Equality for Israel at the United Nations Act of 1998 - Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the United States must promote an end to the exclusion of Israel from any of the United Nations regional blocs, including rotating membership on the UN Security Council; and (2) the U.S. Ambassador to the UN should take all steps necessary to ensure Israel's acceptance in the Western Europe and Others Group regional bloc (membership which includes the non-European countries of Canada, Australia, and the United States). Directs the Secretary of State to report to appropriate congressional committees on efforts taken to achieve such goals.
Editorial Explainer
This bill expresses Congress's position that the U.S. should push for Israel to be admitted to the UN's Western Europe and Others Group regional bloc, which would enable Israel to rotate onto the UN Security Council. It directs the Secretary of State to report back to Congress on diplomatic steps taken toward that goal.
Why it matters
Israel's exclusion from regional blocs has long blocked its participation in Security Council rotation. This bill would commit U.S. diplomatic leverage to securing Israel's institutional integration into UN structures, a tangible step in Israel's standing within the international organization.