What it’s about
The Israeli government, represented by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, has declared that Israel will no longer engage with the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), following the United States’ decision to withdraw.
Why it matters
Both Israel and the United States argue that the UNHRC has been unduly biased against Israel, demonizing the only democracy in the Middle East by scrutinizing it disproportionately while shielding human rights abusers from criticism. The criticism stems from the assertion that Israel faces an unfair dedicated agenda item at the council.
Key details
Gideon Sa’ar critiqued the UNHRC for its history of adopting over 100 resolutions condemning Israel—more than all resolutions against countries like Iran, Cuba, North Korea, and Venezuela combined. His forceful words highlight ongoing frustrations with perceived anti-Israel bias.
The announcement underscores a broader withdrawal strategy similar to former US President Donald Trump’s previous action in 2018, attributed to the council’s alleged systemic bias against Israel, touted during Nikki Haley’s UN tenure.
The Trump administration’s move
On the American side, former President Trump ceased US engagement both with the UNHRC and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), citing aggregate evidence on undue activity-supporting frameworks ranging from terror endorsement in educational materials to misuse of UNRWA as facades for planning attacks.
Although President Biden’s administration returned to the council in 2021, it opted out of seeking consecutive terms within the council, keeping distances on consistent footing toward fundamentally critiquing its operation towards Israeli matters.
Big picture
Israel stands at the forefront of navigating an international script it perceives as biased, timing their exit in harmony with American signals to defuse systematic condemnations, reclaiming narrative authority against unjust selectivity.
This story was first published on timesofisrael.com.