“When we work closely with our allies and friends, we can call on countries with the worst human rights records to report to the @UN Human Rights Council,” Blinken said in a tweet on Monday morning. “The leadership of the USA is important.”
The United States was not involved with the advice of President George W. Bush, although the Obama administration worked with the board. All US governments, since the creation of the council, have criticized the council’s positions on Israel, including demands for the nation to withdraw from the Palestinian territories.
Blinken said in the statement that the council can work to promote the rights of women, LGBTQ people and other marginalized groups, as well as freedom of expression and assembly.
“We recognize that the Human Rights Council is a flawed body that needs reform in its agenda, members and focus, including its disproportionate focus on Israel,” Blinken said in a statement released Monday morning. “However, our withdrawal in June 2018 did nothing to encourage significant changes, but instead created a vacuum in the US leadership, which countries with authoritarian agendas used to their advantage.”