Following the U.S. election to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Secretary of State John Kerry criticized the body for its “biased focus on Israel.”
The United States was one of 14 members elected to the council by the U.N. General Assembly on Oct. 29 in New York.
“While important challenges remain, including ending the council’s excessive and biased focus on Israel, we look forward to cooperating with other council members to address human rights concerns, advance human rights around the world, and ensure the council fully realizes its purpose,” Kerry said following the U.S. election to the council after a one-year hiatus.
Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, Hungary, Iraq, Japan, Rwanda, Tunisia, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, China, South Africa and Great Britain also will serve on the council in 2017.
Meanwhile, the United Nations will begin offering kosher food in its cafeterias.
The Oct. 31 decision follows less than a month after Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Danny Danon, wrote to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling for the change, pointing out that many U.N. employees and diplomats from around the world observe kashrut, Ynet reported.
U.N. cafeterias already offer halal, vegetarian and vegan selections.
This year for the first time, no official meetings took place on Yom Kippur at the U.N.’s New York headquarters, and Jewish employees were able to miss work without using vacation hours. — jta