Editorial

UNESCO:
A Debacle

W

hat goes around comes
around in the haunting,
terrorist-swayed world
of the Palestinians, who say they
want coexistence with Israel, but
only on their (unreasonable, imprac-
tical) terms.
The Palestinian Authority, which
governs the West Bank, vowed to
stop seeking membership to U.N.
agencies after Israel and ultimately
the U.S. said it would stop pay-
ing dues to UNESCO — the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization.
The Nov. 3 decision by the P.A.
came on the heels of Israel saying
it would boycott UNESCO following
the Paris-based agency's Oct. 31
vote to grant full membership to the
Palestinians. UNESCO long has held
anti-Israel policies, but it's becom-
ing somewhat Western-minded.
Also on Nov. 3, P.A. Foreign
Minister Riyad al-Maliki announced
the Palestinians would halt angling
for admission to other U.N. agen-
cies and instead zero in on becom-
ing a full member of the U.N.
General Assembly. That announce-
ment applied the political brakes
to Palestinian plans to pursue
membership in upwards of 16 U.N.
agencies. It didn't derail the high-
stakes Palestinian bid to delegiti-
mize Israel and achieve statehood
outside direct negotiations.
Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said Israel's $2 million
annual dues to UNESCO would now
go to cooperative regional initia-
tives with similar goals of UNESCO
— gender equality, literacy, clean
water, science, education. The sig-
nature UNESCO role of designating
world heritage sites would merit
applause but for its director balking
at including two of Judaism's holy
sites, the Tomb of the Patriarchs
and Rachel's Tomb.
Clearly, the Palestinians' lone-wolf
statehood strategy is a barrier to
rekindling peace talks. So is Israel's
ill-timed, stepped-up settlement
building in the West Bank, legiti-
mate as settlements are.
The United States no longer will
pay its UNESCO dues of $65 mil-
lion, 22 percent of the agency's
budget. The Palestinians' unrelent-
ing appetite for jugglery is now
jeopardizing UNESCO programs
that are actually useful. I I

Commentary

Diplomatic Marathon

Detroit Jews plunge into
headwaters of consuls general.

T

he American Jewish
Committee (AJC) is one of the
preeminent Jewish organiza-
tions in the world. Its signature activ-
ity is conducting international diplo-
macy as the "State Department" for
American Jewry.
Through
decades of efforts,
AJC has gained
unique access to
international diplo-
mats and govern-
ments around the
globe. Members of
the Detroit AJC
chapter are in the
process of meet-
ing in Detroit with
the consuls gener-
al, some honorary,
from Mexico, Japan, Romania, Italy, the
United Kingdom, Turkey, France and
Switzerland.
Last month, Detroit AJC members
traveled to Chicago where they met
with the consuls general from 27
countries. The Detroit AJC delega-

Dry Bones

THE GREATEST
ACHIEVEMENT OF
THE CAREFULLY
PLANNED AND
SECRETLY
ORWESTRATED

IS THAT IT
SUCCESSFULLY
HIDES THE
IDENTITY OF
WHOEVER

tion to Chicago
coordinated its
effort with AJC
delegations from
The Detroit AJC delegation to Chicago: Todd Mendel, Julian
Cleveland, St.
Greenebaum, Seth Gould, Sheri Schiff, Bryant Frank, Kari
Louis, Cincinnati
Alterman, Howard Brown and Jason Isaacson. Not pictured:
and Chicago. This
Michael Traison and Harvey Bronstein.
comprehensive
delegation from
so many Midwest cities, for which the
What We Accomplished
Chicago consulates are geographically
By engaging in these robust diplomatic
responsible, was the first of its kind. It
efforts, the Detroit AJC office accom-
made a significant positive impression
plished a few objectives. First, the abil-
upon the consulates and their respec-
ity of the American Jewish community,
tive governments.
and Detroit in particular, to organize a
diplomatic delegation is unique. Very
The Jewish Perspective
few organizations seek out the consuls
The delegations in Detroit and Chicago
general. The consulates and their for-
discussed with each of the consuls
eign governments saw firsthand that
general issues of importance to
American Jews are engaged interna-
American Jews. Topics included the
tionally, knowledgeable about internal
double standard to which Israel is
matters in each of their respective
subjected at the United Nations and
countries and serious players in the
its related forums, the Palestinians'
arena of international relations.
attempt to unilaterally declare a state,
The consuls general realize that
the stalled peace negotiations between developing and maintaining these rela-
Israel and the Palestinians, Iran's
tionships are good for their countries.
ongoing efforts to develop nuclear
Second, such relations building lets
weapons, the devel-
these foreign governments know that
oping instability
American Jews are looking out for the
in the Middle East
Jews in their respective foreign coun-
because of what
tries and are monitoring the conditions
had been hoped
under which they live. This provides a
was an Arab Spring,
unique layer of oversight that can be
economic, political
very important for Jews living in those
and diplomatic rela-
countries.
tions between the
Third, it let the foreign governments
United States and
know that Jews are a very active
the respective coun-
part of American diplomatic and civic
tries, and the global
life and that issues of importance to
economic crisis.
American Jews are generally of high
In addition, specif- importance to America overall.
ic issues of concern
Because the visits are followed up
to each of the coun-
with letters from AJC summarizing the
tries were discussed
important issues discussed, the con-
as well as the treat-
suls general are easily able to forward
ment and status of
them to their embassies and foreign
Jews living in these
ministries for consideration as well. I I
countries. Extensive
background infor-
Todd Mendel is international relations chair
mation specific to
and vice president of the Bloomfield Township-
each country was
based American Jewish Committee Detroit
provided to each
Chapter.
delegate so that the
delegation was fully
For more information about the
prepared and up to
diplomatic marathon or AJC, call
date going into the
(248) 646-7686 and see www.ajc.
meetings.
org .

"OCCUPY
WALL STREET"
MOVEMENT

November 17 • 2011

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