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 Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy retained Mercury Public Affairs to deliver a report calling for phased American withdrawal from the United Nations — directly to Congress and the Trump administration. Former Israeli UN ambassador Gilad Erdan co-authored it.
Misgav Retained Mercury Public Affairs for a One-Month, $5,000 FARA-Registered Engagement
The Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy — a Jerusalem-based national security think tank led by executive director Asher Fredman — retained Mercury Public Affairs, one of Washington's most connected lobbying firms, owned by Omnicom. The engagement: one month 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 Report: "From UN Bureaucracy to American Global Leadership"
The report was co-authored by Gilad Erdan, Israel's former ambassador to the United Nations (2020–2024), and Asher Fredman, Misgav's executive director. Fredman testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on July 22, 2026.
Erdan did not found, direct, or run the Misgav Institute. He co-authored the report through it — adding the weight of a four-year UN ambassadorship to a think tank product designed for Washington delivery.
The full report is publicly available: Read the full study here.
$14.3 Billion in U.S. Taxpayer Contributions — 28% of All UN Government Funding
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 condemnation machinery 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 Two-Track Post-Ambassadorial Strategy: Domestic Politics and Washington Influence
The UN report adds a second dimension to Erdan's post-ambassadorial positioning. Erdan and former Knesset Speaker Yuli 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's Funding: $2.3 Million, Mostly Through U.S. Nonprofits
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 — arguing that disengagement from the UN means leaving failed structures, not leaving the world.
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
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.
Did Gilad Erdan found or run the Misgav Institute?
No. Erdan co-authored the report through Misgav. The institute is led by executive director Asher Fredman. Erdan brought the credibility of a four-year UN ambassadorship to a think tank product designed for Washington delivery.
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.
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. Erdan co-authored the Misgav Institute's report calling for full U.S. withdrawal from the UN — but does not own, direct, or run the institute.