Michael Berookim did not write this blog post and the content within this article does not express his views on the topic.

Today, the United States U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley announced that the United States is withdrawing from the United Nations Human Rights Council. While this move apparently was in the works- after 17 months of participation by the United States, Nikki Haley announced that the council is composed of human rights abusers and political bias. Not to mention, many anti-Israel policies.

A senior USA official claimed that they had given the council one year to reform itself but it failed to do so. Human rights abusers like Venezuela and Cuba and other countries like China, Egypt, and Russia undermine the United States’ reform efforts. The official also claimed that these countries passed resolutions against Israel more so than against 3 other tyrannical countries combined like Iran, Syria and North Korea.

The official claimed countries like China, Egypt and Russia worked to undermine U.S. reform efforts, and that the council has passed more resolutions this year condemning Israel than Iran, Syria and North Korea combined. The United States says it would rejoin the Council at a future date if reforms and changes are made.

Time will tell if this was a smart, diplomatic move on the part of the United States. The intention of not lending the council credibility may prove fruitful one day.