Trump set to cut US ties with UN Human Rights Council, UNRWA

US President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to cut off US engagement with the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and extend the funding ban on the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), according to an unnamed White House official.

Media outlets, including Politico and NPR, reported that Trump is expected to sign an executive order withdrawing from both bodies on Tuesday, coinciding with a visit from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a vocal critic of the UN and UNRWA.

Since beginning his second term on January 20, Trump has already withdrawn the US from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris climate agreement, actions that were later reversed by the Biden administration. This move to leave the UNHRC is not unprecedented for Trump, who previously pulled the US from the council during his first term in 2018, citing a “chronic bias” against Israel.

The Human Rights Council, composed of 47 member states elected for four-year terms, conducts reviews of member states’ human rights records. The US is due for its next review in August. During the 2020 review, the council made recommendations for the US to address issues such as racism and the Guantanamo Bay detention centre.

The council has also been the site of criticism of Israel, with several UN special rapporteurs, including Francesca Albanese on the occupied Palestinian territory, accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. As a council member, the US has used its position to criticize the human rights records of other countries.

Trump’s decision to sign an executive order targeting UNRWA coincides with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to the White House.

A UNRWA situation report revealed that Israeli forces killed 272 staff members during the 15-month assault on Gaza and repeatedly attacked UNRWA buildings, including shelters for Palestinians.

In October, Israel passed two bills banning UNRWA operations in its borders, including East Jerusalem, a move that went into effect last week. UNRWA, founded in 1949, provides crucial aid, healthcare, and education to millions of Palestinians in the region.

The US, historically the largest donor to UNRWA, had contributed between $300m and $400m annually. However, Biden paused funding in January 2024, after Israeli accusations involving UNRWA staff and the October 7 Hamas attack, although an independent report debunked these claims. As a result, US Congress suspended contributions to UNRWA until at least March 2025.

UNRWA remains integral to Gaza’s recovery amidst a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which Trump and Netanyahu are set to discuss further. Trump, however, expressed uncertainty over the longevity of the ceasefire deal, saying there are “no guarantees.”