NEW YORK (JTA) — The Queens Museum will host an event commemorating the United Nations decision to establish a Jewish state, reversing a decision to cancel it.

The museum, run by the New York City borough of Queens, is housed in the same building where the General Assembly vote partitioning Palestine into Jewish and Arab states took place on Nov. 29, 1947. Israel’s mission to the United Nations reserved space in June to mark the event’s 70th anniversary and invited senior U.N. dignitaries.

But on Wednesday, the Israeli mission announced that the museum had canceled the event due to political sensitivities and pressure from Palestinian supporters. The mission’s statement noted that the museum’s director, Laura Raicovich, edited a collection of essays that included a call for BDS — or Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions — against Israel.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon slammed the decision and called for Raicovich to be fired.

“We will not accept this blatant discrimination against the State of Israel and we will not let this decision stand,” Danon said in a statement.

The cancellation drew quick condemnation from B’nai B’rith International, as well as Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., who represents Queens in Congress.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. We’ve started our Passover Fundraising Drive, and we need 1,800 readers like you to step up to support the Forward by April 21. Members of the Forward board are even matching the first 1,000 gifts, up to $70,000.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism, because every dollar goes twice as far.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Make your Passover gift today!

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount