Despite opposition from the Arab block, the vast majority of UN member states supported an Israeli resolution promoting entrepreneurship and development.
By: United with Israel Staff
A resolution put forth by Israel’s mission to the United Nations (UN) promoting entrepreneurship and development was adopted on Wednesday with the support of a majority of 137 UN member states.
The Israeli-led resolution on sustainable development through entrepreneurship was adopted at the UN’s Second Committee on Development.
Through this resolution, the UN calls upon member states to support and provide tools to the younger generations so that they can find and create innovative solutions to global issues; promote the involvement of people with disabilities in the workplace; assist small and medium-sized businesses; promote social entrepreneurship; and prevent gender-based discrimination.
The Arab countries, as usual, led the opposition to the proposed resolution. Alya bint Ahmed Al Thani, the Qatari representative, asked member states “not to support this resolution because Israel violates the rights of the Palestinians”.
Countering his call, Ambassador Jan Kickert of Austria, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that “it is unfortunate that there is no consensus on a decision so important due to political reasons.”
Israeli Values Win Out
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon stated after the victory that “Israeli entrepreneurship not only represents an international example of success in innovation, but it is also a bridge between countries.”
“Israel’s resolution puts the values of Israeli entrepreneurship on the map and will promote global development,” he added.
Israel is second only to the Silicon Valley in California in terms of the number of start-ups, with over 6,000 start-ups founded in Israel in the last decade.
Israel ranked 11th globally in the 2018 UN Global Innovation Index (GII), and the first in the Northern Africa and Western Asia region, for the sixth consecutive year.
Speaking last month at the Prime Minister’s Innovation Summit in Tel Aviv, Ali Baba founder Jack Ma praised Israeli innovation and daring, saying that “in Israel, innovation is everywhere, like water and food, it’s so natural.”
He said he has learned two things about Israel during his two trips to the Jewish state: it has innovation, and it has chutzpah, “the courage to change.”