The Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/u-n-high-commissioner-for-human-rights/ News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World Sun, 20 Sep 2026 13:02:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://static-cdn.toi-media.com/www/uploads/2018/11/toi_icon_512-200x200.png UN High Commissioner for Human Rights | The Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/u-n-high-commissioner-for-human-rights/ 32 32 UN rights chief urges access to all of Gaza to recover bodies buried under rubble https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-rights-chief-urges-access-to-all-of-gaza-to-recover-bodies-buried-under-rubble/ Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:26:26 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3897510 Volker Turk says IDF bulldozing areas 'with no respect' for dead underneath, says civil defense recovered 630 bodies in Hamas-controlled part of split enclave since November

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]]> UN human rights chief Turk wins unprecedented 2nd term despite opposition from US, Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-human-rights-chief-wins-unprecedented-2nd-term-despite-opposition-from-us-israel/ Sat, 25 Jul 2026 00:17:13 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?post_type=liveblog_entry&p=3867672 Foreign Ministry denounces move as a 'moral failure'; Washington warns of 'consequences' for what its envoy calls 'procedural overreach, backroom deals and misuse of UN posts'

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]]> Israel, Russia oppose electing UN human rights chief Volker Turk to a new term https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-russia-oppose-electing-un-human-rights-chief-volker-turk-to-a-new-term/ Fri, 24 Jul 2026 02:11:49 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?post_type=liveblog_entry&p=3867190 Diplomats say Jerusalem has expressed opposition to renewing four-year term ahead of Friday vote, but there are no other known candidates for the position

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]]> Hamas members executed and maimed dozens of Palestinians in Gaza, UN report says https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-members-executed-and-maimed-dozens-of-palestinians-in-gaza-un-report-says/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 20:39:48 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3839847 Human rights office finds extrajudicial punishments carried out during war include 'executions, kneecapping, bone-breaking with metal pipes or cement bricks and beatings'; says acts 'amount to war crime'

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]]> UN raises concerns of ‘ethnic cleansing’ in mass displacement of West Bank Palestinians https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-raises-concerns-of-ethnic-cleansing-in-mass-displacement-of-west-bank-palestinians/ Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:12:14 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3780172 Office of human rights says 36,000 Palestinians displaced in October 2024-October 2025, charges Israel played 'central role'; Israel says office is 'epicenter of vile anti-Israel activism'

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]]> On eve of International Holocaust Day, UN rights chief urges world to reject hatred https://www.timesofisrael.com/on-eve-of-international-holocaust-day-un-rights-chief-urges-world-to-reject-hatred/ Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:14:15 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3742135 Slaughter began with apathy, not gas chambers, says Volker Türk; warns of 'disturbing trend' of antisemitism and 'dehumanization creeping into our daily lives'

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]]> 1 in 10 Gazan children tested in UNRWA clinics malnourished, agency says https://www.timesofisrael.com/1-in-10-gazan-children-tested-in-unrwa-clinics-malnourished-agency-says/ Tue, 15 Jul 2025 13:39:24 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3598600 Refugee agency says rates of condition rising, acute malnutrition rarely seen in Strip before war; UN says 875 slain at aid points in past 6 weeks, most of them at GHF sites

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]]> UN human rights chief: Hamas ‘parading’ of hostages’ bodies is ‘abhorrent and cruel’ https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-human-rights-chief-hamas-parading-of-hostages-bodies-is-abhorrent-and-cruel/ Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:22:01 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3487233 Volker Turk says terror group's treatment of remains 'flies in the face of international law'; Germany laments families being 'exposed to Hamas's limitless terror' during handover

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]]> UN rights chief claims detonation of Hezbollah comms devices could be a war crime https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-rights-chief-claims-detonation-of-hezbollah-comms-devices-could-be-a-war-crime/ Sat, 21 Sep 2024 02:41:17 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3380108 At Security Council session requested by Lebanon, Volker Turk says he's 'appalled by the breadth and impact of the attacks' while Lebanese FM calls Israel a 'rogue state'

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]]> UN Security Council to discuss Gaza hostages after 6 captives ‘summarily executed’ https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-security-council-to-discuss-gaza-hostages-after-6-captives-summarily-executed/ Tue, 03 Sep 2024 19:04:41 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3368019 Israeli envoy Danny Danon requests debate, laments it took 'barbaric, cold-blooded murder' of 6 hostages to prompt meeting; UN human rights chief calls for probe

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]]> UN rights office: Israeli Gaza strikes may have ‘systematically violated’ laws of war https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-rights-office-israeli-gaza-strikes-may-have-systematically-violated-laws-of-war/ Wed, 19 Jun 2024 11:55:41 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3314746 Report does not mention Hamas's October 7 attack, cites six incidents with high casualty counts that it calls 'emblematic' of a pattern of behavior on Israel's part

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]]> UN rights chief says settlement expansion a war crime, prevents Palestinian state https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-rights-chief-says-settlement-expansion-a-war-crime-prevents-palestinian-state/ Fri, 08 Mar 2024 13:26:49 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3240959 Volker Turk slams 'shocking new levels' of settler violence since October 7, notes alignment of current hardline government's policies with settler movement

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]]> First Lady Herzog decries ‘unforgivable’ silence of rights groups over Hamas rapes https://www.timesofisrael.com/first-lady-herzog-decries-unforgivable-silence-of-rights-groups-over-hamas-rapes/ Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:36:28 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3160282 Writing in Newsweek, president's wife says unwillingness of international organizations to believe Israeli women and speak up about sexual assaults by terrorists is 'devastating'

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]]> UN human rights chief: Israel’s total siege of Gaza ‘prohibited’ by international law https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-human-rights-chief-israels-total-siege-of-gaza-prohibited-by-international-law/ Tue, 10 Oct 2023 13:38:28 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3118534 High Commissioner Volker Turk says people's dignity and lives must be respected, stresses Israeli obligation 'to spare the civilian population and civilian objects' during attacks

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]]> UN rights chief implicitly attacks Musk’s ‘trolling campaign’ against ADL https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-rights-chief-implicitly-attacks-musks-trolling-campaign-against-adl/ Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:46:49 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3095700 Volker Turk also urges more action against online hate speech; billionaire says anti-defamation group makes baseless accusations of antisemitism

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