted time. Free speech is non-existent at the U.N. so-called ‘Human Rights Council,’» Bayefsky told Fox News Digital.
Bayefsky noted the irony of the council cutting off her video in a proceeding that was said to be an «interactive dialogue,» an event during which experts are allowed to speak to the council about human rights issues.
«I was cut off after naming Francesca Albanese, Navi Pillay and Chris Sidoti for covering up Palestinian use of rape as a weapon of war and trafficking in blatant antisemitism. I named the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, who is facing disturbing sexual assault allegations but still unaccountable almost two years later. Those are the people and the facts that the United Nations wants to protect and hide,» Bayefsky told Fox News Digital.
«It is an outrage that I am silenced and singled out for criticism on the basis of naming names.»
Bayefsky’s statement was cut off as she accused Albanese and Navi Pillay, the former chair of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory; and Chris Sidoti, a commissioner of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. She also slammed Khan, who has faced rape allegations. Khan has denied the sexual misconduct allegations against him.
Had her video message been played in full, Bayefsky would have gone on to criticize Türk’s recent report for not demanding accountability for the atrocities committed by Hamas Oct. 7, 2023.
When the video was cut short, Human Rights Council President Ambassador Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro characterized Bayefsky’s remarks as «derogatory, insulting and inflammatory» and said that they were «not acceptable.»
«The language used by the speaker cannot be allowed as it has exceeded the limits of tolerance and respect within the framework of the council which we all in this room hold to,» Suryodipuro said.
The Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 26, 2025. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters)
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In response to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, Human Rights Council Media Officer Pascal Sim said the council has had long-established rules on what it considers to be acceptable language.
«Rulings regarding the form and language of interventions in the Human Rights Council are established practices that have been in place throughout the existence of the council and used by all council presidents when it comes to ensuring respect, tolerance and dignity inherent to the discussion of human rights issues,» Sim told Fox News Digital.
When asked if the video had been reviewed ahead of time, Sim said it was assessed for length and audio quality to allow for interpretation, but that the speakers are ultimately «responsible for the content of their statement.»
«The video statement by the NGO ‘Touro Law Center, The Institute on Human Rights and The Holocaust’ was interrupted when it was deemed that the language exceeded the limits of tolerance and respect within the framework of the council and could not be tolerated,» Sim said.
«As the presiding officer explained at the time, all speakers are to remain within the appropriate framework and terminology used in the council’s work, which is well known by speakers who routinely participate in council proceedings. Following that ruling, none of the member states of the council have objected to it.»
Flag alley at the United Nations’ European headquarters during the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, Sept. 11, 2023. (Denis Balibouse/File Photo/Reuters)
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While Bayefsky’s statement was cut off, other statements accusing Israel of genocide and ethnic cleansing were allowed to be played and read in full.
This is not the first time that Bayefsky was interrupted. Exactly one year ago, on Feb. 27, 2025, her video was cut off when she mentioned the fate of Ariel and Kfir Bibas. Jürg Lauber, president of the U.N. Human Rights Council at the time, stopped the video and declared that Bayefsky had used inappropriate language.
Bayefsky began the speech by saying, «The world now knows Palestinian savages murdered 9-month-old baby Kfir,» and she ws almost immediately cut off by Lauber.
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«Sorry, I have to interrupt,» Lauber abruptly said as the video of Bayefsky was paused. Lauber briefly objected to the «language» used in the video, but then allowed it to continue. After a few more seconds, the video was shut off entirely.
Lauber reiterated that «the language that’s used by the speaker cannot be tolerated,» adding that it «exceeds clearly the limits of tolerance and respect.»
Last year, when the previous incident occurred, Bayefsky said she believed the whole thing was «stage-managed,» as the council had advanced access to her video and a transcript and knew what she would say.
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