U.S. Jews fear agenda is on U.N. backburner
by WASHINGTON (JTA) -- American Jewish groups are trying to make sure their agenda is heard when the United Nations General Assembl, The terror attacks led to the postponement of the opening for more than a month, and changed the global focus toward combating t
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The AJ Committee was planning to meet with 55 diplomats from around the world, but that number has been trimmed to around 20 foreign leaders, with more meetings being scheduled.
In addition, what were supposed to be three weeks of diplomatic speeches have been compressed into one, and many heads of state have decided not to travel to New York for the event because of security concerns.
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres is expected to address the assembly Nov. 15.
Harris said his group plans to meet with the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan, as well as Joschka Fischer, the German foreign minister who played a key role in arranging a temporary Palestinian cease-fire last summer.
The group also plans to meet with the president of the General Assembly, South Korea's Han Seung Soo.
The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations will meet with the leaders of Romania and Ukraine while they are in New York for the assembly, executive vice chairman Malcolm Hoenlein said.
Debate in the assembly had been scheduled to begin just days after a Jewish solidarity rally for Israel was to be held in New York, but it was canceled. The U.N. assembly was expected to focus largely on Israel, its treatment at the early September racism conference and the prospects for peace in the Middle East.
For more JTA stories, go to http://www.jta.org
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