Israel's Request to Join WEOG

I. Background

In the early 1960's, the member-states of the United Nations began to organize themselves into regional groups, both for consultations and for elections to the various UN institutions. The five regional groups that were established are: Asia, Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and the Western European and Others Group (WEOG). This voluntary grouping has no basis in the UN Charter or in its Resolutions. However, as the number of UN members grew, the Secretariat increasingly began to rely on the new structure and to conduct consultations on substantial and procedural issues with the heads of the regional groups, rather than addressing each states directly. Not only has the UN come to rely on this group structure, it has gradually begun to accord it an institutionalized role. In the procedures for election to the major UN bodies (such as the Security Council, ECOSOC, etc.), the distribution of seats has begun to be determined explicitly by a regional quota. Israel, whose geographical region, Asia, refuses it admission, is the only UN member which remains outside the regional group system. Therefore, it cannot be elected to the major UN bodies, is precluded from electing and voting, and is thus denied full participation in the day-to-day work of the United Nations. Moreover, according to the current procedure, the Bureau of every UN conference is comprised of one representative from each region. Israel is therefore denied access to this vital apparatus, enjoyed by every other state.

II. WEOG

The Western states bear special responsibility in this regard. As long as Israel is precluded from joining the Asian group (which would require the consensus of all the group's members, including Iran and the other Muslim states), the WEOG is the natural solution for normalizing Israel's situation. There are two main reasons for this:

1. The WEOG is the only regional group which is not purely geographical, but rather geo-political, namely a group of states that share a Western-Democratic common denominator. (WEOG comprises 27 members: all the West European states; and the "others" -- Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States.)

2. Israel's socio-political orientation is comparable to that of the WEOG states. Its voting pattern in the UN is congruent with that of the WEOG states. It shares a common cultural-ideological outlook with these countries, and is linked to them by strong economic ties.

III . The Attitudes of the WEOG States

Several arguments have been put forward in recent years against Israel's acceptance to this group:

1 . With the progress in the peace process, Israel should increase its efforts to join the Asian group. By joining the WEOG, it will be sending a message of abdication from its natural region.

Reply: There is at present no chance that Israel will be allowed to join the Asian group. Israel is therefore requesting on its own initiative to join the WEOG on a temporary basis. Israel's ultimate aim is to be part of the Asian group, and as soon as this becomes feasible, Israel will join it.

2. The list of WEOG states in line for election to the various UN posts is already long. Israel's joining the group will only make it longer.

Reply: Israel is prepared to accept a temporary moratorium on the presentation of Israeli candidates for UN posts, for a mutually agreed-upon period of time.

3. There are many other states seeking to join the WEOG. Accepting Israel as a member will serve as a precedent.

Reply: Every other state has the alternative of joining the geographical region to which it belongs. Israel is denied such an option.

4. The WEOG states will find it difficult to discuss Middle East issues freely in Israel's presence.

Reply: The function of the WEOG is no longer consultative. It has become, in fact, primarily a forum for elections. In the event that a discussion on the Middle East is held, Israel will absent itself.

IV . Conclusion

Within the context of the current peace process, in the course of which Israel is making considerable concessions and undertaking serious risks, it is particularly unacceptable that Israel should remain an anomaly in the community of nations, only because certain states refuse to allow it to occupy its legitimate place in its geographical region.

As long as the United Nations' institutionalized reliance on the regional system continues, its members are obliged - by the principles of its charter - to find a solution to the discrimination against Israel. The WEOG states can do so without sacrificing their vital interests. Rather, by admitting Israel, they will gain the addition of another member to the group of democratic states active in, and contributing to the international organization system.