Ha'aretz, July 30, 1999
Clinton won't address UN on Yom Kippur
ReutersPresident Bill Clinton is refusing to speak at the opening session of the annual UN General Assembly debate because it falls on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, U.S. officials said yesterday. Instead, the U.S. president is scheduled to speak on September 21, the second day of the debate. U.S. envoys at the UN tried for months to get the start of the session postponed but failed in their efforts after the 15-member European Union dropped the issue. The issue was raised by Congressmen Benjamin Gilman, a New York Republican, and Sam Gejdenson, a Connecticut Democrat. The UN has never acknowledged any Jewish holidays as it does Christian and Muslim holy days.
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