Mexican Diplomat Honored for Walkout on UNESCO Resolution

The former Mexican ambassador to the United Nations is being honored for his courageous stand against the UNESCO resolution last October which denied the ancient Jewish connection to Yerushalayim, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported on Sunday.

The Mexican diplomat Andres Roemer has been chosen to receive the American Sephardic Federation’s International Sephardic Leadership Award on May 21 at the Center for Jewish History in New York.

Roemer, who is Jewish, risked his diplomatic career by walking out and leaving his deputy to represent Mexico.

“When confronted by the recent UNESCO resolution that sought to erase Yerushalayim, Israel’s Jewish and Christian history, Ambassador Roemer knowingly risked his position to voice and vote his conscience,” read the federation’s announcement.

The announcement noted further that his opposition had a positive impact.

“While the resolution still passed, Ambassador Roemer did not forget Jerusalem and his moral courage convinced several countries, including his own, to seek to reverse the resolution’s ill-considered position against historical truth and the possibility of peace.”

Although Roemer was indeed fired, Mexico itself changed its vote from “in favor” to “abstain” on the resolution.

Mexico too will be honoring him. Mexican Consul General in New York, Diego Gomez-Pickering, is expected to attend the award ceremony, the federation said.