In recent days, Israel and the Iran-backed terror group Palestinian Islamic Jihad reached a ceasefire over the weekend that continues to hold. Islamic Jihad fired over 1200 rockets at Israel during the five-day conflict. Many of them were intercepted by Iron Dome or fell inside Gaza, never reaching Israel.

The ceasefire kicked in just as Israel yesterday marked the 75th anniversary of its miraculous rebirth as a nation on May 14, 1948. The UN also commemorated that momentous occasion by holding an event that day, declaring Israel’s reestablishment as a Nakba, or catastrophe.

This viciously dishonest, historically inaccurate, anti-Israel hate fest was officially sanctioned by and held at the UN for the first time ever, and it included a high-level meeting at the UN headquarters and a special event in the General Assembly Hall featuring Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. 

Abbas did what he usually does, slamming Israel, repeating the Nakba lie, and accusing Israel of seeking a new so-called “catastrophe” against the Palestinians. He also called on the UN to expel Israel as a member if Israel does not agree to a Palestinian state and a right of return for millions of Palestinian refugees’ descendants. This would mean the end of the Jewish state, which is the real goal of Abbas and the other anti-Israel forces.

Thankfully, some 32 nations, including the US, UK, Canada, and Ukraine, boycotted this Nakba Day event at Israel’s urging, but far too many, obviously, took part and gave a platform to this madness at the UN.

Now imagine being Israel’s representative at the UN and having to walk into this hostile lion’s den every day. It may be the world’s most difficult diplomatic job, but the good news is Gilad Erdan is more than up to the task.

As Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Erdan represents the Jewish state every day at a notoriously anti-Israel institution. If you think I’m exaggerating, consider this. Since the UN was founded in the aftermath of World War II, it’s passed more resolutions against Israel than any other nation. That includes Iran, North Korea, Communist China, Cuba, Syria, and the former Soviet Union.

Thankfully, Ambassador Erdan is eloquent and fearless, and most importantly, he has the truth on his side.

Below is my exclusive interview with Gilad Erdan:

Erick Stakelbeck — You are a very busy man, obviously, as Israel’s top diplomat at the UN. Some may say, why even have an ambassador post at the UN if you’re Israel? Why is it so important that Israel have a presence at the UN?

Gilad Erdan — We live in an era where the reach of social media is endless. Today, a lie can travel the world before the truth can even put its shoes on, and our enemies exploit the UN resolutions, the anti-Israeli resolutions, in order to harm Israel.

We’ve seen what happened when Israel had to attack the Hamas terrorists in Gaza in our operation two years ago. The UN passed resolutions against Israel, and our enemies ignited anti-semitic attacks here on the streets of New York and LA. Then they exploited the UN resolutions to go after our soldiers and press charges in the International Criminal Court. Additionally, they take these anti-Israeli resolutions and put pressure on American companies like Ben & Jerry’s to boycott Israel.

Israel has to be present at the UN to fight against the bias, the distortions, and the lies that are being spread against us.

In every challenge, there’s also an opportunity. I can utilize the fact that we have there around one table, almost 200 countries, to showcase our unimaginable technological advancements and maybe to also strengthen the Israeli economy by showcasing our capabilities.

Erick Stakelbeck — As you said, it’s so prevalent, the anti-Israel bias there. It’s well known. What is your strategy when you take the floor at the UN representing Israel? How do you fight back against that in your position?

Gilad Erdan — The UN was founded after the Second World War, and after the atrocities of the Holocaust, but at the time, when they decided to establish the Jewish state, there were only 57 Member States. Today, there are almost 200 Member States, 193. You know, how many of them are Muslim countries? Almost 1/3; 57 Member States.

There are 1.5 billion Muslims around the world. So 1/3 of the UN votes automatically to support all the Palestinian demands and resolutions because the UN is so convoluted, you cannot decide and make any decisions or hold discussions with 200 members state. So, the UN divides member states into either regional or religious voting blocks. 

Many times even though we have great relationships with a specific country, because it belongs to regional or religious voting blocks, they vote according to the instructions they receive—for example, the UAE. We just made peace with the UAE. We have great bilateral relations with them, but they’re being pressured by the Arab League or the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to vote against us, and initiate discussions against us. So that’s why you see this bias.

Israel today represents—we’re a tiny country—only 1/10 of 1% of the world’s population. But how many condemnations do we receive at the UN annually?

We receive, in general, 70% of the UN’s condemnations.

The UN voted to establish a Jewish state 75 years ago, and now what happened at the UN? The Palestinians held a very big gathering inside the General Assembly Hall to commemorate the establishment of the State of Israel as a Nakba—a catastrophe. It’s such a disgrace that I cannot even describe it with words. That’s the situation right now at the UN…

I’m not going to bow my head. I’m going to fight in order to expose the lies, and the hypocrisy, and I don’t care who’s on the other side. I mean, the Russians of all countries, convened the Security Council on our memorial day in order to condemn Israel. They thought that I’m going to come and participate in their shameful discussion? I did the opposite. I came there. I lit a candle, and I put the candle on the Security Council’s desk. I read out the names of our fallen soldiers and victims of the terrorist attacks. I slammed the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and I proudly walked out of the discussion. That’s what I mean by “going on the offensive.” That’s my first and main tactic to be used at the UN. 

The other tactic, in order to try and convince member states to break away from their regional voting Blocks and change their voting patterns. I initiate many events, creative events, to showcase Israel’s contributions and technologies to show them how much they can gain from working and collaborating with Israel. 

I held an event where I invited all the African ambassadors. I introduced them to a few Israeli NGOs who are active and working in Africa to connect many African villages to running water, because Israel is a world leader in water technologies and renewable energy, literally providing giving life to these people who live in those villages. So when the African ambassadors, see our contribution to their people, it makes it more complicated for them to vote against us.

Erick Stakelbeck — Israel is blessing Africa; it really is in so many ways.

Gilad Erdan — We believe in the Jewish values, what we call in Hebrew tikkun olam, healing a fractured world. So wherever we can help another country, we’re doing our best to be there and to help the people who need us.

It’s still an uphill battle at the UN, but we can already see the accomplishment. Thank God. You know, I was elected personally, as the Vice President of the General Assembly for 2023. Last year was the first time I was elected as a member of the Economic and Social Council of the UN. I succeeded last year to pass, for the second time ever, a General Assembly Resolution providing practical tools to fight against Holocaust denial and distortions.

It’s not going to happen overnight, but we are succeeding to erode the number of countries who are voting against us automatically. And my vision is to break to shatter the anti-Israeli majority at the UN.

Erick Stakelbeck — Thanks again to Ambassador Gilad Erdan, for those great insights.