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

Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief, has been re-elected for a second four-year term despite opposition from the United States, Israel, Russia, North Korea, and six other nations. The vote on Friday saw 144 member states in favor, 10 against, and 13 abstentions. Turk, who has been a vocal critic of Israel's actions in Gaza and the wider region, expressed he was “deeply grateful” for the re-election, stating, “Human rights are the antidote to today’s turbulence and defeatism. I will give my all for the rights of everyone, everywhere.” Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized Turk's leadership, alleging he “erased the atrocities of October 7, misused funds, and betrayed UN neutrality.” The US also criticized the re-election process, calling the rushed vote “another example of the UN’s inherent corruption and incompetence.”