Contact B'nai B'rith

1120 20th Street NW, Suite 300N Washington, D.C. 20036

info@bnaibrith.org

202-857-6600

The United Nations once again allowed an anti-Israel agenda to dominate proceedings at its annual International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Nov. 29. B’nai B’rith International is deeply disappointed, but not surprised, that the world body has been commandeered by those who seek to do Israel harm.Speaker after speaker condemned Israel. Among the most disturbing were comments by Judith Le Blanc, a member of the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation’s national steering committee. Supposedly speaking on behalf of civil society organizations, Le Blanc implored the world body to “help break the deadlock of more than 60 years of Israeli Occupation.” Le Blanc’s reference to six decades of “occupation”—extending beyond the territorial disputes following the Six-Day War of 1967—betrayed a radical view that Israel is illegitimate within any borders. She also reiterated the myth that a “powerful, moneyed pro-Israel lobby” is a nefarious influence on U.S. foreign policy.

She received applause for her assertions, though they were usually free of facts and context.

“The fact that the United Nations continues, not just to permit, but to spearhead, this event year after year demonstrates how far the world body must still go to live up to its principles,” B’nai B’rith International President Dennis W. Glick said. “It is incumbent on U.N. leaders to counter the myths, half-truths, and outright lies about Israel that are present each year at this event.”

The presentation of the play “The Gaza Monologues,” aptly demonstrates the blatant disregard for reality in its depiction of the situation in the Gaza Strip. Watching this production, viewers would not learn about the eight years of rocket and mortar fire Israeli civilians endured from Gaza.

Nowhere during the events did participants learn that suicide attacks on Israelis were all but halted by the construction of a security fence in the West Bank.

The U.N. tacitly endorses anti-Israel biases by allowing these unsubstantiated views to be presented on the international stage.

The General Assembly overwhelmingly passed six biased resolutions, half of which fund anti-Israel bureaucratic offices and committees within the U.N. system. A vote on perhaps the most worrying resolution, a proposal by Libya for a “one-state” solution, was delayed.

“Condemning Israel is always the focus at this event,” B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin said. “The revisionist history on display is appalling.”

Present at the United Nations since it was established, B’nai B’rith continues to work toward the U.N. goals of protection of human rights and promotion of tolerance and peace.