U.S. to rejoin Human Rights Council

The United States is set to rejoin the United Nations Human Rights Council, nearly three years after its departure in 2018. At the time, President Trump claimed that there was an anti-Israel bias, which could hold some truth, due to other powerful members on the Council, including Russia, China, and Saudi Arabia. Last year, there were five resolutions condemning Israel’s behaviour, while only one resolution for countries with a well-known track record, such as North Korea or Syria. Thus, President Biden, as part of his campaign promises, said that he would advocate for reform. Critics of the decision say that rejoining would reduce accountability for members of the Council who face allegations of human rights abuses. However, there are signs of change, especially since Fiji became the President of the Council this year. Fiji is a strong proponent of human rights, and has already begun investigations into alleged abuses by multiple countries.