Washington, D.C.- US Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fl) is leading a 15 member congressional coalition seeking to halt US funding for the UN’s Human Rights Council (HRC).
The move responds to the HRC’s failure to condemn Hamas’ brutal attacks on Israeli civilians this past October 7th.
On October 27, the HRC released a report claiming Israel did not have a right to “self-defense”.
Representative Luna’s H.R. 6118 would “prohibit funding for the United Nations Human Rights Council until it condemns Hamas.”
The HRC is a charter-based UN organ tasked with monitoring human rights globally. Being composed of states, the HRC has faced staunch criticism for politicizing human rights and being incapable of objectively investigating human rights abuses.
In 2020, Cuba’s accession to the HRC led to the United Nations receiving heavy criticism from American lawmakers. Primarily, most of the criticism was launched by lawmakers in South Florida, who actively slammed the Cuban dictatorship for its numerous human rights violations.
On its October 27th report, the HRC stated that Israel’s right to self-defense “is not applicable in this case” given that self-defense is only justified “in the case of an armed attack by another State.” Meanwhile, the HRC has directly criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza while failing to condemn Hamas’ barbaric acts against the Israeli population.
Luna defended Israel, stating "Hamas and Iran want genocide. Israel must defend itself but also liberate those that are oppressed."
For those here in the States protesting for Palestine and/or convoluting the argument ref Hamas… do you not understand that Palestinians are being held hostage by Hamas? There cannot be a ceasefire, as Hamas would never allow it. Hamas and Iran want genocide. Israel must defend…
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) October 31, 2023
The ambivalence from the HRC has spurred congressional leaders to action and Luna’s calls to gut HRC funding are one example of reactions that are expected to continue.
Democrat US Representative Jared Moskowitz (Fl) cosponsored Luna’s bill.
Representative Moskowitz has been amongst the most outspoken Democrat supporters of Israel.
