The United Nations building in New York. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Ukraine has pulled out of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, drawing praise from the Israeli government, Jewish organizations and watchdog groups.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry tweeted in response to the move, “We congratulate Ukraine for ceasing its membership in the #UN’s anachronistic anti-Israeli CEIRPP.”

“We urge other committee members to follow suit. What are you still doing there???” the ministry asked.

Israel’s UN envoy, Danny Danon, also commended Ukraine, calling the committee “unnecessary and terribly biased.”

“None of our friends or allies should give any legitimacy to this anachronistic anti-Israeli committee,” he added.

Joel Lion, Israel’s ambassador to Ukraine, tweeted, “I hope that soon other countries will follow Ukraine’s example and quit this anachronistic anti-Israel Commission.”

American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO David Harris stated, “Ukraine has recognized the true nature of this UN body and acted laudably by withdrawing its membership. The CEIRPP uses precious UN resources to promote an agenda that does nothing to advance Israeli-Palestinian peace or improve the living conditions of Palestinians. Quite the contrary. Its very existence only serves to perpetuate the conflict and convince the Palestinians to avoid the negotiating table with Israel, the only venue to resolve the conflict.”

Hillel Neuer, head of the UN Watch NGO, noted that the CEIRPP was the only UN General Assembly committee dedicated to a “single cause,” and that it turned a “blind eye to Palestinian terrorism against Israeli civilians,” and “examines Israeli actions only,” making it “inherently prejudiced and one-sided.”

The president of NGO Monitor, Gerald Steinberg, echoed these claims, calling the committee a “hate group” that “should have gone years ago.”

The CEIRPP was established in 1975 by the UN General Assembly to serve Palestinian nationalist ambitions. It compiles reports on the Palestinian situation, advocates for Palestinian causes, organizes pro-Palestinian events such as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, trains Palestinian Authority officials and engages in propaganda efforts, among other activities.