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Trump administration pulls U.S. out of U.N. human rights council

By MATTHEW LEE and JOSH productive to American
LEDERMAN national security and for-
Associated Press eign policy interests and
WASHINGTON (AP) — The will make it more difficult
United States announced to advance human rights
Tuesday it was leaving the priorities and aid victims of
United Nations' Human abuse around the world,"
Rights Council, with Am- the organizations said in a
bassador Nikki Haley call- joint statement.
ing it "an organization that Added Kenneth Roth, the
is not worthy of its name." It executive director of Hu-
was the latest withdrawal man Rights Watch: "All
by the Trump administra- Trump seems to care about
tion from an international is defending Israel."
institution. On Twitter, al-Hussein, the
Haley, Trump's envoy to the U.N. human rights chief,
U.N., said the U.S. had giv- said it was "Disappointing,
en the human rights body if not really surprising, news.
"opportunity after oppor- Given the state of #Hu-
tunity" to make changes. manRights in today's world,
She lambasted the council the US should be stepping
for "its chronic bias against up, not stepping back."
Israel" and lamented the And the Heritage Founda-
fact that its membership tion, a conservative think
includes accused human tank close to the Trump ad-
rights abusers such as Chi- ministration, defended the
na, Cuba, Venezuela and In this Jan. 2, 2018, file photo, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks move, calling the council
the Democratic Republic to reporters at United Nations headquarters. "notably incurious about
of Congo. Associated Press the human rights situations
"We take this step because in some of the world's most
our commitment does not once had a "noble vision." council did adopt reforms, Since January 2017, it has oppressive countries." Brett
allow us to remain a part But today we need to be "we would be happy to announced its withdrawal Schaefer, a senior fellow,
of a hypocritical and self- honest," Pompeo said. "The rejoin it." She said the with- from the Paris climate ac- pointed out that Trump
serving organization that Human Rights Council is a drawal notwithstanding, cord, left the U.N. educa- could have withdrawn im-
makes a mockery of hu- poor defender of human the U.S. would continue to tional and cultural organi- mediately after taking of-
man rights," Haley said. rights." defend human rights at the zation and pulled out of the fice but instead gave the
Secretary of State Mike The announcement came United Nations. Iran nuclear deal. Other council 18 months to make
Pompeo, appearing along- just a day after the U.N. hu- Israeli Prime Minister Ben- contentious moves have changes.
side Haley at the State De- man rights chief, Zeid Ra'ad jamin Netanyahu's office included slapping tariffs on Haley has been the driv-
partment, said there was al-Hussein, denounced the called the U.S. decision steel and aluminum against ing force behind withdraw-
no doubt that the council Trump administration for "courageous," calling it "an key trading partners, rec- ing from the human rights
unequivocal
statement ognizing Jerusalem as Isra-
separating migrant chil-
body, unprecedented in
MISSING dren from their parents. that enough is enough." el's capital and moving the the 12-year history of the
U.S. Embassy there from Tel council. No country has
The move extends a broad-
But Haley cited longstand-
ing U.S. complaints that er Trump administration Aviv. ever dropped out volun-
the 47-member council is pattern of stepping back Opposition to the decision tarily. Libya was kicked out
biased against Israel. She from international agree- from human rights advo- seven years ago.
had been threatening ments and forums under cates was swift. A group of The move could reinforce
the pull-out since last year the president's "America 12 organizations including the perception that the
unless the council made First" policy. Although nu- Save the Children, Free- Trump administration is
changes advocated by merous officials have said dom House and the United seeking to advance Isra-
the U.S. repeatedly that "Amer- Nations Association-USA el's agenda on the world
"Regrettably, it is now clear ica First does not mean said there were "legitimate stage, just as it prepares
that our call for reform was America Alone," the ad- concerns" about the coun- to unveil its long-awaited
not heeded," Haley said. ministration has retreated cil's shortcomings but that Israeli-Palestinian peace
Still, she suggested the de- from multiple multilateral none of them warranted a plan despite Palestinian
cision need not be per- accords and consensuses U.S. exit. outrage over the embassy
See page 5 manent, adding that if the since it took office. "This decision is counter- relocation. q