The Jewish communities of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) region continue their work on explaining the position of the Congress on the upcoming UN vote about the Palestinian request for membership. The Jewish leaders turn to the foreign affairs ministries and the leadership of their countries with calls not to support the gamble pressed by the Palestinian leadership upon the global community.

On September 14, the co-chairmen of the Jewish community of Moldova Alexander Biliniks and EAJC General Council member Alexander Pinchevsky wrote a letter to Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat. The letter reads: “The Jewish community of Moldova is seriously concerned that this step of the Palestinian leadership might lead to a new aggravation of the situation in the Near East. Even more worrisome is the possible escalation of violence in the region. We are certain that a stable and just peace in the Near East is achievable, but it is possible only with a mutually acceptable treaty, which considers the interests of both sides. [...] The Jewish community of the Republic of Moldova believes that the decision of a unilateral proclamation of the Palestinian state creates a dangerous precedent, which may then influence other countries. This decision, not being the result of a two-sided agreement, may hold far-reaching consequences. For all of the reasons listed above, the Jewish community of Moldova requests that you support the position of the USA and Israel at the UN General Assembly.”

On September 19, VAAD Ukraine Chairman, EAJC General Council Chairman Josef Zisels sent a letter to President of Ukraine Victor Yanukovich, Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov, and Verkhovna Rada spokesman Vladimir Litvin. The VAAD statement reads: “VAAD Ukraine, which represents the interests of almost three hundred Jewish organizations and communities of Ukraine, expresses deep concern with the upcoming UN GA review on the unilateral proclamation of a Palestinian state. VAAD Ukraine believes that any attempt to acknowledge the Palestinian state by the United Nations before the conclusion of direct peace talks will destabilize the situation in the Near East and might lead to an armed conflict. [...] The unilateral proclamation of the Palestinian state is a gross violation of the agreement reached earlier, and are a great throwback for the peace process. If the situation develops as outlined above, the responsibility for the aggravation will be not only on the Palestinians, who decided to make this provocative step, but also on those who supported it.”

 

The letter especially stresses that “VAAD Ukraine is thankful to the Ukrainian leadership for always holding a clear position in the Israel-Palestine conflict, and has spoken out many times for this conflict to be regulated only through mutual agreements, and also called for the sides to refrain from any kind of one-sided actions that might lead to an escalation of the conflict.”

 

In concluding his letter, Josef Zisels expressed hope that “the Ukrainian delegation at the UN General Assembly will once again consistently hold their multiple-times confirmed position on the regulation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict only through peaceful direct negotiations, and will not allow for the vote to provoke an armed conflict in the Near East.” The VAAD statement and other analytical materials were given to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with other materials during the meeting of EAJC leaders, Jewish community leaders, and the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavel Klyamkin.