US refuses to join UN rights council, citing its actions against Israel

[oberliner]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States will not seek a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, senior officials said Tuesday, asserting the body had lost its credibility with repeated attacks on Israel and a failure to confront other rights abusers.

"While we continue to remain very engaged on the issue on human rights within the UN system, whether that is the General Assembly or the Security Council, we do not plan this year to run for the human rights council," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.

Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns linked the decision to remain off the year-old council to the 47-member panel's stance on Israel, which he said had "discredited" the body.

"It spent the entire year slamming Israel -- four separate hearings by the Human Rights Council of the UN on Israel, but not against Burma, and not against Zimbabwe, and not against North Korea and not against Iran," Burns told a congressional hearing.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070306/pl_afp/usunrights_070306211620

[breakaleg]

1. This is a good thing. When the US is involved, all they do is water down or block any

criticism of Israel.

[TheLeftyMom]

2. I, too, was wondering how it was a bad thing

Aside from making us look like bigger asses than we already do!

[sabbat hunter]

3. but they bring upa good point

why does the UN human rights council lash out at israel, meanwhile they are silent are countries like Sudan, NK, etc?

any explaination from the human rights council on this?