Some 32 countries wrote a letter to a committee of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in support of Israel’s bid to have the international body recognise Yom Kippur as an official holiday.

The letter, dated 30 June, was sent to the General Assembly’s Committee on Conferences and calls for Yom Kippur to be recognised beginning in 2015. The letter says that: “The UN recognises the major festivals of many of the world’s main religions, yet Judaism is not represented.

“We believe that the UN’s calendar should reflect the organisation’s founding principles of coexistence, justice and mutual respect. We urge the UN to correct this inequity and recognise the holiest day of the Jewish faith,” the letter stated.