The United States on Tuesday withdrew from the United Nations Human Rights Council accusing it of a “chronic bias against Israel.”
The decision was announced by U.S. envoy to the UN, Nikki Haley in Washington after she slammed Russia, China, Cuba and Egypt for thwarting U.S. efforts to reform the council.
Harley also criticized countries which shared U.S. values and encouraged Washington to remain but “were unwilling to seriously challenge the status quo.”
The U.S. is half-way through a three-year term on the main U.N. rights body and the Trump administration had long threatened to quit if the 47-member Geneva-based body was not overhauled, NAN reports.
“Look at the council membership (Venezuela, China, Cuba and Democratic Republic of Congo.) and you see an appalling disrespect for the most basic rights.
“Disproportionate focus and unending hostility toward Israel is clear proof that the council was motivated by political bias, not by human rights.”
Washington’s withdrawal is the latest U.S. rejection of multilateral engagement after it pulled out of the Paris climate agreement and the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
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