Trump to withdraw US from UN Rights Council, extend UNRWA funds ban

• President Donald Trump plans to withdraw the U.S. from the U.N. Human Rights Council. He also plans to cut UNRWA funding.
• Trump’s move comes as Israel’s Prime Minister visits the White House.
• Trump also quit the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement.

President Donald Trump is planning to issue an executive order Tuesday, Feb. 4 to withdraw the United States from the U.N. Human Rights Council and extend a funding ban for the U.N. Palestinian Relief Agency, UNRWA. This comes on the same day the White House is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a longtime critic of the U.N. and UNRWA. He accused the organization of being involved in “terrorist activities against Israel.”

During the war in Gaza, the Israeli Defense Forces presented evidence purporting to show some Palestinians working for UNRWA were also members of Hamas.

Since taking office for a second term, Trump already withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement, which he also did during his first term.

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What is Trump’s history with the U.N. Human Rights Council?

Trump’s expected withdrawal from the Human Rights Council also won’t be a first for him. He did the same his last time in office. Then-U.N. Envoy Nikki Haley said the move was over a “chronic bias” against Israel from the body, which is made up of 47 U.N. member states who are elected every four years.

Trump’s latest move will continue the United States’ back-and-forth relationship with the council, which was created during the George W. Bush administration.

Presidents Bush and Trump did not engage with the council, while presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden did. 

However, the Biden administration did pause funding to UNRWA, following the reports staffers were involved in the October 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel. 

What’s the latest on UNRWA in Gaza?

UNRWA was the main agency providing humanitarian aid for Gaza, which Israel recently banned.

UNRWA said the ban will have major consequences for those dealing with the destruction from the war in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

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There’s currently a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas aiming to end the fighting and free hostages held by Hamas in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.