Introduction

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights, whose activities were widely acknowledged to be extremely biased, particularly against Israel, was replaced in 2005 by a Human Rights Council. However, as predicted by the US and Israel, which voted against the new framework and sought fundamental changes that would prevent political abuse and exploitation of human rights, the UNHRC has turnout to be no better than the old model.

The new framework also continues to give selected NGOs that enjoy consultative privileges at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) a major influence in promoting anti-Israel agendas.  Accreditation to ECOSOC is based in large part on political affiliation, rather than commitment to human rights. For example, China blocked the application of the NGO “Human Rights in China”, and the Arab bloc was able to overcome the specific objections to the application from BADIL (a Palestinian political NGO promoting “right of return” claims).  After condemning American and Israeli objections to the proposed structure of the UNHRC, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have become strident critics of its biases and failures.  However, these NGOs have refused to acknowledged their failed judgment in promoting the new framework, and through their own biased reports and campaigns, have contributed to the failure of the UNHRC.

NGO Monitor and UN Watch Presentation in Geneva: UNHRC Inquiry into 2014 Gaza Conflict

NGO Monitor Submissions to UN Committees

Written statement by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UNHRC: European Complicity in the Promotion of Global Antisemitism, August 31, 2015

Written statement by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UNHRC: European Funding for NGOs that Falsify History of the 2014 Gaza War, August 31, 2015

NGO Monitor and UN Watch Presentation in Geneva: UNHRC Inquiry into 2014 Gaza Conflict, June 2015

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UNHRC: New Report on the 2014 Gaza Conflict Highlights Deficiencies in UN Fact Finding Mechanisms, June 8, 2015

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UNHRC: Governments and the UN Must Stop Funding Used to Promote Antisemitism, June 8, 2015

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UNHRC: European Neighborhood Policy in Israel Report Reflects Flawed EU Policy Process, June 8, 2015

Letter to UN Sec-Gen Regarding 2015 Report on Children and Armed Conflict, June 8, 2015

NGO Monitor Submission to the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied Since 1967, June 15, 2015

NGO Monitor Submission to the UN Secretary General for the Report on the Elimination of Racism, April 20, 2015

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UNHRC: Investigation of the appointment of William Schabas and the conduct of the 2014 Gaza Commission of Inquiry, February 27, 2015

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UNHRC: Lack of Military Expertise Seriously Impairs UNHRC Fact-Finding, February 20, 2015

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UNHRC: Irresponsible European Government NGO Funding Exploits International Law to Promote Conflict and Hate, February 20, 2015

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UNHRC: European Funding for Illegal Building on West Bank in Violation of International Law, February 20, 2015

Regarding the Legal Opinion Requested by Bureau of the Human Rights Council on William Schabas, February 23, 2015

NGO Monitor Submission to the UN Human Rights Council Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza Conflict, January 30, 2015

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UN Human Rights Council: HRC Gaza Inquirty Must Conform to International Fact-Finding Standards, August 28, 2014

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UN Human Rights Council: Palestinian Exploitation of Children as Weapons of War, August 28, 2014

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UN Human Rights Council: Issues Related to UNOCHA’s “Protection Cluster” Regarding Gaza, August 28, 2014

Submission of the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for the Study of Domestic Law Remedies for Corporate Involvement in Gross Human Rights Abuses, June 1, 2014

NGO Monitor’s Submission to the UN General Assembly Human Rights Council on European Human Rights Funding for Arab-Israeli Peace, March 4, 2014

NGO Monitor’s submission to the UN General Assembly Human Rights Council on Women’s Rights in the Middle East and North Africa Region, March 4, 2014

NGO Monitor’s Submission to the UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review – Israel – February 2013, July 15, 2012

NGO Monitor Submission to the UN Human Rights Council Independent International Fact-finding Mission on the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Including East Jerusalem Pursuant to HRC Resolution 19/7, October 30, 2012

NGO Monitor Submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women Review of Israel, January 20, 2011

NGO Monitor Submission to Goldstone Follow-Up Committee, March 17, 2011

NGO Monitor Submission to the UN Human Rights Council Committee of Independent Experts Pursuant to HRC Resolution 13/9 (Goldstone Follow-up Committee), March 17, 2011

NGO Monitor’s Submission to the Human Rights Council Review Open-Ended Working Group, April 13, 2011

Written Submission of NGO Monitor to the Human Rights Committee and its relevant Special Rapporteur on the occasion of the Country Report Task Force consideration os the Periodic Report of Israel, June 2010

NGO Monitor Submission to the International Criminal Court Office of the Prosecutor Regarding the “Situation in Palestine”, October 20, 2010

NGO Monitor’s Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review– Israel – December 2008, July 21, 2008

NGO Monitor’s Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council, December 2008

NGO Monitor’s Submission to the 2009 Durban Conference Preparatory Meeting, August 16, 2007

UN “Human Rights”

Ben Cohen, The Deep UN: Inside the Secret Infrastructure of Hate, The Tower, May 2014

NGO Bias at the UN Committee Against Torture Review of Israel, May 5, 2009

Ronan Farrow, The U.N.’s Human-Rights Sham, Wall Street Journal, January 29, 2008

Malvina Halberstam, Bracing for Dugard, New York Sun, June 8, 2008

Warren Hoge, Dismay Over New U.N. Human Rights Council, The New York Times, March 11, 2007

Cotler addresses UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, June 13, 2007

Jackson Diehl, A Shadow on the Human Rights Movement, The Washington Post, Jun 25, 2007

The U.S. Role in UN Human Rights Reform: Correspondence between Peggy Hicks and Anne Bayefsky, Council of Foreign Relations, July 31, 2006

Durban

European Parliament Hosts UN NGO Anti-Israel Propaganda Conference- August 30-31, 2007, August 29, 2007

Goldstone

The Goldstone Report “Reconsidered”- A Critical Analysis, 2011

The Goldstone “Fact Finding” Mission and the Role of Political NGOs, September 7, 2009

Further Reading

My Schabas Dinner, James Kirchick, Tablet Magazine, May 9, 2015

Why the Schabas Report Will be Every Bit as Biased as the Goldstone Report, Hillel Neuer, The Tower, March 2015

NGO Statements to the UNHRC Following Israeli Teenagers’ Kidnapping, NGO Monitor report, July 15, 2014

NGO Monitor Urges UNHRC to Comply with Fact-Finding Standards, NGO Monitor Press Releases, November 1, 2012

HRW publishes criticism of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Iran; but vague on UNHRC abuses, April 14, 2008

NGOS urge European leaders in Geneva to protect Iranian abuses, UN Watch Press Release, March 12, 2007