There is an old expression in journalism that “when a man bites a dog that is news.” When it comes to reporting on the United Nations’ treatment of Israel, the UN had one of its rare “man bites a dog” moments on June 7th when Israel was elected for first time to serve as a member of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). More than two-thirds of the 193 UN member states showed their support for Israel, which will now have the ability to vote, offer proposals for discussion, start initiatives and more on one of the UN’s main bodies. Israel’s 3-year term commences in 2022. Iran’s 3-year term fortuitously expires at the end of 2021.
Israel will have to continue fighting an almost impossible uphill battle to gain the full stature at the United Nations it deserves against the 24x7 propaganda machine that the Palestinians and their allies operate
The election of Israel to join the membership of ECOSOC was a rare bright spot against a dark background dominated by the largely successful effort of the Palestinians and their allies to weaponize the UN for the purpose of delegitimizing the Jewish state. There were a couple of other glimmers of hope over the last year, including the election of an Israeli diplomat to serve as deputy chair of the Judiciary Committee (one of six permanent UN Committees) and 144 UN member states (out of 193) voting to adopt an Israeli resolution encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation. But Israel’s election to the 54-member Economic and Social Council is Israel’s most positive diplomatic achievement of the year so far at the normally hostile United Nations.
What makes Israel’s election to ECOSOC even more remarkable is that it followed the recent war between Israel and the Palestinian terrorists in Gaza, for which Israel was denounced as the aggressor by all too many in the UN Security Council, General Assembly, and Human Rights Council. The anti-Israel Human Rights Council voted last month to create a permanent “Commission of Inquiry” to investigate Israel’s alleged human rights violations against the Palestinians. The resolution passed by the Human Rights Council on May 27th ignored the more than 4000 rockets that Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad launched from Gaza at Israeli civilian population centers.
ECOSOC deals with economic, development, environmental and humanitarian issues. ECOSOC is also responsible for approving the action plans of its subordinate permanent committees such as the Committee on the Status of Women, the Statistics Committee, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, the Committee on Drugs, the Population and Development Committee, the Forestry Forum and more. Countries are nominated as part of regional blocs, with Israel's candidacy coming on behalf of the Group of Western European and Other Countries.
“Choosing Israel to serve on ECOSOC is a recognition of our innovation and creativity, which serves to benefit all nations of the world, as well as evidence of our diplomatic efforts throughout the international community,” said Gilad Erdan, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations and the United States, following the vote. “I will continue to lead the State of Israel to further achievements and to expand cooperation efforts at the UN, despite efforts by the Palestinians and their supporters.”
Ambassador Erdan should not get his hopes up too high. Unfortunately, Israel will have to continue fighting an almost impossible uphill battle to gain the full stature at the United Nations it deserves against the 24x7 propaganda machine that the Palestinians and their allies operate.
