UN rights chief Turk wins second term despite US and Israeli opposition

The UN membership voted overwhelmingly on Friday to retain Volker Turk as the organization's human rights chief for an additional four-year term. The vote tally of 144 in favor, with 10 opposed and 13 abstentions, secured his reappointment despite significant opposition from the United States, Israel, Russia, North Korea, and six other nations.

Turk, an Austrian lawyer with extensive UN experience including prior roles at the UNHCR, has become a prominent voice criticizing Israel's military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. His statements regarding accountability for alleged human rights violations in Palestinian territories have drawn particular ire from Israeli officials. If he completes his second term, he will be the first UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to serve two consecutive four-year terms since the office was created in 1993.

Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a formal statement opposing Turk's reappointment, alleging that his office has minimized the events of October 7, mismanaged funds, and compromised UN neutrality. The US representative for UN Management and Reform characterized the human rights system as having lost credibility and suggested Turk's leadership had accelerated its decline. The US State Department called the vote rushed and described it as evidence of UN corruption and incompetence.

The European Union's UN delegation welcomed Turk's reappointment and expressed readiness to collaborate with his office on global human rights promotion and protection. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres faced criticism for the manner in which he managed the reappointment process, having notified regional groups of his intention to reappoint Turk and scheduled the vote within weeks.