Former Israeli UN ambassador Gilad Erdan co-authored a Misgav Institute report calling for full U.S. withdrawal from the United Nations. The think tank hired Mercury Public Affairs — $5,000, one month, FARA-registered — to deliver it to Congress. The lead author already testified on Capitol Hill.
The former Israeli UN ambassador co-authored a strategic report calling for phased American disengagement from the United Nations — and the think tank behind it retained Mercury Public Affairs to deliver it directly to Congress and the Trump administration.
Gilad Erdan is not done with the United Nations.
The former Israeli ambassador to the UN — who served from 2020 to 2024 and has since co-founded a new political party with Yuli Edelstein focused on Israel's economic future — has co-authored a report that argues the United States should withdraw entirely from the UN system.
The report, "From UN Bureaucracy to American Global Leadership," was published through the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy. Co-author Asher Fredman, Misgav's executive director, testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on July 22, 2026.
The full report is publicly available: Read the full study here.
The Washington Push
Misgav retained Mercury Public Affairs — one of Washington's most connected lobbying firms, owned by Omnicom — for a one-month engagement beginning June 24, 2026, at $5,000. The scope: distribute the report to key Senate and House committees, the Abraham Accords Caucus, and executive branch officials. The engagement was led by Mercury senior VP Bill Cortese, a former advisor to Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Mercury also organized a three-day Washington engagement program in late July — providing Misgav representatives with direct access to policymakers.
The engagement was registered under FARA — the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires disclosure when U.S. firms represent foreign principals in political or quasi-political activities.
The Case for Withdrawal
The report's data is blunt. U.S. taxpayers provided $14.3 billion to the UN system in 2024 — 28 percent of all government contributions, equal to 183 other member states combined. The authors argue the UN is "structurally incapable of meaningful reform" and operates a "permanent, multi-layered machinery of condemnation" targeting Israel.
The proposed strategy: zero automatic funding, replacement of UN functions through bilateral agreements and mission-specific coalitions, and accountability measures including potential terrorism-related sanctions against UNRWA.
Erdan's Trajectory
The UN report adds another dimension to Erdan's post-ambassadorial positioning. As Olam reported, Erdan and Edelstein launched a new right-wing party built around universal national service — a platform the Taub Center, Bank of Israel, and OECD project could unlock NIS 50–70 billion in annual GDP.
Read: Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein May Have Just Launched Israel's Most Important Economic Party
Now Erdan is operating on two tracks simultaneously: building a domestic political vehicle around Israel's economic future, and pushing Washington to sever the institutional framework he spent four years fighting from the inside.
Misgav received approximately $2.3 million in donations during 2024–2025, with most funding arriving anonymously through U.S. nonprofits. The institute frames the withdrawal not as isolation but as strategic realignment: "Disengagement from the UN does not mean America is leaving the world. It means America is leaving failed structures."
For the full communications-industry analysis of Mercury's engagement, see Mercury Public Affairs Hired by Israeli Think Tank to Lobby Washington for Full UN Withdrawal on Everything-PR.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gilad Erdan?
Gilad Erdan served as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations from 2020 to 2024. He has since co-founded a new political party with Yuli Edelstein focused on Israel's economic future and universal national service, and co-authored the Misgav Institute report calling for full U.S. withdrawal from the UN.
What is the Misgav Institute?
The Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy is a Jerusalem-based national security think tank. Its executive director Asher Fredman co-authored the UN disengagement report and testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee. Misgav received approximately $2.3 million in donations during 2024–2025, primarily through U.S. nonprofit organizations.
What does the report recommend?
Three-phase disengagement: end automatic U.S. funding of the UN and require congressional authorization for every contribution, replace UN functions through bilateral agreements and mission-specific coalitions, and enforce accountability including visa denials for UN officials supporting terrorism and potential sanctions against UNRWA.
Who is Mercury Public Affairs?
Mercury Public Affairs is an Omnicom-owned bipartisan consulting and political strategy firm. Misgav retained Mercury for a one-month, $5,000 FARA-registered engagement to distribute the report to Congress, the Abraham Accords Caucus, and executive branch officials.
How much does the U.S. contribute to the United Nations?
U.S. taxpayers provided $14.3 billion to the UN system in 2024 — roughly 28 percent of all government contributions, equal to the combined contributions of 183 other member states, according to the Erdan-Fredman report.
What is Erdan's current political trajectory?
Erdan is operating on two tracks: domestically, he co-founded a new right-wing party with Yuli Edelstein built around universal national service and economic reform. Internationally, he is pushing Washington to sever from the UN system he spent four years engaging from the inside as ambassador.