All 100 US senators sign letter seeking end to UN's 'unacceptable' anti-Israel bias

“We are deeply committed to international leadership and to advancing respect for human rights. But continued targeting of Israel by the UN Human Rights Council and other UN entities is unacceptable.”

The letter also called on the UN to abolish or reform a number of standing committees, which senators said “far too often serve no purpose other than to attack Israel and inspire the anti-Israel boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS) movement.”

Although UNESCO was praised for its work on Holocaust education, the letter criticised it for allowing member states to “deny the Jewish and Christian connections to Jerusalem”.

It also criticised UNRWA, which works with Palestinian refugees. In the past Israeli officials have accused the organisation of collusion with Hamas. More than one third of UNRWA’s budget comes from the United States.

The US has long been the prime defender of Israel at the UN. In February US President Donald Trump said he rejected the “unfair and one-sided” actions against Israel by the UN.

A month later US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said the days of “Israel-bashing” were over, declaring there to be a “new sheriff in town”.