Live Blog | United Nations General Assembly 2026

NEW YORK – Meeting with Czech President H.E. Petr Pavel at the Permanent Mission of Czechia to the United Nations on Tuesday afternoon, World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder held a wide-ranging conversation on geopolitical affairs, including Czechia’s strong support for Israel at the European Union and international forums and its support for the Czech Jewish community.

The World Jewish Congress honored President Pavel at the Neue Galerie in New York on the sidelines of High-Level Week in September 2024 and has maintained a warm and active relationship with Czech counterparts, working closely with Czech missions and consulates around the world, including through its joint event with the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York that featured a high-level discussion on Jewish life and antisemitism.

There are approximately 3,500 Jews currently living in Czechia. The Czech affiliate of the World Jewish Congress is the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic.

NEW YORK – In a group meeting alongside other Jewish organizations on Tuesday, WJC’s Director of U.S. Advocacy & Young Leadership Development Yoni Hammerman discussed with Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže the country’s strides in fighting antisemitism. Hammerman praised the Latvian government’s adoption of the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism and the IHRA working definition of antisemitism.

The WJC also commended Braže’s advocacy for expanded EU sanctions against Iran, including the formal recognition of Hamas and Hezbollah’s military and political wings, as well as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist organizations.

With Latvia set to serve as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2026–2027 term, the WJC encouraged the Foreign Minister to build on these efforts by advocating for stronger UN accountability mechanisms addressing antisemitism and anti-Israel bias.

There are approximately 4,000 Jews currently living in Latvia. The Latvian affiliate of the World Jewish Congress is the Council of Jewish Communities of Latvia.

NEW YORK – In a group meeting with Swiss Confederation President Guy Parmelin at the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations on Tuesday, WJC’s Executive Director of the Executive Office Lauren Rose welcomed Switzerland’s Federal Council adoption of the National Strategy to Combat Racism and Antisemitism for 2026-31 and urged the government to ensure its full and effective implementation.

The WJC also praised the government’s formal five-year ban on Hamas, encouraging President Parmelin to move forward with legislation to ban Hezbollah and to support additional designations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terror organizations.

There are approximately 18,500 Jews currently living in Switzerland. The Swiss affiliate of the World Jewish Congress is the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities.