The “justification” used by Saar for the U.S. leaving UNESCO – that “an end must be put to Israel’s isolation in this agency and all UN agencies” – is the height of absurdity and, of course, ridiculous. Withdrawing from UNESCO, any international organization, or heaven forbid, the UN itself, is precisely what would lead to the total isolation of Israel, or any other country for that matter, leaving the entire arena to those who wish us harm.
Is the U.S. withdrawing from the UN? Of course not. Why? Because it will not so easily give up its significant seat among the P-5 in the Security Council- the countries with the right to veto fateful, world-encompassing political and security moves. Would it leave China, Russia, England, and France to run the world without American intervention? Certainly not, not even in the MAGA era. So, it might withdraw from UNESCO, but for a country that already has 26 World Heritage sites, perhaps it can afford to let go a little.
However, Saar should not withdraw from UNESCO or the International World Heritage Committee. Israel has nine registered sites, and many more that require international recognition of their historical importance. Preserving history is vital to us, along with the connection to the Bible and Zionism. We have much more to lose.
Every international organization under the UN umbrella is important to every member state, whether Israel or the U.S. Look at how we rejoiced at the report published by the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding Iran. We had known what Iran possessed for a long time; the issue was how to convince the world. And lo and behold- the UN published the report under its crucial seal of legitimacy, and suddenly we love the UN, adopt the report, quote it, and pride ourselves on the global recognition of our righteousness.
The UN does not begin and end with UNRWA or the Secretary-General, whom we so love to hate, nor with the annual General Assembly debate for which the Prime Minister prepares so meticulously weeks in advance. The UN is comprised of dozens of professional organizations and agencies that manage our daily lives without us even knowing.
Do you enjoy clean air on planes, buses, or in cafes? That is a result of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) tobacco treaty that took effect in 2005 with the full support of Israel, the U.S., and 183 countries worldwide, bringing us new life and clean air in public spaces. A true global revolution from the UN’s workshop. Do you use a cell phone or a smart TV? The frequencies for all these devices are managed and coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which adopts global treaties and regulations annually—to which Israel and the U.S. are parties. Without this organization, there would be total chaos.
Do you receive packages from China? This is a direct result of the postal treaty, which is also adopted every few years by all countries, including the U.S. and Israel. Do you enjoy a daily, usually reliable weather forecast? The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), whose members include every country in the world, provides such forecasts precisely because every nation is part of the global forecasting sequence.
One cannot exist alone. There is no such thing. I suggest that Saar not throw the baby out with the bathwater. UNRWA and OCHA in Gaza, which we hate and punish, are not the whole picture. The UN does not begin and end with UNRWA. If there is criticism, it can and should be raised, and we must deal with the answers we receive. Withdrawing from and abandoning the diplomatic world will not help us, it will only isolate us further. And currently, we are not in a stellar position, to put it mildly.
