Moynihan's Moment by Gil Troy
Moynihan's Moment by Gil TroyOxford University Press

A new book details the infamous "Zionism is Racism" resolution at the United Nations and the dramatic condemnation by United States ambassador to the UN Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

Gil Troy is the author of Moynihan’s Moment: America’s Fight Against Zionism As Racism. Troy spoke to Arutz Sheva - Israel National Radio on the Derech Eretz Hour with Rabbi Elan Adler.

"Words matter, ideas count, and he stood up and said that to distort the truth and say that Zionism is racism, or that it resembles Apartheid South Africa, will hurt us and has to be fought courageously," Troy stated. The author met with Moynihan's children and others who remember the day of November 10th 1975.

For the full interview download the mp3 by clicking here.

"It was also a triumph for the American people," Troy told the Derech Eretz Hour. "These were tough times. crime was soaring, there was rampant inflation, the Watergate scandal and the end of the Vietnam war." However Troy describes a sense of unity amongst both right wing and left wing Americans who saw the resolution as "turning the United Nations into a farce."

By a vote of 72 to 35 with 32 abstentions, the UN General assembly adopted resolution 3379 declaring "Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination." It was sponsored by 25 countries, mostly from the Middle East.

Moynihan's response went against the wishes of his superiors. He blasted the resolution stating, "The United Nations is about to make anti-Semitism international law... the United States rises before the United Nations and before the world to declare that it does not acknowledge, it will not abide by it, will never acquiesce in this infamous act... a great evil has been loosed upon the world."

Moynihan went on to reference the horrors of the Holocaust and called Zionism the Jewish people's national liberation movement. He also argued that the resolution never actually defined racism.

"There was a lot of hostility and backlash in the UN and Moynihan resigned under pressure," Troy explained. "But the tremendous reaction, inducing from right and left made him a pop star. He ended up on the front cover of Time Magazine. He was listed as the one of the 25 most intriguing people in People Magazine in 1975. As a result, in 1976 he ran for the Senate and represented New York for four terms," Troy stated.

Troy also mentioned a massive rally organized by the Jewish community on November 11th, 1975 in New York. "Over 125,000 people. We had little blue and white buttons that said "I am a Zionist," Troy reminisced. "At a grassroots level, people from a world superpower stood up against an anti-Semitic act," the author said. "They called it anti-Semitic, not just anti-Zionist. They stood up as one and said that this is not acceptable."

For the full interview with Gil Troy, download the podcast by clicking here.

Rabbi Elan Adler hosts the Derech Eretz Hour live every week. Expect to smile and enjoy this hour dedicated to discussing and promoting Derech Eretz, being a Mensch, having Shalom between us and among us, and polishing our character in manners, courtesy, kindness and compassion. The podcast airs live Sundays from 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Israel time, 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. US Eastern Time. For mp3 archives click here.