UN Rights Council bypasses recommended candidate to appoint academic who defended Hamas as a "resistance movement"

The UN Human Rights Council appoints Zeina Jallad, an academic who has called Hamas a "political party," as a special rapporteur, bypassing recommended candidates.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 31, 2026, 1:13 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Times of Israel and UN documentation.

A Controversial Appointment in Geneva

In a move that has drawn immediate scrutiny from international observers, the UN Human Rights Council has officially appointed Zeina Jallad as the special rapporteur on "the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures." Jallad, a Palestinian academic, has a well-documented history of rhetoric that critics argue undermines the neutrality required for a UN independent expert. Her appointment is particularly notable because the UNHRC’s Office of the President chose to bypass the candidate originally recommended by the council’s own consultative group—an academic from Spain—to install Jallad in the role.

Redefining Hamas as a "Political Party"

Jallad has previously characterized Hamas as a "political party" and claimed the group has recognized Israel, a statement that stands in direct contradiction to Hamas’s founding charter and its long-standing dedication to the destruction of the Jewish state. Furthermore, Jallad has frequently referred to the group as a "resistance movement," arguing in various forums that "resisting oppression must be recognized not as a crime." This perspective has raised "alarm bells" regarding how she might use her new UN mandate to frame regional conflicts and sanctions.

History of Anti-Israel Rhetoric

Beyond her defense of Hamas, Jallad has been a vocal proponent of severe diplomatic measures against Israel. Her past statements include: