At its annual International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the United Nations has once again given its imprimatur to an anti-Israel agenda. A world body fixture since 1977, it is the only U.N. celebration of solidarity with one specific people. Traditionally, the day culminates in a General Assembly session in which a slew of anti-Israel resolutions are passed, including those funding bureaucratic organs of the U.N. expressly dedicated to promoting Palestinian political positions and narratives.
The screening at the United Nations of the film “The Land Speaks Arabic” promulgates a revisionist history which claims that the establishment of the State of Israel occurred only through a calculated “ethnic cleansing” of Palestine by Zionists. Separately, the Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur on Palestinian rights, Richard Falk, said that the U.N. solidarity day highlights “Israeli authorities’ invidious schemes to permanently empty Palestine of Palestinians.” This gross abuse of the historical record shows a blatant disregard for truth.
Also particularly disappointing was the statement U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon released which recalled the General Assembly resolution passed in 1947 that mandated a two-state solution. He then failed to reflect its endorsement of Israel as a Jewish state. Ban’s statement also only directed specific demands and criticisms at Israel, while offering praise to the Palestinian Authority.
“The secretary-general’s statement omits any mention of continual, mainstream Palestinian incitement to violence against Israel,” said B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs. “Moreover, with U.N. indifference and complicity, the Palestinians continue to reject Israel’s identity and legitimacy as a Jewish state.”
U.N. leaders must be held accountable for allowing the misinformation and outright lies about Israel that are featured each year at events across the U.N. system.
“Unfortunately, these officially sanctioned anti-Israel events do nothing to advance a peaceful transition in the Middle East,” said B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin. “The fact that the United Nations continues to spearhead this biased event and others each year demonstrates how far the gap has widened between reality and the world body’s stated goals and principles.”
B’nai B’rith has had a continual presence at the United Nations since the U.N.’s establishment, and continues to work to ensure the protection of human rights and the promotion of tolerance and peace worldwide.
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