B'nai B'rith International has issued the following statement:

B'nai B'rith International (BBI) congratulates the United Nations and Israel's U.N. Deputy Permanent Representative, Ambassador Daniel Carmon, on the diplomat's election as chairman of the U.N. Commission on Population and Development on April 3.

Israel's continued proactive efforts in the United Nations are finally getting their due.  By striving to focus on pressing global issues beyond those related to the Arab-Israeli conflict, Israel has more than proved that she is a significant and contributing player on the world stage. This is a long-overdue recognition for Israel.

Despite strong opposition from Arab states, Carmon was approved with 28 votes from the European bloc.  This committee, as part of the U.N.'s Economic and Social Council, gives Israel's representative the chance to influence social issues.

BBI, an accredited non-governmental organization, has been active at the world body since its inception, and is the only major Jewish organization with an office dedicated to U.N. affairs and representation at U.N. institutions in New York, Geneva, Paris, Vienna, and Santiago.