Itongadol.- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised the American Jewish community for its partnership in fighting injustice while stressing the need to “stand strong against extremists,” while speaking in New York Tuesday night.
At the 50th anniversary tribute gala dinner of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Ban said the UN and American Jewry “share a common goal… and identical values” in the pursuit of “peace and human dignity for all.”
In his brief speech to the estimated 1,100 attendees, Ban said: “There can be no mistaking the distinct imprint that American Jewish organizations have made on the United Nations.
“Over the years we have campaigned together against injustice and intolerance. Our joint legacy is solid. The question now is where we go from here.”
Despite “living in an era of tremendous opportunity,” Ban acknowledged present threats and challenges. He reiterated that, “no one – not Jews, Muslims or anyone else – should suffer or be targeted because of the creed they follow.
“My position is unequivocal: anti-Semitism has no place in the 21st century,” he said. “Too much is at stake to allow such discrimination to persist.”
He called the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks a “welcome step away from a dangerous status quo,” and acknowledged the upcoming anniversaries of Kristallnacht and the liberation of Auschwitz. “It is a cardinal mission of the United Nations to avert any such future horrors,” Ban said.
“I look forward to strengthening the ties between the United Nations and all of you here tonight,” he said, and concluded, “our doors are open to American Jewish organizations across the spectrum of our work.”
Former president George W. Bush made a surprise appearance at the event and President Barack Obama addressed the gala via pretaped video message.
“I will not believe in Iran’s peaceful intentions until they can irrevocably prove that it’s true,” Bush told the gathering, according to several people in attendance.