The “Action Plan to Enhance Monitoring and Response to Antisemitism” was recently unveiled by the United Nations (U.N.) in light of a noticeable increase in antisemitic incidents directed towards Jews and Jewish establishments across various regions, including Europe and the United States of America.
Anne Bayefsky, who serves as the director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and holds the position of president at Human Rights Voices, expressed skepticism about the efficacy of the Action Plan. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Bayefsky criticized the initiative as a futile and insincere effort, alleging that it was orchestrated by what she considers the primary promoter of antisemitism on a global scale, merely as a superficial gesture to address the issue.
Formulated by the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the U.N.’s Action Plan underscores the significance of being able to recognize and comprehend antisemitism in the broader context of combating bigotry and intolerance worldwide. Nonetheless, despite the crucial role of understanding antisemitism in combating it effectively, the plan falls short by failing to provide a clear definition of what constitutes antisemitism.
The Action Plan mentions, but does not adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, which 45 member states have endorsed and which Bayefsky said “the vast majoriy of major Jewish organizations and institutions around the world accept,” because it “recognizes the connection with Zionism and Israel.”
U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese attends the Maghreb-Mashreq Social Forum in Tunis, Tunisia, on May 11, 2024. (Mohamed Mdalla/Anadolu via Getty Images)
From the highest levels, Bayefsky claimed that the world body is not currently standing up against anti-Jewish prejudice. Though U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the world on International Holocaust Remembrance Day that “we must condemn antisemitism wherever and whenever it appears,” Bayefsky said that “if the when and the who are inside the U.N., [Guterres is] not only sitting down, he goes mute.”
“Take the cases of U.N. Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese and U.N. Commission of Inquiry head Navi Pillay, both widely condemned for egregious antisemitic behavior,” Bayefsky claimed. “The Secretary-General claims their ‘independence’ leaves him impotent. Nothing prevents him from using his platform to speak out about right and wrong. He’s mute by choice.”
Fox News Digital asked Saad whether the Action Plan would allow for the U.N. to make critical comments when special rapporteurs make antisemitic remarks in the name of the institution. “Special Procedure Mandate Holders/Special Rapporteurs are independent human rights experts appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Council,” Saad responded. “They act in an individual capacity, and exercise their functions in accordance with their mandate, through a professional, impartial assessment of facts based on internationally recognized human rights standards. The views expressed by special procedures mandate holders remain those of the mandate holder and may not represent positions held [by] the wider United Nations system.”
Fox News Digital asked Farhan Haq, spokesperson for Guterres, whether the Action Plan would allow him to comment on antisemitism emanating from the U.N., including from its special rapporteurs. “The Secretary-General has no authority over the independent experts who report to the Human Rights Council, and he does not comment on their activities or remarks,” Haq said. “But the UNAOC plan is designed to educate U.N. staff about antisemitism.”
Bayefsky said that the U.N. “can’t combat antisemitism without acknowledging its guilt and starting with ‘mea culpa.’”
Neither Navi Pillay nor Francesca Albanese responded to Fox News Digital questions concerning the allegations of antisemitism leveled against them.
