H. Res. 557 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

September 25, 2007. 

Whereas Article II of Chapter I of the United Nations Charter states that ‘‘[t]he Organization is based on the principles of sovereign equality of all its members’’; 

Whereas the former United Nations Human Rights Commission was widely discredited for its incessant attacks 

against Israel and for granting membership to Cuba, 

Zimbabwe, China, Saudi Arabia, and other countries that 

were notorious human rights violators; 

Whereas the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to adopt a resolution establishing the United 

Nations Human Rights Council, stating that ‘‘members 

elected to the Council shall uphold the highest standards 

in the promotion and protection of human rights’’; 

Whereas the resolution also stated that ‘‘the Council shall be 

responsible for promoting universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for 

all, without distinction of any kind and in a fair and 

equal manner’’; 

Whereas China, Cuba, and Saudi Arabia are members of the 

United Nations Human Rights Council; 

Whereas in the past year that the United Nations Human 

Rights Council has been in existence, the Council has 
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held four special sessions to address pressing human 

rights situations; 

Whereas of the four special sessions, three sessions were held 

for purposes of condemning Israel for alleged human 

right abuses in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and in 

Lebanon, and the fourth session was a non-condemnatory 

expression of ‘‘concern’’ regarding the situation in 

Darfur, Sudan; 

Whereas the United Nations Human Rights Council has 

failed to condemn serial abusers of human rights 

throughout the world, including Iran, Syria, North 

Korea, Cuba, China, Zimbabwe, Venezuela, and others; 

Whereas, on June 19, 2007, a Department of State spokesperson specifically identified Burma, Cuba, North Korea, 

Zimbabwe, and Belarus as countries that merit consideration by the United Nations Human Rights Council due 

to their ‘‘serious human rights violations’’; 

Whereas during its fifth special session, the United Nations 

Human Rights Council voted to make Israel the only 

country permanently included on its agenda; and 

Whereas United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon 

stated he was ‘‘disappointed at the Council’s decision to 

single out only one specific regional item, given the range 

and scope of allegations of human rights violations 

throughout the world’’: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) strongly condemns the United Nations Human 

Rights Council for ignoring severe human rights abuses 

in other countries, while choosing to unfairly target the 

State of Israel; 
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(2) strongly urges the United Nations Human 

Rights Council to remove Israel from its permanent 

agenda; 

(3) strongly urges the United Nations Human 

Rights Council to hold special sessions to address other 

countries in which human rights abuses are being committed, adopt real reform as was intended for the Council when it replaced the United Nations Commission on 

Human Rights, and reaffirm the principle of human dignity consistent with the original intent envisioned at the 

Council’s establishment; 

(4) strongly urges the United States to make every 

effort in the United Nations General Assembly to ensure 

that the United Nations Human Rights Council lives up 

to its mission to protect human rights around the world, 

in accordance with United Nations General Assembly 

Resolution 60/251 establishing the Council; and 

(5) strongly urges the United States to work with 

the United Nations General Assembly to ensure that 

only countries that have a well-established commitment 
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to protecting human rights are chosen to serve on the 

Council. 

Attest: 

Clerk.