The Orthodox Union is deeply dismayed over the resumption of the special emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly that is to resume on Tuesday, July 15th. This session will entail a vote on an extremely harsh and dangerous resolution prepared by Egypt and the PLO. Among the negative aspects proposed for consideration by the General Assembly, the resolution includes a request for economic sanctions against Israeli settlements in the “occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem”; a thinly-veiled threat to seek Israel’s suspension from UN activities; and a recommendation that other UN organs, including the professional bodies that have nothing to do with the political arena, be guided by the resolution.

The OU has strongly protested this barrage of one-sided criticisms of Israel to the Secretary General of the UN, the representatives of the European Union to the UN, and to the United States Congress.

The letter to the officials sent by Mandell I. Ganchrow, MD, president of the Orthodox Union and Betty Ehrenberg, director, International Affairs, said, ” As a major American Jewish organization and United Nations NGO, we urge the 15 nations of the European Union to vote against the adoption of this resolution. The United Nations should not convene these emergency sessions nor pass resolutions which demonstrate a pronounced anti-Israel prejudice. This is entirely out of keeping with its presumed character of a fair and just forum for all member states alike. The United Nations should promote the cause of peace by encouraging genuine and serious discussion between the parties and the acceptance of the principle of reciprocity. It should not try to prejudice the outcome of the negotiations with biased and one-sided sessions and resolutions. We note that thus far compliance with the obligations signed by Oslo Accords has been forthcoming only from Israel. We call upon the United States Congress to take into consideration the negative repercussions of these General Assembly resolutions as it considers a level of funding authorized for the United Nations.”

In addition, the Orthodox Union has urged its constituents across the country to contact elected officials and urge them to vigorously oppose this invidious resolution.