US withdraws from UN Human Rights Council
Council's alleged anti-Israel campaign plays major role in US decision
The U.S. on Tuesday announced its withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), accusing the body of being hypocritical and biased against Israel.
"The UN Human Rights Council is "a hypocritical and self-serving organization that makes a mockery of human rights," U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said at a joint press conference with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, announcing the decision to withdraw.
"The situation on the council has gotten worse," she added, citing the council's "relentless, pathological campaign" against Israel, a staunch U.S. ally.
Blaming Russia, China, Cuba and Egypt for "attempting to undermine" U.S. reform efforts on human rights, Haley noted that the decision is not a retreat from their human rights commitments.
Haley, who is known for her unconditional support for Israel, has repeatedly clashed with council members who are critical of Israel for its violence and human rights violations against Palestinian civilians.
She also repeatedly voted against UN proposals to investigate Israel’s alleged use of excessive force in Gaza, criticizing the council over what she described as a “chronic anti-Israel bias”.
"The Human Rights Council has become an exercise in shameless hypocrisy with many of the world's worst human rights abuses going ignored and some of the worst human rights offenders sitting on the council itself," Pompeo noted following the U.S.’s withdrawal from the UNHRC.
The decision came following long-continued discussions between the U.S. and UN members both in New York and Geneva, where the Human Rights Council is based.
It also follows an uproar over President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration policy, which is causing major human rights abuses by separating children from undocumented parents who crossed the U.S. border seeking a better life.
Since March 30, at least 118 Palestinians have been killed and thousands more injured by Israeli military gunfire in the east of the Gaza Strip during mass demonstrations against the blockade and the U.S.’s decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
