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February 9th, 2021 
Awake Goy 
WASHINGTON – Ned Price, the US Department of State’s spokesperson, addressed the administration’s decision to rejoin the UN Human Rights Council, and said that the orienting principle is that “the United States can be a constructive force and can help shape the course of world events when we’re present, when we’re at the table.”
Speaking at a press briefing, Price said that when the US plays a constructive role in the Council, “positive change is possible.” He noted that “one of those reforms that is necessary [is] the council’s disproportionate focus on Israel, and ensuring countries with strong human rights records serve on the council.”
“We firmly believe that states with the worst human rights record don’t belong on the Human Rights Council,” Price continued. “On both of these elements, it is our view that the best way for us to reform them is to engage with its members in a principled fashion, and that’s what we intend to do in the first instance as an observer.”
He also addressed the ICC ruling to launch an investigation Israel’s actions in Gaza and said that the US made it clear in 2015 when the Palestinians purported to join the Rome Statute, that it don’t believe the Palestinians qualify as a sovereign state, “and therefore, are not qualified to obtain membership as a state or to participate as a state in international organizations, entities, or conferences, including the ICC,” said Price. “We’ll continue to uphold President Biden’s strong commitment to Israel and its security, including opposing actions that seek to target Israel unfairly.”
Earlier on Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the US is reestablishing ties with the United Nations Human Rights Council three years after former United States president Donald Trump exited the contentious body over its anti-Israel bias.
“The United States will engage with the Council as an observer,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
The decision is part of a larger policy stance by US President Joe Biden to engage with international institutions, that is diametrically opposite Trump’s position of shunning such bodies.
When the Trump administration left the UNHRC, it had been one of the UNHRC’s 47-member states that held three years terms on the council, which gave it voting power. At the time, in 2018, it not only gave up its seat, but severed all ties and refused to publicly engage in meetings.
Blinken clarified that the US will now be active in the council, but in an observer capacity, and not as a member state. Technically speaking, the US can only regain that seat annual elections are held by the UN General Assembly, typically in the fall.
The US “will have the opportunity to speak in the Council, participate in negotiations, and partner with others to introduce resolutions,” Blinken said. Source
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