The United Nations General Assembly votes overwhelmingly to extend the term of UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk for four more years, in spite of opposition from Israel, the United States and Russia.
Turk has been a harsh critic of Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
A large majority in the 193-member General Assembly earlier voted against a Russian counter-proposal to extend Turk’s term by just over two months to the end of 2026.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has worked closely with Turk in the past and steps down in December, proposed the second four-year term for Turk when his existing term expires in October.
It is rare for the human rights chief to serve two terms.
The Foreign Ministry had called Guterres’ re-proposal of Turk a “moral failure” on X and said the choice should be left to his successor.
Turk has condemned what he calls Israel’s “mass killing” in Gaza, although some, including his own staff, regret that he did not call the killings a genocide — an allegation Israel vehemently denies.
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From the Liveblog of
Friday, July 24, 2026
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