UN highlights significant issue in recent Israeli protest
The Jewish state has announced its intention to follow the lead of US President Donald Trump by withdrawing from the UN Human Rights Council. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
West Jerusalem's assertion that it has left the UN Human Rights Council is inconsistent, as it is not a member of this body, clarified a spokesperson for the UNHRC.
According to UNHRC spokesman Pascal Sim, Israel is not currently a member of the UN Human Rights Council, which means it cannot officially withdraw from an organization it is not a part of.
On Wednesday, following US President Donald Trump's announcement of the United States' withdrawal from the UNHRC, West Jerusalem declared its own exit from the council, which is tasked with promoting and safeguarding human rights globally.
“Israel has an observer status in the UN Human Rights Council, as does any of the 193 UN member states that are not among the 47 members of the Council. An observer state in the Council cannot withdraw from a body it is not a member of,” Sim explained to TASS on Thursday.
The spokesman pointed out that Israel has “regularly interacted with UNHRC for many years, participating and addressing several meetings” of the council. He stressed that the UN Human Rights Council “welcomes and encourages the participation of every UN member state – whether a member of the Council or an observer – in the work of the Council and its mechanisms.”
In his remarks on Wednesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized the UNHRC, asserting that it “has traditionally protected human rights abusers by allowing them to hide from scrutiny, and instead obsessively demonizes the one democracy in the Middle East – Israel.”
He further alleged that the body “propagates antisemitism” and discriminates against Israel, stating, “Israel has been subjected to over 100 condemnatory resolutions, over 20% of all resolutions ever passed in the Council – more than against Iran, Cuba, North Korea, and Venezuela combined,” according to Saar.
As a result of this decision, Israel’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Daniel Meron, will no longer participate in council sessions.
Israel maintains a tense relationship with the United Nations, particularly concerning the Gaza conflict, as the UN has frequently criticized Israel’s military actions in the Palestinian enclave for alleged violations of international law.
In November 2024, a UN Special Committee reported that Israel’s methods of warfare in Gaza displayed traits of genocide, including the use of starvation as a weapon. Furthermore, in October 2024, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry accused Israel of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during its assaults on healthcare facilities in Gaza and its treatment of detainees and hostages.
These reports have exacerbated the strain on Israel’s relations with UN bodies, leading to actions such as Israel’s ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees within its territories. This ban has sparked concerns regarding a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where UNRWA provides vital services to millions of Palestinian refugees.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
According to UNHRC spokesman Pascal Sim, Israel is not currently a member of the UN Human Rights Council, which means it cannot officially withdraw from an organization it is not a part of.
On Wednesday, following US President Donald Trump's announcement of the United States' withdrawal from the UNHRC, West Jerusalem declared its own exit from the council, which is tasked with promoting and safeguarding human rights globally.
“Israel has an observer status in the UN Human Rights Council, as does any of the 193 UN member states that are not among the 47 members of the Council. An observer state in the Council cannot withdraw from a body it is not a member of,” Sim explained to TASS on Thursday.
The spokesman pointed out that Israel has “regularly interacted with UNHRC for many years, participating and addressing several meetings” of the council. He stressed that the UN Human Rights Council “welcomes and encourages the participation of every UN member state – whether a member of the Council or an observer – in the work of the Council and its mechanisms.”
In his remarks on Wednesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized the UNHRC, asserting that it “has traditionally protected human rights abusers by allowing them to hide from scrutiny, and instead obsessively demonizes the one democracy in the Middle East – Israel.”
He further alleged that the body “propagates antisemitism” and discriminates against Israel, stating, “Israel has been subjected to over 100 condemnatory resolutions, over 20% of all resolutions ever passed in the Council – more than against Iran, Cuba, North Korea, and Venezuela combined,” according to Saar.
As a result of this decision, Israel’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Daniel Meron, will no longer participate in council sessions.
Israel maintains a tense relationship with the United Nations, particularly concerning the Gaza conflict, as the UN has frequently criticized Israel’s military actions in the Palestinian enclave for alleged violations of international law.
In November 2024, a UN Special Committee reported that Israel’s methods of warfare in Gaza displayed traits of genocide, including the use of starvation as a weapon. Furthermore, in October 2024, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry accused Israel of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during its assaults on healthcare facilities in Gaza and its treatment of detainees and hostages.
These reports have exacerbated the strain on Israel’s relations with UN bodies, leading to actions such as Israel’s ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees within its territories. This ban has sparked concerns regarding a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where UNRWA provides vital services to millions of Palestinian refugees.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
