Opinion Editorials, July 2011

National Organizations Call on Obama Administration Not to Veto Palestine UN Membership

Al-Jazeerah, CCUN, July 19, 2011

Washington, DC --

The US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation launched today an open letter with 10 additional national organizations calling on the Obama Administration not to veto Palestine's United Nations membership application in the Security Council.

The letter cites a 1949 pledge made by the U.S. Representative to the General Assembly "that the United States would not use its right of veto in the Security Council on any membership application."  The signatories reminded the Obama Administration that "Palestinians have waited more than 63 years for their human rights. We urge you--do not set a timetable for Palestinian freedom by vetoing Palestinian membership in the United Nations."

The US Campaign is seeking 100 organizational endorsements and 10,000 individual petition signatures on the letter before delivering it to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice. (Click here to view the letter.) Palestine's UN membership application could come up for debate in the Security Council as early as July 25.

Josh Ruebner, National Advocacy Director of the US Campaign, stated:
"Rather than arm twist Palestinians to return to the biased and fundamentally flawed U.S. negotiating table in exchange for giving up their UN membership application, the Obama Administration should stop obstructing and undermining Palestinian efforts to attain their rights. Palestinians are determined to seek UN membership as a way toward achieving freedom and self-determination and it is wrong for the United States to stand in their way."

Joining the US Campaign as original signatories of this open letter are:

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee;

American Jews for a Just Peace;

American Muslims for Palestine;

CODEPINK Women for Peace;

Fellowship of Reconciliation;

Friends of Sabeel—North America;

Interfaith Peace-Builders;

Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD)—USA;

Jewish Voice for Peace; and Peace Action;

The US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation.

The US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation is a national coalition of more than 350 organizations working to end U.S. support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid and change U.S. policy toward Palestine/Israel to support human rights, international law, and equality.

For additional information see www.endtheoccupation.org.

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editor@aljazeerah.info & editor@ccun.org