Israel's Admission to UN Regional Group Heralds New Era

American Jewish Committee
Tuesday, 30 May 2000

Israel's temporary admission to a UN regional group marks "the start of a new era for Israel's status in the international arena," said David A. Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee.

"Formally inviting Israel to join the Western European and Others Group at the UN headquarters in New York is a historic development that begins to redress the decades-long anomaly whereby Israel has been the only UN member state not eligible to fully participate in the world body," said Mr. Harris, referring to last Friday's invitation from WEOG to Israel's UN ambassador.

"We now look forward to early action to expand Israel's membership to include other key UN sites in Geneva, Rome, Vienna and Nairobi," said Mr. Harris. "Eventually, of course, the objective is to achieve permanent and equal status for Israel in the regional system, consistent with the UN Charter's promise of equal treatment for all member states."

The American Jewish Committee has spearheaded a diplomatic and public opinion campaign over the past seven years to secure Israel's place in a regional group. Membership in one of the five regional groups is necessary for a member state to be eligible for a rotating seat on the world body's major deliberative organs, such as the Security Council or the Economic and Social Council.

"We are deeply grateful for the efforts of key American and European officials, in particular Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, whose persistent diplomacy led to this historic breakthrough," Mr. Harris said.

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