123 Countries Approve Israeli U.N. Resolution

Israel enjoyed a rare diplomatic success at the United Nations on Friday as 123 member nations voted in favor of an Israeli-sponsored resolution to promote innovation. The Israel-sponsored resolution on “Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development” was opposed by 30 member nations, mostly of the Arab bloc. Eight countries abstained.

The resolution encourages the provision of programs to encourage and sustain entrepreneurship as a method of encouraging social equality and advancing society. The resolution calls for U.N. member nations to encourage entrepreneurship training and promote innovation, especially in high-tech, as a method of boosting progress, especially in developing countries. In addition, it calls for countries to remove roadblocks and problems preventing women, youth and the disabled from participating in high-tech economies, and to limit bureaucracy in order to encourage small businesses.

The resolution was passed after months of lobbying by Israeli ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon. Commenting on the passage of the resolution, Danon said in a statement that “the resolution once again highlights Israel’s contribution to the world as a leader in innovation and entrepreneurship. The hypocritical opposition of Arab countries to this resolution did not prevent its passage. Many countries around the world are interested in Israel’s successes in these areas and we are happy to work with anyone, sharing our knowledge and experience to build a better future for all.”

In 2015, an Israeli-sponsored resolution on developing and enhancing technology for agricultural development was approved by 124 countries. Israel is seen as an innovator in agricultural technology, and representatives of countries around the world flock to Israel in order to learn the latest techniques for enhancing crop growth, fighting desertification, and maximizing production of milk — all areas that Israeli agritech is well known for.