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UN names first-ever anti-Semitism monitor

Miguel Morantinos, a former Spanish Foreign Affairs minister, will be responsible for enhancing a system-wide response to bias.

Miguel Morantinos. Credit: Fabio Rodrigues Pozzebom/ABr via Wikimedia Commons.
Miguel Morantinos. Credit: Fabio Rodrigues Pozzebom/ABr via Wikimedia Commons.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has named Miguel Morantinos, the High Representative for the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), as the first-ever U.N. Focal Point to monitor anti-Semitism.

In his new position, Morantinos—a former Spanish Foreign Affairs minister—will be responsible for enhancing a system-wide response at the United Nations to longtime anti-Semitism.

The Combat Anti-Semitism Movement applauded the appointment.

“The importance of this role is reflected by the wealth of high-level experience and prominent leadership” exhibited by Morantinos, said CAM director Sacha Roytman-Dratwa.

“The fight against anti-Semitism has never been more urgent. The rise in attacks across the world has reached truly worrying proportions,” he continued. “By appointing an anti-Semitism envoy, the United Nations is sending a very important message to the world that tackling hatred against Jews is very much a global priority.”

A Combat Antisemitism Movement analysis found that the 16-page resource instructs students on discussing Gaza and Palestinian advocacy while neglecting key historical context and leaving antisemitism undefined.
A congressman on the House Armed Services Committee confirmed the proposal to JNS.
“It can’t just be business as usual,” Evan R. Bernstein told JNS. “We’re not done yet.”
The scholarly study found a dominant narrative that placed “near-exclusive agency and responsibility” on Israel while downplaying Hamas’s role in the conflict.