The Christian Science Monitor

US exits UN rights body: Principled, or another retreat?

At the United Nations Human Rights Council, it’s known simply as Agenda Item 7.

Item 7 addresses the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and rights abuses in Israel and by Israel in the adjacent occupied territories. It is the only item of business that appears automatically on the agenda of the 47-nation council, the world’s preeminent human rights body, year in and year out.

The biased treatment of Israel has drawn criticism and admonishments to act more evenhandedly from numerous international human rights groups and world leaders – including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Beyond the case of Israel, these same critics have called on the Geneva-based council to address its other glaring shortcomings. These have included overlooking the violations of some of the world’s most oppressive dictatorships and even honoring some of

Moral security umbrellaChange from within?Part of wider trendIsrael loses vigorous defender

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