Canada was unable to win a seat on the United Nations’ powerful Security Council last week, and many Jewish groups blamed the defeat on member countries who don’t share Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s pro-Israel policies.
For CJN subscribers: Was Canada punished for supporting Israel at UN?
Canada decided to pull out of the race last Tuesday when officials determined they wouldn’t be able to win enough votes from the UN’s 192 member countries to beat either Germany or Portugal, its rivals for two soon-to-be vacant rotating seats on the council.
Until now, Canada had managed to obtain a seat on the Security Council in every decade since it first secured one in 1948, two years after the council’s creation. It last held a seat on the Security Council from 1999 to 2000.
In statements last week, the Canada-Israel Committee (CIC), Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) and B’nai Brith Canada said anti-Israel agitation by certain groups in Canada and anti-Israel sentiment at the UN may have foiled Canada’s attempt to win a seat.
“Although some have suggested that Canada’s support for Israel is one of the reasons it was unsuccessful in its bid for a seat on the Security Council, Canadians should be proud of our principled support for Israel at the UN,” the CIC said.
Avi Benlolo, president and CEO of FSWC, said it was “no secret” that at least one bloc of countries at the UN – the 57 nations comprising the Organization of the Islamic Conference – voted against Canada and “likely lobbied heavily” for other nations to join them.
B’nai Brith singled out the Canadian Arab Federation (CAF) for circulating a Sept. 24 petition called “Don’t Give Canada a Security Council Seat.”
“It is utterly disappointing to know that an organization containing within its name ‘Canada’ campaigned to undermine Canadian efforts to obtain a seat on the council,” said Frank Dimant, B’nai Brith’s executive vice-president.
The CIC also criticized the CAF for its “shameful” behaviour.
The CAF petition called on “all Arab and Muslim missions to the UN” to deny Canada the seat, listing 15 reasons to do so, 10 of which involved Israel.
“Granting Canada a seat on the UN Security Council would be tantamount to rewarding Canada for discriminating against Arab and Muslim Canadians, and for its unconditional and blatant support for Israel’s war crimes and violations of international law,” CAF president Khaled Mouammar wrote.
The UN Security Council has five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – and 10 non-permanent members, each serving two-year terms.
The five new non-permanent council members – South Africa, India, Colombia, Germany and Portugal – will replace Austria, Japan, Mexico, Turkey and Uganda, whose terms expire Dec. 31.
The other five members – Bosnia, Brazil, Gabon, Lebanon and Nigeria – will remain on the council until the end of 2011.
In his Sept. 23 speech to the UN General Assembly, Harper lobbied hard for Canada’s inclusion on the council.
“If we are elected, we will be ready to serve. And, if called upon to serve on the Security Council, Canada will be informed by… [the UN’s] foundational beliefs in the sovereign equality of countries… of the obligation to settle disputes peacefully… and [upholding] the human rights of all people.”
He added that, if elected, Canada would “strive to further” those ideals “just as we have striven to implement Security Council resolutions.”
Most recently, the council passed sanctions against Iran to try to limit its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons.
Moshe Ronen, national chair of the CIC, praised Harper for his stance at the UN, irrespective of the government’s inability to win a seat on the Security Council.
“It would have been easy for Prime Minister Harper to have adopted the politically expedient but regrettably popular behaviour at the UN of scapegoating and marginalizing Israel. Instead, the Conservative government stood by Israel when it was singled out for unfair treatment. Canada’s actions in support of Israel at the UN were always based on what was the right thing to do, not what was politically fashionable, and for this, the government deserves the deepest praise,” he said.