U.S. Ambassador Haley Slams UN Human Rights Report For 'Singling Out Israel', N Korean Threat: 'More Dire Than Ever'

Haley slams UN human rights report for 'singling out Israel'

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley on Tuesday slammed a report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for its “unfair bias” in “singling out Israel.”

The US envoy condemned a report released just a day earlier that accused both Israel and the Palestinians for failing to probe war crimes. but focused heavily on Israel’s “repeated failure” to “comply with the calls for accountability made by the entire human rights system.”

Haley, who just last week warned the Human Rights Councilin Geneva that the US might leave the body if they did not make several reforms, including changing its treatment of Israel, argued the report placed disproportionate blame on the Jewish state.

“This report is just the latest example of the Human Rights Council singling out Israel rather than focusing on the world’s actual human rights abusers,” she said.

“Not only does it undermine the credibility of the Human Rights Council on human rights issues, but it once again highlights the unfair bias of the UN when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

Since joining US Donald Trump’s administration, Haley has been emphatic in her commitment to Israel and seeking initiate changes at the UN, particularly regarding its handling on Israel-related issues. She told AIPAC’s policy conference in March there was “a new sheriff in town” and that “the days of Israel-bashing are over.”

In Geneva last week, she said the Human Rights Council’s “relentless, pathological campaign” against the Jewish state “makes a mockery not of Israel, but of the Council itself.”

Israeli officials welcomed her calls for reform at the international body, something they have long advocated.

Korean Peninsula Threat ‘More Dire Than Ever’ - South Korean President

After North Korea last week fired four anti-ship missiles from its east coast, South Korean President Moon Jae-in says the security situation on the Korean Peninsula is “more dire than ever before.”

In his first official visit to the Yongsan Army Garrison, the newly elected president met with Gen. Vincent Brooks, who commands about 28,000 US forces stationed on the peninsula. Before the Tuesday meeting, Moon called for increased security cooperation with the US, according to Stars and Stripes. The liberal South Korean president campaigned on de-escalating tensions with Pyongyang by increasing commerce and allowing citizens in both countries to communicate with one another.

Now, he appears to have pivoted his focus back toward Washington.

“Ultimately, we must find a way to fundamentally resolve North Korea’s nuclear missile threat and maintain peace,” the South Korean leader said. “To this end we must further strengthen the Korean-US alliance and maintain a rock-solid combined defense posture.”

“During this time of heightened tensions it is more important than ever to stand with our Korean brothers,” Gen. Brooks said, according to Stars and Stripes. 

Moon’s announcement stands in stark contrast to his administration’s decision to suspend further deployment of more units of the controversial Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) while an “environmental assessment” is conducted. Two anti-missile installments have already been installed, put in place in the middle of the night on a golf course 135 miles from Seoul despite protests by thousands of South Koreans over THAAD itself and US militarism on the Korean Peninsula.

Pyongyang has test fired five missiles since Moon assumed office May 10. Analysts have predicted that at its current pace, North Korea will test another 13 to 14 missiles by the end of the year at a rate of one test every two weeks.

Speaking before the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, Defense Secretary James Mattis noted, “the regime’s provocative actions, manifestly illegal under international law, have not abated despite United Nations’ censure and sanctions.”

Meanwhile, Deutsche Welle reports that North Korea is preparing to launch its first ever nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile. Analysts believe the North’s scientists have mastered long-range strike capability, but have yet to overcome the hurdle of successfully re-entering a warhead back into the Earth’s atmosphere, “which will probably be the reason for the ICBM launch that the North is planning,” the German paper explained.