

To: Young Israel Branch Membership From: Stephen M. Greenberg, Chairman

Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO

Jewish Leaders Express Deep Regret

And Reject US Abstention In UN Security Council

Friday, December 23, 2016, New York, NY... Stephen M. Greenberg, Conference Chairman, and Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, expressed their deep disappointment and rejection of the United States' abstention on the anti-Israel resolution the United Nations Security Council. “There is no justification or explanation that validates the United States failure to veto the one-sided, offensive resolution adopted by the Security Council today. The United States vote will be seen as a betrayal of the fundamentals of the special relationship that will nevertheless continue to mark the close ties between the peoples of the two countries. The Security Council action is in keeping with the long established pattern of anti-Israel bias and discrimination that permeates the United Nations and its agencies. This was acknowledged in recent days by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, who called for an end to the practice of singling out Israel and subjecting it to constant condemnation and criticism with the worst violators of human and civil rights and international law sitting in judgement of this courageous democracy," said the Jewish leaders.



“The resolution further marginalizes the United Nations and is a stain on the name and reputation of each country that voted for it. Every honest and objective observer can clearly see that it is Palestinian rejectionism that blocks progress in the peace process. The Security Council has abetted this obstructionism by allowing Chairman Abbas to resort to the international body in an effort to avoid the responsibilities that would be entailed in direct negotiations with Israel. While the damage is done, we hope that remedial measures can be adopted in the future that will bring a moral context, honest assessment, and clear vision for a more positive future than we saw today.”



We stand with the people and government of Israel on the eve of the Hanukah holiday which marks the first battle for religious freedom that regrettably continues until today. Moreover, the age old story of Hanukah puts the lie to the efforts of Chairman Abbas to deny the connection of the Jewish people and the Jewish state to their ancient home-land and which denigrates thousands of years of Judeo-Christian history and heritage. We remain committed to the search for a just and lasting peace which has been made more complicated and more distant by the Security Council’s action.