Israel's representative Shay Mizrahi has been elected as a member of the United Nations General Assembly's Independent Advisory Committee on Audit matters, becoming the first Israeli to be included in this body since its establishment in 2007. His candidacy was supported by 134 countries despite the serious deterioration in relations between Israel and the UN, reports The Times of Israel.
Mizrahi, a lawyer and the director of the audit department for local government bodies and political party financing at Israel's State Comptroller's Office, was elected for a three-year term. He has become the first Israeli citizen included in this body, the State Comptroller's Office announced.
The committee consists of five members and provides advice to the General Assembly on the effectiveness of the UN's internal control mechanisms. Its responsibilities include audit, risk management, financial control, and corporate governance issues.
Mizrahi was nominated by the group of Western European and other states, which until now had only been represented in the committee by U.S. candidates. In recent weeks, Israel's mission to the UN, led by Ambassador Danny Danon, worked to secure international support from friendly countries for his candidacy.
Mizrahi's election took place during one of the most tense periods in Israel-UN relations. Israeli authorities regularly accuse the international organization of biased attitudes towards the country and attempts to isolate it, especially after the outbreak of war in 2023 between Israel and HAMAS in the Gaza Strip.
Danon called Mizrahi's election an important achievement for Israel and its diplomatic efforts.
"At a time when Israel faces constant attempts to exclude it and delegitimize it within UN structures, this appointment demonstrates that Israeli professionalism, experience, and expertise continue to receive international recognition and support," the ambassador stated.
