World Jewish News

Israel elected as vice chair at the September session of the UN General Assembly on the Fourth Special Political and Decolonizat

Israel has overcome a coordinated effort by Arab states to thwart its election as vice chair of a United Nations committee dealing with issues such as Palestinian refugees and human rights, The Times of Israel reported.
Israel will serve as vice chair at the 69th session of the UN General Assembly on the Fourth Special Political and Decolonization Committee, in September.
Mordechai Amihai, Israel’s former consul-general in Turkey, will represent the Western European and Others Group in this session. He was elected on Wednesday with 74 votes from UN member states.
Sixty-eight countries abstained from the vote, and 15 votes were declared invalid.
The minimum number of votes needed was 39. Britain, the US and Canada showed strong backing for Israel.
Usually, however, these appointments are not voted on at all, but Syria called for the vote last week in an attempt to block Israel’s nomination.
Qatar released a statement saying that Israel should not serve on the committee because of “its track record was rife with murder and its occupation has lasted more than 66 years.”
Saudi Arabia compared it to apartheid-era South Africa presiding over a committee on racism. Lebanon, Libya and Egypt also strongly objected.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor, thanked countries that supported Israel’s bid and accused the Arab Group of hypocrisy, calling their challenge “an assault on the rules and norms of the United Nations.”
He said the UN “regained some self-respect” by electing Israel.
“I wonder which of these countries claim to be a moral beacon to the UN? The Arab group did not see anything wrong with Iran, a country which arms the army of [Syrian President Bashar] Assad and Hezbollah, joining the Committee on Disarmament and International Security,’’ Prosor said.

EJP