GJCF and Algemeiner director Dovid Efune thanks Ambassador Shalev. Photo: David Karp.

Israel’s outgoing Ambassador to the United Nations Prof. Gabriella Shalev received an enthusiastic sending off in New York from of a friendly crowd, as she delivered the 5th Annual Gershon Jacobson Memorial Lecture, hosted by the Gershon Jacobson Foundation and the Algemeiner Journal.

This historic lecture which was sponsored by Mink Jewels, was entitled Representing Israel at the UN: Challenge or Opportunity?” and took place on Tuesday August 24th at the Park East Synagogue. As this was Prof. Shalev’s last public appearance as Ambassador, she took the opportunity to share the various hardships facing Israel at the UN, and also shared details of positive growth and development.

Shalev harshly criticized the UN saying:

“Sadly, there are countless human tragedies and immeasurable human suffering around the globe. Yet the United Nations reserves the overwhelming majority of its condemnation only for Israel. This can only be interpreted as the “politically correct” modern anti-Semitism. “

Continuing:

“We cannot stop the witch-hunt against Israel that regularly takes place at the United Nations today.”

She insisted that despite the challenges, Israel must not walk away from the UN, quoting President Woodrow Wilson who said:

“I would rather lose in a cause that will someday win, than win in a cause that will someday lose.”

She also expressed gratitude for American support and the support of the American Jewish community:

“This hypocrisy, this double standard, this double talk, which is unleashed inside the United Nations, is checked only by one country, Israel’s best and closest ally: the United States of America.”