WASHINGTON (Reuters)-US President Donald Trump is expected to interrupt US involvement with the United Nations Human Rights Council and maintain the suspension of UN Palestinian Assistance Agency financing, Unrwa, a White House authority said on Monday.
The measure coincides with a visit to Washington of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has long criticized Unrwa, accusing the Anti-Israel Incitement agency and its employees of being “involved in terrorist activities against Israel.”
A Unrwa spokesman refused to comment on an order that has not yet been issued, describing the agency’s financial situation as already “very, very bad”.
The interim spokesman for the UN Pascal Human Rights Council said he was unaware of any Washington communication, but there was no formal process, as the US is not currently a voting member.
During Trump’s first term, from 2017 to 2021, he also cut off Unrwa’s financing, questioning his value, saying that the Palestinians needed to agree to renew peace negotiations with Israel and asking for unspecified reforms.
The first Trump government also left the Human Rights Council, consisting of 47 members, in half of a three -year term, due to what it called chronic prejudice against Israel and lack of reforms. Currently, the US is not members of the Geneva -based body. Under the command of former Democratic President Joe Biden, the US was reelected and fulfilled a 2022-2024 term.
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Biden’s envoy to the board had already asked Trump to remain active, in part to combat China’s “dangerous” influence.
A working group of the Human Rights Council should analyze the US Human Rights History this year, a process through which all countries go through every few years. Although the board has no legally binding power, its debates have political weight and criticisms may increase global pressure on governments to change its course.
Since taking office on January 20, Trump has ordered the US to withdraw from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement – measures he also took during his first term.
