Israeli Breakthrough at the United Nations!

After nearly sixty years of membership at the United Nations, the Israeli government passed its first-ever resolution at the General Assembly's Second Committee, which deals with development issues, on a topic unconnected to the Arab-Israeli conflict or the Holocaust – and without a single opposing vote, at that. The tally: 118 states favoring the resolution, 0 opposing, 29 abstaining. With the exception of South Africa, those abstentions were from Arab- and Muslim-majority countries. Afghanistan and Pakistan voted in favor, however.

As for the resolution itself, titled "Agricultural technology for development" and known in UNese as A/C.2/62/L.23/Rev.2, it's not exactly controversial. As the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs summarizes the document, it

calls on developed countries to make their knowledge and know-how in the field of agricultural technology more accessible to the developing world, which will help in the global efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) set forth by the international community, in particular the eradication of poverty and elimination of hunger

	Dan Gillerman, Israel's UN ambassador.

Following the passage, Israel's UN ambassador, Dan Gillerman, called "This first, historic Israeli-initiated resolution adopted by the UN … a signal of Israel's exceptional contribution to the world." He also gave a press conference where he called the passing of the resolution by the Second Committee a "very historic day for Israel."

Comment: As Yedi`ot Aharonot asks, "Where did the automatic anti-Israel majority go?" However innocuous, why did the automatic Arab and Muslim and leftist majority not foil this Israeli initiative? (December 9, 2007)

Dec. 12, 2007 update: Riyad Mansour, PLO representative to the United Nations, finally attacked the adoption of the Israeli resolution. According to Ha'aretz,

Mansour said Israel was "trying to score political points" and had rejected a move by others in the committee to have the motion presented by the chair as a consensus resolution. He said the Israeli action only emphasized "the divisions between Israel and the Arab countries," in contrast to the spirit of the recent peace conference at Annapolis.

Comment: What in the world is Mansour talking about?

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