The Trump administration is apparently considering quitting the UN Human Rights Council because of its critical stance towards Israel.
US officials are thought to be weighing their membership of the UN human rights body with an eye to reform and balance its agenda and end what they believe is the forum’s “obsession with Israel”.
Reuters reported comments by the US’ deputy assistant secretary of state, Erin Barclay, telling members of the UN Human Rights Council: “In order for this Council to have any credibility, let alone success, it must move away from its unbalanced and unproductive positions.”
Seeking end to "obsession with Israel", Trump administration attacks UN Human Rights Council https://t.co/hZh2BMbXCw
— Ben White (@benabyad) March 1, 2017
“As we consider our future engagements, my government will be considering the Council’s actions with an eye toward reform to more fully achieve the Council’s mission to protect and promote human rights,” said Barclay.
The Council’s next session is scheduled for Monday, and the administration is not expected to pull out of the council before that.
The Human Rights Council was set up in 2006 to replace the UN Human Rights Commission that came under fire after countries with poor human rights records managed to obtain membership.
Disregard for human rights is a disease that is spreading– north, south, east and west. The Human Rights Council must be part of the cure. pic.twitter.com/iswNypJXne
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) February 27, 2017
Former US President George W. Bush declined to join the newly-established council, thinking that it would lack credibility and would still allow human rights violators to join its ranks.
However, in 2009, Barack Obama’s administration changed this decision and joined the group, believing it would be easier to influence the council from the inside.
The UN director at Human Rights Watch HRW, Lou Charbonneau, described the potential withdrawal as “a misguided and short-sighted” step while noting the council’s “ground-breaking measures, often with strong US support,” including appointing investigating commissions that detected serious human rights violations in North Korea and Syria.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
