Israel has decided to exit the UN Human Rights Council, taking a cue from the United States’ actions

Israel announced on Wednesday that it will leave the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) after the US decided to withdraw from it. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated, “Israel supports President Trump’s choice to not engage with the UNHRC.” He added that Israel will also not take part in the council. Trump signed an order on Tuesday to pull the US out of the council, which also stops any further funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). Former President Joe Biden had already halted funding to the agency in January 2024 after Israel claimed that 12 of its staff were involved in the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, leading to the Gaza war. This funding freeze is set to last until March 2025. Before the exits of Israel and the US, the Human Rights Council, based in Geneva, had 47 member states divided among five regional groups.