US Lobbying UN Rights Council, Blocking Pakistan Proposal

Two months after President Trump announced a halt to U.S. engagement with the UN Human Rights Council, the U.S. continues to influence its activities through both public and behind-the-scenes pressure, according to diplomats and rights advocates. Although the U.S. left its seat empty during a recent six-week session, its lobbying helped dilute a proposal from Pakistan for an International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) regarding Israel's actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The council ultimately passed a version of the proposal that only invited the UN General Assembly to consider an IIIM in the future, rather than establishing one. U.S. lawmakers warned that any council member supporting an Israel-specific IIM would face consequences similar to those imposed on the International Criminal Court. This includes sanctions approved by the House of Representatives in response to ICC arrest warrants against Israeli officials. The U.S. has maintained its stance of opposing perceived anti-Israel bias within the council.