In another milestone in Israel’s slow road toward a normal role in the United Nations, Israel has for the first time been accepted as a member of one of the world body’s committees.
The United Nations Committee on Information decided on Tuesday, without a formal vote, to accept Israel’s application for membership.
That approval requires confirmation from the General Assembly, which is expected when that body reconvenes in the fall. Opposition was voiced by some Arab countries on the committee.
The information committee oversees the world body’s publicity offices and 18 information centers worldwide. On this committee, unlike most other U.N. panels, there is no limit to the number of members, and seats are not assigned on a regional basis.
Those requirements have excluded Israel from joining committees, among them the Security Council, because the Arab states have prevented it from joining the Asian regional caucus. Israel’s efforts to be accepted into the Western European and Others group have not yet been successful, despite prodding from the United States.
France and England remain opposed to Israel joining their regional group, according to an official with the Israeli Mission to the United Nations, not because of the Arab position but because “it’s like a fraternity club, and they don’t want to have new members in the club.”
The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations praised Israel’s nomination to the information committee as a “breakthrough signifying increasing acceptance of Israel around the world.”
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