Fact Check: United States withdraw Human Right council over the "failure" of reforms attempt, as well the treatments toward Israel of it human right abuses

Fact Check: United States Withdraws from Human Rights Council Over "Failure" of Reforms and Treatment of Israel

What We Know

The claim that the United States withdrew from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) due to its "failure" to implement reforms and its treatment of Israel is supported by several official statements and reports. The U.S. withdrawal occurred in June 2018, with then-Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley citing "chronic bias against Israel" as a significant reason for the decision (AP News). The U.S. administration criticized the council for allowing human rights abusers to use the organization to shield themselves from scrutiny, indicating a broader concern about the council's effectiveness in addressing human rights violations (U.S. Mission to the UN).

The U.S. has historically viewed the UNHRC as biased, particularly against Israel. The Trump administration's decision to withdraw was framed as a response to the council's failure to adopt comprehensive reforms that would address these biases and strengthen its membership criteria (Times of Israel). The U.S. had previously attempted to influence the council from within, but these efforts were deemed unsuccessful, leading to the withdrawal (U.S. Mission to the UN).

Analysis

The evidence supporting the claim is robust, stemming from official U.S. government sources and credible news reports. The U.S. Mission to the UN explicitly stated that the council had not made meaningful reforms since its establishment in 2006, particularly regarding its treatment of Israel (U.S. Mission to the UN). This aligns with statements from Nikki Haley, who emphasized the council's bias and the presence of member states with poor human rights records (AP News).

Critics of the U.S. withdrawal, including various human rights organizations, argue that this move undermines international accountability and justice, particularly for Palestinians (New Arab). However, these criticisms do not negate the factual basis of the U.S. withdrawal; rather, they highlight the contentious nature of the UNHRC's operations and the differing perspectives on its effectiveness.

The sources used in this analysis are credible, with the U.S. government documents providing direct insights into the motivations behind the withdrawal. News articles from established outlets like the AP and Times of Israel further corroborate these claims, emphasizing the context of U.S. foreign policy regarding human rights.

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that the United States withdrew from the Human Rights Council due to its "failure" to implement reforms and its treatment of Israel is accurate. The U.S. cited chronic bias against Israel and the council's inability to address human rights abuses as primary reasons for its withdrawal. This decision reflects longstanding concerns about the council's effectiveness and credibility.

Sources

1. Fact Sheet: Reforming the Human Rights Council
2. ISRAEL 2023 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT
3. Withdrawing the United States From and Ending Funding
4. Israel, West Bank and Gaza - United States Human Rights Practices
5. Trump announces withdrawal from UN human rights body
6. Israel, US 'undermining human rights' by UNHRC withdrawal
7. Is there a <meta> tag to turn off caching in all browsers?
8. US quits the UN's Human Rights Council, citing its 'chronic bias against Israel'