UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Israel has launched a campaign calling for the United Nations to recognize
Judaism’s holiest day, Yom Kippur, as an official holiday.
Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Ron Prosor sent a letter to all U.N. member states saying there are three major
monotheistic religions but only two — Christianity and Islam — are recognized by the U.N. calendar.
“Such discrimination at the U.N. must end,” Prosor said in an excerpt of the letter sent to journalists
Friday by Israel’s U.N. Mission.
“In the days leading up to Yom Kippur, Jews throughout the world seek forgiveness and reconciliation,” he
said. “Jews fast, abstain from work, and spend the day in prayer and contemplation.”
Prosor asked the 192 other ambassadors to join Israel’s campaign by signing a letter urging the United
Nations to recognize Yom Kippur.
“It is about time Jewish employees at the U.N. won’t be obligated to work on Yom Kippur,” he said.
There are currently 10 official U.N. holidays including the Christian holidays Christmas and Good Friday
and the Muslim holidays Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, which were added after the U.N. General Assembly
adopted a resolution in 1998. The six other holidays are major U.S. holidays — New Year’s Day,
Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving.
A resolution by the 193-member General Assembly would likely be required to make Yom Kippur a holiday,
but U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said he needed to check on the process required.
Israel has had an often difficult relationship with the United Nations and is attacked regularly over its
dealings with the Palestinians and the failure to reach a peace deal that would create an independent
Palestinian state.