"Israel's long-shot bid to gain a coveted slot on the 15-state UN Security Council in 2019-2020 is getting longer due to a failure by Jerusalem to launch any serious campaign...
In addition, the decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this year to withhold $8 million of Israel's $11m. annual membership fee to the world body – because of its Security Council anti-settlement resolution in December and the UNESCO vote in May denying Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem – is not the type of action that enhances the chance of being elected to the UN's premier body. Israel pays another $36m. each year to support UN peacekeeping forces...
Belgium and Germany declared they also would vie for the spot. The support in a secret ballot of at least two-thirds – 128 states – in the General Assembly is needed to gain a seat. Both Belgium and Germany have come out with slogans and logos for their campaign and have actively lobbied other countries to support Israel – beyond making clear that it is interested in a seat – has done little else...
One western official closely following the issue said it was hard to believe that in the current situation Israel stood much of a chance...
The official said states that are interested invest millions in the campaign; send delegations around the world; invite dozens of delegations to their own countries; and appoint an ambassador whose job it is to push this issue...
UN Ambassador Danny Danon has been pushing the Foreign Ministry on the issue for more than a year, but to little avail.
Part of Israel's reluctance to invest large sums has to do with a lack of confidence that it could actually win a race for the influential seat in a body that is traditionally stacked against it. At the same time, without investing the money, it will never happen.
Danon said in April that Israel could likely count on active US support for the bid, but Washington has not yet publicly lobbied for the move. The issue is believed to have been raised when Netanyahu met last week in Jerusalem with US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley."