[June 21, 2018]: The American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA) is deeply disappointed by the Trump administration’s decision to leave the UN Human Rights Council and urges reconsideration of the decision.

The UN Human Rights Council is the highest profile human rights institution in the world.  The Council is the successor to the UN Human Rights Commission. The Commission was dissolved and the Council was instituted as its replacement in response to criticisms of the Commission, some were American criticisms.

The US takes issue with the UN Human Rights Council, just like it did with the Commission, because of its criticism of Israel’s violation of the human rights of Palestinians. The Council’s criticism is justified by Israel’s behavior. The criticism ends with Israel’s respect for the human rights of the Palestinians. The US abandonment of the Council is not justified and we especially object to the undiplomatic language used by US ambassador Nikki Haley who called the Council a “cesspool of political bias.”

“The US is the leading power of the world and historically played a key role in the development of human rights in the world,” said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive Director. “Abandoning the Council for its justified criticism of Israel will not advance the cause of human rights or peace,” added Hamad.

 

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