President Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the UN Human Rights Council, citing its failure to live up to its potential and concerns about bias against Israel. The order also halts funding for the UNRWA, the primary UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees, and calls for a review of U.S. involvement in UNESCO.
By Victoria Craw and Sammy Westfall, The Washington PostPresident Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington.
Netanyahu has been critical of the UNHRC in the past, saying it has a “blatant anti-Israel obsession.” The council has a permanent feature on its agenda, named, dedicated to discussion of the “human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories.” One of the main features of the UNHRC is the Universal Periodic Review, which involves an analysis of all U.N. member states’ human rights records undertaken every 4½ years. The reviews are conducted by a working group consisting of all 47 members of the council. This process allows each state to report on how it has improved its own human rights and to receive recommendations for improvement, the United Nations says.
The Obama administration sought a seat on the council in 2009 in the hope of underscoring the importance of human rights in U.S. policy. In October 2021, the United States rejoined the UNHRC as part of President Joe Biden’s intent to deepen America’s international engagement and renew U.S. leadership overseas. However, in October 2024, the United States decided not to stand for a second term. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters that Washington decided not to seek a second term “because we are engaged with our allies about the best way to move forward,” the Associated Press reported at the time.
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