United States returns to United Nations Human Rights CouncilCIDI

After the United States withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council in 2018 due to the agency’s “chronic bias against Israel,” the Biden administration announced that the United States was returning to the board.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

Israel is the only country in the world that regularly features on the agendas of Human Rights Council meetings. Under agenda item 7, the theme “Israel and the situation of human rights in Palestine and the other occupied Arab territories” comes up in order at each session. No other country is subject to such control by the CHR. The Human Rights Council has condemned Israel in more resolutions than all the rest of the world combined.

In 2018, the United States left the Human Rights Council. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley then called the council a “cesspool of political prejudice” that has “chronic prejudices against Israel.” “We cannot continue to be part of a hypocritical and self-serving organization that mocks human rights,” referring to members notoriously violating human rights.

It was not the first time that the United States decided not to be on the council. When the international body was established in 2006, the then Bush administration failed to join the board, sticking to an observer role. The United States already believed the council had an obsessive focus on Israel. Under Obama’s presidency, the United States played an active role in the Human Rights Council, hoping to bring about change from within. However, the improvements did not materialize and the United States withdrew under Trump.

Under President Joe Biden, the United States returns to the UN. The US charge d’affaires in Geneva informed the Human Rights Council that the United States will once again play an observer role in the Council. According to US diplomats, this is a prelude to full membership.

“The UN Human Rights Council is flawed and needs to be reformed, but running away will not solve the problem,” he said. Secretary of State Antony blink at. “The best way to improve the board to reach its potential is through strong, principled American leadership,” Blinken said on Twitter.

The United States Secretary of State is optimistic on the reforms he is considering. “When functioning well, the UN Human Rights Council shines a light on countries with the worst human rights records and can serve as a beacon for those fighting injustice. and tyranny ”.

The Netherlands is also a member of the controversial Human Rights Council

The Netherlands is also a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, under the pretext of reforming the body from within. The Netherlands therefore voted against item 7 of the agenda, which is a “historical anomaly”. The standing agenda item led to “unacceptable and disproportionate treatment of Israel”. The Dutch representation at the UN underlines that this view of the standing item of the agenda has been the position of the Netherlands for years. “All countries use the same objective criterion,” said Foreign Minister Stef Blok on Twitter. Despite the beautiful words, the Netherlands agree with resolutions under agenda item 7.

Initially, the ChristenUnie coalition party was against the Netherlands seat on the Human Rights Council. However, the party changed its mind after Minister Blok promised that the Netherlands would commit to council reform, including Israel’s negative obsession. However, the electoral behavior of the Dutch representation to the UN shows that the Netherlands is participating in the anti-Israel circus at the Human Rights Council. In a nutshell, the Dutch government says it is determined to drop the infamous agenda item 7, in fact the Netherlands is maintaining agenda item 7 by voting for the resolutions on the agenda. title of this agenda item.