In a bold and consequential move, President Donald Trump of the United States is set to sever US ties with the United Nations Human Rights Council on the 4th of February, 2025, while maintaining a freeze on funding for the UN Palestinian Relief Agency (UNRWA).
A White House official disclosed this development on the 4th of February, aligning with the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington. Netanyahu, a long-time critic of UNRWA, has accused the agency of anti-Israel bias and alleged involvement in terrorist activities.
So far, the United Nations and UNRWA have not responded to the announcement.
This decision echoes Trump’s first term (2017-2021), when he previously halted US funding to UNRWA, questioning its effectiveness and insisting that Palestinians must commit to peace talks with Israel while implementing unspecified reforms. During that period, his administration also withdrew from the 47-member Human Rights Council mid-term, citing chronic anti-Israel bias and a failure to enact necessary changes.
Although the US is not currently a member of the Geneva-based council, former President Joe Biden re-engaged with it during his tenure, securing a US term from 2022 to 2024.
Since reclaiming the presidency on the 20th of January Trump has swiftly reintroduced his past policies, ordering the US withdrawal from both the World Health Organization and the Paris climate agreement decisions he also implemented in his first term.
Meanwhile, Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, lauded Trump’s anticipated actions, accusing the Human Rights Council of fueling extreme anti-Semitism.
He also condemned UNRWA, stating, “It has long lost its status as an independent humanitarian organization and has turned into a terrorist authority controlled by Hamas under the guise of a humanitarian agency.”
On the other hand, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini recently asserted that the agency is facing an intense disinformation campaign aimed at branding it as a terrorist organization.
The US was once UNRWA’s largest donor, contributing between $300 million and $400 million annually.
However, Biden halted funding in January 2024 after Israel accused around a dozen UNRWA staff members of involvement in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.
UNRWA plays a crucial role in providing humanitarian aid, healthcare, and education to millions of Palestinians across Gaza, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.