On May 11, 1949, after the Security Council concluded that Israel is a peace-loving nation, the General Assembly of the United Nations decided to admit the Jewish state as the 59th member of the United Nations. The UN now has 193 members.
United Nations Resolution 181 dated Nov. 29, 1947 called for the creation of the Jewish state. Israel then applied three times for UN membership. The first was on May 15, 1948, immediately after the proclamation of the state, but this application was not acted upon by the Security Council. The second attempt was rejected by the Security Council in December 1948. The third attempt was approved by the Security Council by a vote of 9-1 and received the requisite two-thirds approval by the General Assembly.
Israel is not fairly treated by the organization it joined. From 2015 to 2022, the United Nations General Assembly adopted 140 resolutions criticizing Israel, more than twice the number of resolutions (68) which were passed against all other countries in the world combined.
Aviva Klompas, a Canadian who was a former speechwriter for Israel’s mission to the United Nations—and currently the co-founder of Boundless Israel—believes that notwithstanding Israel’s treatment at the world body: “We should never forget that Israel has every right to participate in and contribute to global affairs. And we won’t accept anything less.”
This hexagonal medal which celebrates Israel’s admission to the UN is part of a series of 12 medals minted by the Judaica Heritage Society in the 1970s in a series called The Making of the Jewish State. When the twelve medals are placed together they form a Magen David.
Other medals in the series honour the Jewish National Fund, the Jewish Agency, the Histadrut (the General Federation of Labour in the Land of Israel) and the Haganah (the pre-state paramilitary organization). The medal set is a testament to the many people who acted together to make the Jewish state. It is frightening to think how few people acting together now can unmake it.
