The United States has withdrawn from the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised a “courageous” decision.

Ambassador Nikki Haley slammed the organisation as “not worthy” of its name and said it made a “mockery” of human rights.

The UN envoy noted that the human rights body had been given opportunities to make changes and had warned previously it would leave if essential reforms were not achieved.

Haley, who has also criticised the council for its “chronic bias” against Israel, in a statement said that the Council had been a protector of Human Rights abusers for too long and a “cesspool” of political bias.

“Our call for reform was not heeded,” she explained.

“Human rights abusers continue to serve on and be elected to the Council.

“The world’s most inhumane regimes continue to escape scrutiny, and the Council continues politicising and scapegoating countries with positive human rights records in an attempt to distract from abusers in their ranks.”

She added: “This step is not a retreat from human rights commitments, on the contrary, we take this step because our commitment does not allow us to remain a part of a hypocritical and self-serving organartion that makes a mockerty of hman rights.”

New York-based Human Rights Watch slammed the decision but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported the US for a “courageous” decision.

“Israel thanks President Trump, Secretary Pompeo and Ambassador Haley for their courageous decision against the hypocrisy and the lies of the so-called UN Human Rights Council,” Netanyahu tweeted.

Foreign Minister Boris Johnson said the decision was “regrettable” but the UK would not pull out.

He tweeted: “US decision to withdraw from the Human Rights Council is regrettable.

“Reform necessary, but UK is here to stay. UN Human Rights crucial to holding states to account.”

The announcement came after Jewish organisations praised Johnson’s criticism of the Council over its ‘biased’ attitude towards Israel earlier in the week.

Addressing the opening of the 38th council session, he honed in on the Council’s controversial Agenda Item 7, a permanent fixture devoted to discussing alleged human rights abuses in the Palestinian territories.

Johnson said the UK viewed Item 7 as “disproportionate” and “damaging to the causes of peace,” and threatened to vote against motions under the clause next year unless the Council changes its behaviour.

Johnson said: “That does not mean that we in the UK are blind to the value of this council, including the work it could do on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict under the right agenda item.”

The US and Israel have called for the removal of Item 7.

There had been speculation the US would appeal to the UN General Assembly and vote to eliminate it. The US consistently votes against Agenda Item 7 resolutions, while EU countries abstains.

Sheila Gewolb, Board of Deputies senior vice president noted, “We welcome the Foreign Secretary’s bold, clear and important intervention at the UN Human Rights Council.

“Alongside his strong speech on the importance of girls’ education, his commitment that the UK will vote against all resolutions in 2019 tabled under the infamous Item 7, which singles out Israel as the only country in the world to have its own agenda item, is an important victory for human rights.

“Human rights are universal and should be applied universally and not in such a nakedly biased way. “The UNHRC is undermined by politicisation and the singling out of Israel in its standing agenda and the UK has shown the way to giving this potentially crucial body much greater weight and standing.”

The Jewish Leadership Council added in a tweeted: “The Human Rights Council consistently ignores the worst human rights abuses in the world proving it is not an honest broker.”

“Reform necessary, but UK is here to stay. UN Human Rights crucial to holding states to account.”

The announcement came after Jewish organisations praised Johnson’s criticism of the Council over its ‘biased’ attitude towards Israel earlier in the week.

Addressing the opening of the 38th council session, he honed in on the Council’s controversial Agenda Item 7, a permanent fixture devoted to discussing alleged human rights abuses in the Palestinian territories.

Johnson said the UK viewed Item 7 as “disproportionate” and “damaging to the causes of peace,” and threatened to vote against motions under the clause next year unless the Council changes its behaviour.

Johnson said: “That does not mean that we in the UK are blind to the value of this council, including the work it could do on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict under the right agenda item.”

The US and Israel have called for the removal of Item 7.

There had been speculation the US would appeal to the UN General Assembly and vote to eliminate it. The US consistently votes against Agenda Item 7 resolutions, while EU countries abstains.

Sheila Gewolb, Board of Deputies senior vice president noted, “We welcome the Foreign Secretary’s bold, clear and important intervention at the UN Human Rights Council.

“Alongside his strong speech on the importance of girls’ education, his commitment that the UK will vote against all resolutions in 2019 tabled under the infamous Item 7, which singles out Israel as the only country in the world to have its own agenda item, is an important victory for human rights.

“Human rights are universal and should be applied universally and not in such a nakedly biased way. “The UNHRC is undermined by politicisation and the singling out of Israel in its standing agenda and the UK has shown the way to giving this potentially crucial body much greater weight and standing.”

The Jewish Leadership Council added in a tweeted: “The Human Rights Council consistently ignores the worst human rights abuses in the world proving it is not an honest broker.”