I have been a supporter of the United Nations since its inception, given that I believe, despite all its shortcomings, it remains a somewhat neutral ground for the countries of the world to attempt to maintain world peace through diplomacy.

It has experienced plenty of failures, has certainly disappointed us here in Israel on many occasions, yet, the initial establishment of the state was codified by a  1947 UN resolution and, at the time, we were very grateful for that vote.  Frankly, it may have been the last time the UN voted in our favor on anything, although I have no quantitative proof of that.

Nevertheless, last week the UN debased itself at a level unseen in its history.  At a meeting of the 54-nation Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Geneva, the Council nominated the Islamic Republic of Iran to the UN’s Committee for Program and Coordination, which will meet next month to shape policy on women’s rights, human rights, disarmament, and terrorism prevention.  According to custom, ECOSOC’s nomination is effectively decisive, as the UN General Assembly customarily rubber-stamps such nominations by acclamation.

Sadly, Canada, France, Spain, Norway, the Netherlands, Australia, the UK, and other democracies voted to approve the election of a country known for its serial abuse of human rights, to a key UN body that oversees human rights.  Talk about a world turned upside down.

Other well-known abusers of human rights elected to the committee were China, Cuba, Nicaragua, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan as well.  All of these countries will now be involved in overseeing the work, accreditation and UN access of thousands of human rights and civil society groups that enjoy consultative status at the world body.

The United States was the only ECOSOC member to object, saying that Iran, Cuba and Nicaragua were “unfit” to be members of the group, although leaving out Saudia Arabia and Nicaragua, which are now “bosom buddies” of the US diplomatic corps.

Of course, Iran is in a class all by itself.  The fact that the country is the world’s largest exporter of state-sponsored terrorism in and of itself should disqualify it from membership in this body.  Add to that their abysmal internal record on human rights, which further disqualifies them from serving on any UN body dedicated to defending human rights.

Remember, as of early 2026, Iran experienced a severe human rights crisis marked by a massive surge in executions—over 2,000 in 2025 alone—and the brutal suppression of dissent. Authorities systematically use torture, arbitrary detention, and unfair trials to silence activists, journalists, and protesters. Women face intensified crackdowns for defying mandatory veiling, while minorities suffer systemic discrimination.

Key areas of concern are:

Iran has continued an execution spree, with 2025 seeing the highest numbers in decades, frequently utilizing hanging for drug-related offenses and targeting ethnic minorities.

Security forces have used lethal force against demonstrators, resulting in thousands of deaths and injuries. Thousands have been detained, with reports of torture, sexual violence, and forced confessions.

Despite sporadic resistance, women and girls face increased surveillance, fines, and harassment for violating compulsory hijab laws.

The state continues to suppress online and offline dissent, utilizing internet shutdowns and surveillance to restrict information.

The judiciary lacks independence and frequently uses revolutionary courts to issue harsh sentences without fair trials.

And the list goes on and on.   Estimates are that from 5,000-30,000 Iranian citizens were murdered on the streets of Iran during the popular demonstrations against the government that occurred in early 2026.   Yet no international tribunals have been empaneled to hold the political leadership to account, there have been no encampments against the regime on college campuses in the west, and no international boycott campaigns have been generated.   It seems that only Israel is subjected to such criticism when it chooses to defend itself after an attack on its citizens.

Bottom line?  Dictatorships represented on the committee will now have a majority so as to be able to deny United Nations accreditation to independent organizations that call out their human rights violations, and to accredit more fake front groups created by those regimes.

It should be noted that ahead of the election, 70 civil society and human rights groups warned that countries with poor human rights records were at risk of being elected. The group called International Service for Human Rights gave a failing grade to China, Cuba, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Nicaragua and some others. Yet their warning was ignored.

The UN demeans itself by prostituting its principles to accommodate member states that are blatantly in violation of both the UN Charter itself and the world’s rule-based order, which is necessary to protect the rights and lives of the inhabitants of planet earth.  Frankly, if the UN cannot police itself it has failed to meet its own objectives.

On October 4, 1950, then US President Harry Truman addressed the UN General Assembly on the 5th anniversary of the UN Charter coming into force and spoke about the importance of universal morality.

He said: “The United Nations represents the idea of a universal morality, superior to the interests of individual nations. Its foundation does not rest upon power or privilege; it rests upon faith. They rest upon the faith of men in human values–upon the belief that men in every land hold the same high ideals and strive toward the same goals for peace and justice.”

The recent decision in Geneva goes against these very principles and is yet another blot on the already sullied reputation of an organization that, while founded on lofty ideals, clearly seems to have lost its way.  Let us hope it can eventually find its way back to its original principles.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)