GENEVA (AP) — A team of three independent experts working for the U.N.’s top human rights body with a focus on Israel and Palestinian areas say they are resigning, citing personal reasons and a need for change.
The resignations, announced Monday by the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council that set up the team, come as violence continues in Palestinian areas and few signs of letup in the Israeli military campaign against Hamas and other militants behind the Oct. 7 attacks.
The Israeli government has repeatedly criticized the panel of experts, known as the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, and denied their repeated requests to travel to the region or otherwise cooperate with the team.
Navi Pillay, a former U.N. human rights chief who has led the commission for the last four years, said in a letter to the council president that she was resigning effective Nov. 3 because of “age, medical issues and the weight of several other commitments.”
Team member Chris Sidoti said Pillay’s retirement marked “an appropriate time to re-constitute the commission” and that he was resigning on that same date “to facilitate that re-constitution.”
The third member, Miloon Kothari, did not provide his reasons in a letter announcing his resignation effective 0ct. 31.
Neither the independent experts nor the council have any power over countries, but aim to spotlight rights abuses and collect information about suspected perpetrators that could be used by the International Criminal Court or other courts focusing on international justice.
The letters were sent to the council president last week but only became public Monday.
Last week, the U.S. government announced sanctions against another independent expert mandated by the council, Francesca Albanese, who has also focused on Israel and the Palestinians. Albanese has accused Israel of genocide against the Palestinians, a claim Israel has denied.
Albanese said in an interview last week with The Associated Press that she was shocked by the U.S. decision. She has not resigned.
