Standing beside U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley announced Tuesday it will withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council due to its ceaseless acts of bias against Israel.
. Ambassador Nikki Haley announces the U.S. withdrawal from the . pic.twitter.com/G1Zk7ZZhGT
— Department of State (@StateDept)
Haley called the world body a “cesspool of political bias” and said the council has a “chronic bias against Israel.”
She left the door open for America’s return, however, saying that if the council reforms, the United States “would be happy to rejoin.”
Last year, on October 12, 2017, the Department of State formally notified UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova of the U.S. decision to withdraw from the organization and to seek to establish a permanent observer mission to UNESCO.
“Pursuant to Article II(6) of the UNESCO Constitution, U.S. withdrawal will take effect on December 31, 2018. The United States will remain a full member of UNESCO until that time,” said State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert at the time of the announcement.
Israel joined the United States in its action, also submitting a letter of resignation from UNESCO just before the end of 2017, so as to ensure that both countries would exit the world body at the same time.