Israel ready to shake hands with the world – are they? Prime Minister Netanyahu (Left) and UN Sec-Gen Ban. Illustrative. By Joshua Spurlock
There is a block of nations in the international community—with noteworthy voting rights in the United Nations—that isn’t a fan of Israel. But that might be about to change, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu evoking visions of Israeli officials bringing the colors of the nation across the globe as relations improve. “We will paint the map of the world blue and white, and in the end even the UN will reflect this changing reality,” said Netanyahu this week in comments released by his office.
Summarizing a recent trip to the UN headquarters in New York, Netanyahu told the Israeli cabinet that there are winds of change regarding the attitude toward Israel at the UN, and it’s Africa that’s the key part of that evolution. “Just as I have said that Israel is returning to Africa, it is also important to say that Africa is returning to Israel,” said Netanyahu. “The automatic UN majority is based, first and foremost, on the African bloc. It is only a question of time before we break up this majority and move it from one side to the other; this is a very great change in the international status of Israel.”
The Israeli leader mentioned his meeting with African leaders during his trip to New York in an event highlighting Israeli technology in Africa, hearing from representatives in the continent noting Israeli assistance in health, water, and energy. “In every field, we want Israel,” Netanyahu quoted the Africans as saying.
It’s more than just friendly support, however. Netanyahu believes the relationships with nations around the world will have a practical effect at the UN.
“I spoke at the UN about its double standard and the automatic votes against Israel and I said that it is only a question of time until this theater of the absurd disappears,” said Netanyahu. “It is only a question of time because the strengthening relations between us and the countries of the world will also find expression in the way in which these countries vote at the UN.”
That “double standard” at the UN is in large part to the block of Arab nations and their allies, Israel regularly receives more widespread scrutiny and criticism from the UN than even some of the most villainous nations around the world. And yet, Netanyahu even expressed hope about the Arab nations.
“Something is happening now, an unprecedented flourishing of our international relations with the countries of the world,” said Netanyahu… We see countries in the region, first of all, that more and more understand that Israel is not their enemy, but their ally against the forces of radical Islam. Many other countries are rushing to deepen relations with us.”
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, September 29, 2016)