U.S. May Leave U.N. Human Rights Council Over Anti-Israel Bias, Haley Warns

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley addresses the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference in Washington, DC, on March 27, 2017. Image by Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images

By JTA June 6, 2017

WASHINGTON (JTA) — Nikki Haley, the American ambassador to the United Nations, said the U.S. is considering its membership in the U.N. Human Rights Council, citing among other things its bias against Israel.

In a speech Tuesday to the council in Geneva, Haley cited Israel as one of several factors leading the United States to reconsider its membership. Another is the membership of human rights abusers like Venezuela, Cuba, China, Burundi and Saudi Arabia.

“It’s hard to accept that this council has never considered a resolution on Venezuela and yet it adopted five biased resolutions in March against a single country – Israel,” Haley said. “It is essential that this council address its chronic anti-Israel bias if it is to have any credibility.”

Haley added: “The United States is looking very carefully at this council and our participation in it. We see some areas for significant strengthening.”

The George W. Bush administration also cited Israel bashing and the presence of human rights abusers when it pulled out of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, the predecessor of the current council. The Obama administration rejoined, in part to defend U.S. interests.

Haley is scheduled to visit Israel later this week.

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