New York, NY, March 15, 2006 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today said the United Nations General Assembly vote to establish a Human Rights Council to replace the existing Human Rights Commission, also to be located in Geneva, is "not true reform." 
 
Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following:

We have long been concerned by the failure of the UN Human Rights Commission (UNCHR), with its inordinate focus on alleged Israeli violations while ignoring or downplaying the most serious human rights crises occurring in some member states. 
 
We had looked forward to a true reform of the UNCHR, one that would lead to a more efficient and effective human rights body that would respond to and monitor serious situations around the world. 
 
Unfortunately, the establishment of the new Human Rights Council retains many of the faults of the now-defunct UNCHR, including a potentially problematic membership structure that will not prevent rights violators from getting a seat, and the retention of the special rapporteurs.  We share the concern of the United States, Israel, and the others who voted against resolution that created the Council. 
 
Now that this new human rights body has been established, we hope that it will prove to be a more efficient, responsible and reliable international body, comprised of nations who care about human rights, and not those that perpetrate human rights violations.  We trust the international community will take seriously the very reason the reform process was needed and be newly energized in exposing and responding to the many flagrant human rights outrages in the world today in Sudan and elsewhere, without the disproportionate attention on Israel.  We will continue to watch the proceedings in Geneva carefully.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.