Ending ban, Israel to appear at U.N. Rights Council

Israel’s foreign ministry says the country will appear this week in Geneva at a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Sunday’s announcement effectively ends Israel’s shunning of the international body. Last March, Israel cut working relations with the council over its intention to launch an investigation into Jewish West Bank settlements.

At the time, Israel accused the council of an anti-Israel bias because of what it says is its disproportionate focus on Israeli policy toward the Palestinians.

Since its creation in 2006, the Geneva-based council has focused heavily on alleged abuses by Israel. After the United States joined in 2009, it began addressing other human rights problems as well.

Israel has had uneasy relations with the U.N. for decades.