U.S. Remains Silent During Israel’s Human Rights Review

By Courtney Cox

The U.S. refused to discuss Israel’s human rights record during the annual U.N. Human Rights Council forum. Reuters reports that the debate focused on alleged abuses occurring in the Palestinian territories. The U.S. has not spoken on the issue in the forum since 2013. That same year, the U.S. and Israel entered into an agreement (essentially a gag clause) when Israel resumed its participation in the U.N. Human Rights Council. The Israeli Foreign Ministry justified the agreement because the debate “negatively singles out Israel.” The U.S. was not the only country that remained silent. Israel’s other allies, including France and Great Britain, also refused to participate in the debate.