Live Blog | United Nations General Assembly 2026

At the Permanent Mission of the Netherlands to the UN on Tuesday with Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, World Jewish Congress representatives raised concerns about the impact of rising antisemitism and polarization on the Netherlands. They stressed that rhetoric surrounding Israel increasingly reverberates within Jewish communities and called on the government to distinguish legitimate criticism of Israeli policies from antisemitism and ensure the security of its Jewish citizens and institutions.

The discussion also focused on the disproportionate attention given to Israel within the United Nations system and its broader impact on the Jewish diaspora. WJC representatives called for consistent standards at the UN and urged the Netherlands to make combating antisemitism a greater priority and not to participate in the upcoming High-level Meeting to Commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.

There are approximately 3,400 Jews currently living in the Netherlands. The Nordic affiliate of the World Jewish Congress is the Organization of Jewish Communities in the Netherlands.

NEW YORK - World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder met with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani at the Italian Consulate General on Tuesday afternoon, calling for the swift passage of Italy’s new legislation to counter antisemitism and strengthen protections for the Jewish community. The two leaders also discussed the importance of incorporating the IHRA working definition of antisemitism into Italian law and mandating a national strategy to protect Jewish life.

WJC President Lauder also commended Italy’s support for Israel, thanking Tajani for his country’s role in blocking the April 2026 bid to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement and urging support in designating the Muslim Brotherhood a terror organizations.

There are approximately 26,700 Jews currently living in Italy. The Italian affiliate of the World Jewish Congress is the Union of the Italian Jewish Community.

NEW YORK – At the Slovenian Permanent Mission to the United Nations on Tuesday afternoon, World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder commended Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša for his steadfast support for Israel and urged the government to designate a Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life (SECCA) as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen its relationship with the WJC-affiliated Jewish Community of Slovenia (JCS).

Prime Minister Janša hosted a WJC delegation last week in the first visit by a major international Jewish organization to Slovenia since the new government was established last March. The meeting with Prime Minister Janša also represents a dramatic change from the WJC’s previous mission to Slovenia in April 2024, when senior members of the previous government declined to meet with Jewish leaders.

There are approximately 200 Jews currently living in Slovenia. The Slovenian affiliate of the World Jewish Congress is the Jewish Community of Slovenia.