Slamming anti-Israel bias, US announces withdrawal from UNHRC

Slamming the United Nations Human Rights Council for hypocrisy, and "unrelenting" bias against Israel, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley announced on Tuesday the US quits the international body

"We take this step because our commitment does not allow us to remain a part of a hypocritical and self-serving organization that makes a mockery of human rights," she said.

The official charged that the "disproportionate focus and unending hostility towards Israel is clear proof that the UN Human Rights Council is motivated by political bias, not human rights."

Haley came to Washington to announce the decision alongside President Donald Trump's top diplomat, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Both insisted the United States would remain a leading champion of human rights, but for many, the decision will reflect Trump's general hostility to the world body and to multilateral diplomacy in general.

In a statement praising the decision, the influential Jewish American lobby AIPAC stated that "The UNHRC’s unrelenting, unbalanced and unfounded attacks on Israel have destroyed its credibility. The council has passed more country-specific resolutions against Israel than the rest of the world’s nations combined.

"The United States has repeatedly called for reform of the UNHRC; unfortunately, the council has rebuffed any serious reform—severely impeding its ability to effectively act as an objective guardian of human rights."