We must strongly object to this initiative. The Fourth Geneva Convention was designed after the horrors of the Second World War to protect civilian persons in time of war. Today, more than 97% of the Palestinian population of the West Bank and Gaza Strip is under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, in accordance with the Oslo Accords. This measure is therefore not aimed at improving the conditions of the Palestinians, but is clearly a political step towards the condemnation of Israel.

Since 1949, the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention have never convened the conference regarding any conflict worldwide. Not Cambodia, nor Bosnia, nor Rwanda and Somalia. The very fact that a Convention created after the Nazi atrocities in Europe is being used against Israel is an outrageous distortion. But this anti-Israel initiative is now creating a mechanism that will be a precedent for politicized application of the Geneva Convention to any conflict. This does not only threaten Israel -- many international humanitarian institutions and UN member states could be the targets of these sorts of politicized initiatives. The effectiveness of human rights defense mechanisms will be seriously undermined.

The goal in convening the Fourth Geneva Convention is to attack Israel for building in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Choma. The UN resolution makes claims about Israeli non-compliance with the Wye Memorandum, which is false. Israel has already implemented parts of the Wye Memorandum, but since the Palestinian Authority has violated the Memorandum continually, particularly with respect to its security obligations, Israel has had no choice but to wait until the Palestinians have lived up to their part of the agreement. This was part of the step-by-step modality of the Wye agreement which mandates that steps of the agreement be taken incrementally, as each stage is fulfilled. It is the PA which has flagrantly violated its obligations, not Israel.

We urge all our members to work vigorously against the convening of this Convention. Letters should be sent or calls should be made to the fifteen nations of the European Union and to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The European Union, which voted for the resolution, is very influential and affects the voting patterns of many UN member states. Representatives of other countries with whom you maintain contact should be contacted as well, since all countries have a vote.

The Orthodox Union urges you to communicate immediately with these missions by telephone or telegram or fax expressing strong opposition to this move. Attached please find a list with addresses and telephone numbers of the ambassadors representing EU nations at the UN as well as the others mentioned above. If there are European or other consuls general located in your community, we urge you to contact them as well. In addition, contact your Congressmen and Senators to convey a strong opposition to this extremely dangerous move. They should be reminded that the negative results of this anti-Israel initiative could be applied to other nations or humanitarian institutions.

Please contact you Senators and Representatives at the following addresses:

Honorable (Senator)
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Honorable (Representative)
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

You can also call 202-224-3121 and ask for you Senator or Representative.

For more information, please call 212-613-8124.

RBS