"Israel is to tell UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres during his first visit to the country this week it will 'no longer tolerate anti-Israel bias' at the international body, Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said Sunday.
Guterres is set to land in Israel Sunday night for a three-day visit that will include meetings with senior Israeli officials in Jerusalem and Palestinian officials in the West Bank, as well as a stop in the Gaza Strip, where the United Nations runs a major Palestinian aid program. The visit will be his first to the region since taking the helm at the UN in January.
Briefing journalists ahead of the trip, Hotovely said two key issues would be addressed during the visit: ending "anti-Israel bias" at the 193-nation organization, and changing the UNIFIL mandate for UN activities on Israel's northern border.
'We are seeking a dramatic change in the way the UN treats Israel. It's time to place the issue squarely on the table and address it head-on,' Hotovely said, threatening funding cuts for the body if changes were not implemented.
Pointing to recent comments by US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, Hotovely said that 'if the UN does not drastically change its behavior it will lose both support and funding' from Israel and other countries.
'It's no longer just us threatening this.' she said. 'The US position has changed. Led by Nikki Haley, they have made clear that they will not tolerate bias against us and will no longer be giving an open check.'..."