Israel has announced that it will no longer participate in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), following the United States’ decision to withdraw from the body. The announcement was made by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Wednesday, who accused the council of bias against Israel.
Sa’ar expressed strong support for US President Donald Trump’s decision, arguing that the UNHRC has failed in its mission to uphold human rights and has instead targeted Israel unfairly. The UNHRC 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,” Sa’ar stated.
The Israeli foreign minister further criticized the council’s structure, highlighting that Israel is the only country with a permanent agenda item dedicated solely to it. According to Sa’ar, this systematic scrutiny has led to more than 100 resolutions against Israel, amounting to over 20% of all resolutions issued by the council.
Israel welcomes President Trump’s decision not to participate in the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Israel joins the United States and will not participate in the UNHRC.The UNHRC has traditionally protected human rights abusers by allowing them to hide from scrutiny, and…
— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) February 5, 2025
The timing of Israel’s announcement coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the United States, where he met with President Trump in Washington, DC. During a joint press conference on Tuesday, Trump reiterated his administration’s decision to withdraw from both the UNHRC and the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), citing alleged ties between UNRWA and the militant group Hamas. The US president condemned the UNHRC as an “antisemitic” body that has failed to fulfill its intended purpose.
