Bayefsky Blasts French-Saudi UN Conference: ‘An Anti-Israel Blitz, UN Mob Took Over’

A UN-backed conference spearheaded by France and Saudi Arabia advocating for the creation of a Palestinian state opened Monday, just days after French President Emmanuel Macron drew criticism by pledging to formally recognize Palestinian statehood in September.

Professor Anne Bayefsky, who heads Human Rights Voices and serves as Director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust, told Israel National News that organizations unwilling to follow an anti-Israel narrative were deliberately excluded from participating—despite prior claims that the event would be open to NGOs.

“Today, the UN mob, led now by France and Saudi Arabia, went on a manic anti-Israel blitz. The closest analogy is the speed of October 7th itself. Nothing tells you more about how this international gang works than the manner in which this conference is being conducted,” Prof. Bayefsky stated.

She explained that while the gathering was advertised as open to civil society through the UN Daily Journal, access was suddenly restricted. “The mobsters took over main rooms of UN Headquarters. The meeting was advertised as open by the UN Daily Journal. And then the French and the Saudis closed the doors and kicked out ‘civil society’ or NGO UN-badge holders (who are all pre-screened). UN security officers relayed their explanation: this is not an ‘official UN General Assembly meeting’ so the co-sponsors can decide who can and cannot come,” she said.

Prof. Bayefsky questioned the legitimacy of calling it unofficial: “Not official? This is occurring in a UN building, paid for by UN taxpayers, holding a UN microphone, and blasted all over the world by the UN press corps allowed to attend this global propaganda event en masse. And when each speech is over – calling in effect for the destruction of the Jewish state (in the name of ‘peace’) – the hand-selected audience loudly claps. Canned applause direct from the UN.”

In her view, the event reflects a deeper manipulation of international systems: “This is how the international mafia works, control that has nothing to do with rights or justice or freedom.”