U.N. Is Gradually Becoming More Hospitable to Israel - New York Times

U.N. Is Gradually Becoming More Hospitable to Israel - New York Times: "October 11, 2005
U.N. Is Gradually Becoming More Hospitable to Israel
By WARREN HOGE

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 10 - Israel recently proposed a United Nations resolution, it submitted its candidacy for a two-year seat on the Security Council, and its prime minister has been warmly received speaking to the General Assembly.

For any of the 190 other nations in the world organization, those would be routine events.

But in Israel's case, the resolution is the first the country has ever proposed, and the request for a Security Council seat presumes an end to the disdain with which the country has historically been treated at the United Nations.

The address by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, on Sept. 15, was his first at the United Nations. It was delivered to a hall that has rung with denunciations of his country, where a tide of condemnatory resolutions has passed by lopsided votes and which Arab delegates regularly vacated whenever an Israeli rose to speak.

'These are steps that could not have happened even two years ago,' said Dan Gillerman, Israel's ambassador, referring to the new efforts to gain acceptance. 'It would have been unthinkable, suicidal, for us even to try them.'"