A recent report from the United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI) has sparked controversy, with critics accusing it of bias against Israel and interference in US domestic affairs. Israel's UN Ambassador, Gilad Erdan, strongly condemned the report, labeling it a "sham" and highlighting its failure to address Palestinian antisemitism. He questioned the committee's impartiality, given its composition and its omission of Palestinian incitement of hatred.

The COI report specifically targets US states that have enacted legislation combating the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. The report frames these laws, which exist in numerous states including populous ones like Florida, New York, and Texas, as an infringement on civil society, despite their aim to prevent discrimination against the Jewish state. Critics like Anne Bayefsky, president of Human Rights Voices, see this as an overreach by the UN into US internal matters. Bayefsky argues that the UN’s characterization of BDS as “legitimate protest” ignores the widely held view of BDS as antisemitic.

Furthermore, the COI report draws criticism for its defense of Al-Haq, a Palestinian NGO designated as a terrorist entity by Israel due to its alleged ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a group also classified as terrorist by the US and Europe. The COI’s report attributes most violations of human rights to Israeli authorities, asserting that the Israeli government aims to maintain its occupation at the expense of Palestinian rights.

The COI itself has faced accusations of antisemitism in the past, particularly concerning remarks made by member Miloon Kothari questioning Israel’s UN membership and referencing a “Jewish lobby.” While COI chair Navi Pillay denied these allegations, the US and Britain condemned Kothari’s statements as antisemitic. Bayefsky further criticized the COI, accusing them of dismissing the concerns of Jewish victims of antisemitism.

Established in 2021 after the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, the COI’s ongoing mandate has drawn criticism for its singular focus on Israel. A UN spokesperson stated that the Secretary-General had no involvement in the COI’s creation or work, while reiterating the UN’s call for a peaceful resolution between Israelis and Palestinians.