Sen. Cruz Applauds President Trump’s Decision to Withdraw U.S. from United Nations Human Rights Council

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) issued the following statement applauding President Trump for withdrawing the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC): 

“The United States has been legitimizing the thugs and autocrats on the United Nations Human Rights Council for far too long. This is a body that claims to sit in judgment about human rights, but includes human rights abusers such as Venezuela, China, and Cuba. It claims to be objective, but spends its time and resources attacking Israel while ignoring the crimes of terrorist groups like Hamas. Participation in the UNHRC did nothing to advance America's national security interests. I have long called for ending that participation, and I commend the Trump administration for its decision.”

Sen. Cruz has long condemned the UNHRC, including:

• In 2014, introducing and passing a resolution condemning Hamas’ use of human shields and the UNHRC’s biased resolution establishing a commission of inquiry into Israel’s Gaza operations
• In 2015, calling for the U.S. to withdraw following its vote condemning Israel.
• In 2017, calling the UNHRC a farce “on matters of human rights, catering to some of the world’s worst human rights abusers.”

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