This week, the American Zionist Movement (AZM) received a special status within the United Nation to be an advisory body to the organization. This status gives the AZM the ability to participate in UN events and debates as well as to hold events within the framework of the UN. The organization was established in 1993 in order to bring the Jewish community in the United States and Zionism closer together and works to promote Zionist values in the U.S. The movement promotes dialogue and cooperation between various Zionist organizations and will now be able to do so under international auspices within the UN.
This is a significant step which follows the diplomatic actions of Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan and the Permanent Mission of Israel to the UN, who have worked extensively over the past year to promote the organization's candidacy, raising the issue in meetings with ambassadors and senior diplomats. Ambassador Erdan and the AZM maintain many collaborations, including taking UN Ambassadors to Israel, the production of the Israeli Mission's Independence Day event with the participation of UN Ambassadors and more.
Ambassador Erdan said, "This is an important achievement. AZM is a force multiplier for Israel in the international arena. I fight every day at the UN so that Zionism is considered an important and positive movement and I am happy that after the despicable decisions made at the UN in the past, the understanding of the importance of the Zionist enterprise is permeating the UN.
"We have proven that Zionism is no longer a dirty word within the corridors of the UN. I congratulate the AZM which is leading an important effort to strengthen the State of Israel and I am sure that the movement will now be able to further expand and deepen its work."
American Zionist Movement President Deborah Isaac said, “Today is a great day for Zionism. As the American Zionist Movement (AZM) has now achieved NGO Special Consultative Status at the UN, AZM has a platform from which to move the discussion of Zionism and support for Israel in the United Nations from a negative to a positive. We are grateful to the Permanent Mission of Israel to the UN, under the leadership of Ambassador Gilad Erdan, for assisting us in achieving this status."