Israel quits UN human rights council over ‘discrimination’
Israel has pledged to withdraw from the UNHRC, claiming the body “obsessively demonizes” the country Read Full Article at RT.com
Feb 6, 2025 - 12:45
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The move follows Washington’s withdrawal from the UNHRC
Israel has pledged to withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), hours after the departure of the United States from the body. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has accused the council of attacking a democratic country and propagating anti-Semitism.
In a statement posted on X, the top diplomat criticized the UNHRC for allegedly disproportionately targeting Israel while paying less attention to human rights violations in other countries.
The council “obsessively demonizes the one democracy in the Middle East—Israel,” Saar wrote, adding that “Israel will not accept this discrimination any longer!”
Israel is the only nation with a permanent agenda item in the council and has faced over 100 condemnatory resolutions, more than 20% of all resolutions passed, surpassing those against Iran, Cuba, North Korea, and Venezuela combined, he said.
Israel’s announcement follows Washington’s withdrawal from the UNHRC on Tuesday. US President Donald Trump also left the body during his first term in 2018. Announcing the move, Trump also pledged to reevaluate Washington’s relationship with other UN agencies over their stance on Israel and alleged anti-American bias.
”Three UN organizations that deserve renewed scrutiny are the UNHRC; the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA),” the executive order reads.
”UNRWA has reportedly has been infiltrated by members of groups long designated by the Secretary of State as foreign terrorist organizations,” the order continues, referring to the alleged involvement of a handful of agency employees in the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel staged by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The staffers concerned were sacked by the UN following an internal investigation last summer.
The UNHRC has “protected human rights abusers,” while UNESCO has failed to “reform itself” and continually demonstrated “anti-Israel sentiment over the past decade,” the executive order states.
The action against the UN agencies came after Trump promised to “take over” and “own” Gaza and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” The US president made the remarks on Tuesday during a White House press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is the first foreign leader to visit Trump during his new term.
The US leader has also reiterated his stance that the Palestinians living in Gaza should be resettled elsewhere and the whole enclave demolished and rebuilt, claiming the recent conflict has left it beyond repair.
Trump’s statement has been condemned by global leaders but was met with overwhelming approval in Israel.
According to UN estimates, over 90% of homes in Gaza have been destroyed or badly damaged in the conflict between Hamas and Israel, resulting in the displacement of around 1.9 million people, an overwhelming majority of the population.
