In what critics framed as Orwellian ‘up-is-down, down-is-up’ remarks from the State Department on Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo officially announced that the U.S. is withdrawing from its participation in the U.N. Human Rights Council, claiming the body responsible for upholding international standards for human rights was no longer “worthy of its name.”

“The Trump administration seems to have determined that it has more to gain by dismantling human rights protections for some than raising the bar for everyone.” —Abby Maxman, Oxfam AmericaHaley—who has steadfastly refused to acknowledge the human rights violations of close U.S. ally Israel, including multiple charges regarding that country’s alleged war crimes carried out against Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank and Gaza—said the withdrawal from the council was necessary “because our commitment does not allow us to remain a part of a hypocritical and self-serving organization that makes a mockery of human rights.”

Palestinian rights activists, in particular, expressed contempt for the announcement and its implications:

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Not a surprise, as the move had been telegraphed for weeks, the official announcement was still met with scorn by actual human rights defenders who broadly condemned the move.

“I am outraged, but frankly not surprised,” said Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif), in a statement after the announcement was made.