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Craig Mokhiber is a former United Nations (UN) human rights official who resigned from his post in October 2023, accusing the UN of failing to prevent the genocide of Palestinian civilians in Gaza by Israel. He is also a lawyer and a specialist in international human rights law, policy, and methodology.

He has served the UN since 1992 in various capacities, including as the director of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the chief of the Human Rights Section of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

Early Life and Education

Mokhiber was born in 1960 in Geneva, Switzerland, where his father was working as a diplomat for the US State Department. He grew up in different countries, including Lebanon, Egypt, India, and South Africa. He attended the American University in Cairo, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in political science and history in 1982.

He then moved to the US and earned a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1986. He also studied at the University of East London, where he received a master’s degree in human rights law in 1998.

Family Background

Craig Mokhiber was born in 1960 in Geneva, Switzerland, where his father was working as a diplomat for the US State Department. He grew up in different countries, including Lebanon, Egypt, India, and South Africa. He attended the American University in Cairo, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in political science and history in 1982.

Mokhiber’s nationality is American and his ethnicity is Jewish. He has always been against racism, especially that which has led to genocides in mass numbers. It is not clear whether Craig has any siblings or not, as he has not disclosed any information about them.

Career and Achievements

Craig Mokhiber began his career as a human rights lawyer in Washington DC, where he worked for several non-governmental organizations, such as Amnesty International USA and Human Rights First. He joined the UN in 1992 as a legal officer for the Centre for Human Rights in Geneva. He later served as the deputy director of the Research and Right to Development Branch of OHCHR from 2004 to 2007.

In 2007, he was appointed as the chief of the Human Rights Section of UNAMA, where he led a team of human rights officers who monitored and reported on the human rights situation in Afghanistan. He also advocated for the protection and promotion of human rights with the Afghan government, civil society, and international partners.

In 2012, he became the director of the New York Office of OHCHR, where he represented the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the UN headquarters and liaised with various UN bodies, member states, civil society, and media on human rights issues. He also oversaw the work of OHCHR’s New York-based staff and coordinated with OHCHR’s field offices around the world.

Resignation Letter and Controversy

On October 28, 2023, Craig Mokhiber sent a resignation letter to Volker Turk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, expressing his frustration and anger over the UN’s response to the Israel-Hamas war that erupted in May 2023. He accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza, who were subjected to relentless airstrikes and shelling that killed thousands of civilians, including children. He also blamed the US, UK, and much of Europe for being “wholly complicit” in the “horrific assault” by providing military and diplomatic support to Israel.

He wrote: “Once again we are seeing a genocide unfolding before our eyes and the organization we serve appears powerless to stop it.” He added: “This is a textbook case of genocide” and said that “the current wholesale slaughter of the Palestinian people, rooted in an ethno-nationalist colonial-settler ideology, in continuation of decades of their systematic persecution and purging, based entirely upon their status as Arabs … leaves no room for doubt or debate.”

He lamented that the UN had failed to prevent previous genocides against other groups, such as the Tutsis in Rwanda, Muslims in Bosnia, Yazidis in Yemen, and Rohingya in Myanmar. He said: “High Commissioner we are failing again.” He concluded his letter by saying: “This will be my last communication to you” and announcing his retirement from his post.

His letter was leaked to the media and sparked a lot of controversy and criticism. Some praised him for his courage and integrity, while others condemned him for his bias and exaggeration. The Israeli government denounced his letter as “outrageous” and “baseless” and called for his dismissal. The US State Department said that his letter was “deeply troubling” and “inconsistent” with the UN’s position on the conflict. The UN spokesperson said that his letter reflected his personal views and not those of OHCHR or the UN. He also confirmed that Mokhiber had informed the UN of his upcoming retirement in March 2024.

What is genocide?

Genocide is defined by the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide as “any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”:

• Killing members of the group
• Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group
• Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part
• Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group
• Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group

The convention obliges states to prevent and punish genocide and establishes an international criminal court to try those accused of genocide.

How did Israel respond?

Israel rejected Mokhiber’s allegations as baseless and biased and accused him of ignoring Hamas’s role in instigating the conflict by launching rockets at Israeli civilians and using Gaza’s population as human shields. Israel also defended its right to self-defense and said it had taken all possible precautions to avoid civilian casualties.

Israel argued that it was not an occupying power in Gaza since it withdrew its troops and settlers from the territory in 2005 and that it was not responsible for the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which it blamed on Hamas’s misrule and corruption.

Israel also claimed that it was not discriminating against Palestinians in the West Bank or East Jerusalem, but rather applying its laws and security measures to protect its citizens from terrorism and violence.

Israel also denied that it had any intention to destroy or dominate the Palestinian people or their national aspirations.

Craig Mokhiber’s Married Life, Spouse & Children

Craig Mokhiber is married to Laila Mokhiber, who is a communications director for American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), a non-profit organization that advocates for Palestinian rights in the US. They have two daughters, Maria and Todd J Mokhiber. They live in Volkertshausen, Germany.

Social Media Presence

Craig is active on social media, especially on Facebook and Instagram, where he posts about his personal and professional life, as well as his views on human rights and politics. He uses the handle @urban_bedouin on both platforms. He also has a hashtag #craigmokhiber, where his followers and supporters share their messages and photos with him.

Net Worth

Craig Mokhiber’s net worth is estimated to be around $1 million, according to some sources. He has earned his wealth from his long and distinguished career as a human rights lawyer and official. He has also received several awards and honors for his work, such as the Human Rights Defender Award from Human Rights Watch in 2008 and the Eleanor Roosevelt Award from the Center for Justice and Accountability in 2010.

Craig Mokhiber Wiki/BIO

Trivia

• He resigned from his post in October 2023, accusing the UN of failing to prevent the genocide of Palestinian civilians in Gaza by Israel.
• He is also a lawyer and a specialist in international human rights law, policy, and methodology.
• Mokhiber has served the UN since 1992 in various capacities, including as the director of the New York Office of OHCHR and the chief of the Human Rights Section of UNAMA.

• He is married to Laila Mokhiber, who is a communications director for AMP, and they have two daughters.
• He lives in Volkertshausen, Germany.

Craig Mokhiber is a former UN human rights official who resigned from his post in October 2023, accusing the UN of failing to prevent the genocide of Palestinian civilians in Gaza by Israel. He is also a lawyer and a specialist in international human rights law, policy, and methodology.

He has served the UN since 1992 in various capacities, including as the director of the New York Office of OHCHR and the chief of the Human Rights Section of UNAMA. He is married to Laila Mokhiber, who is a communications director for AMP, and they have two daughters. He lives in Volkertshausen, Germany. His net worth is estimated to be around $1 million.

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