Hundreds of CUFI supporters in the UK have contacted Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, within the first few hours of launching a campaign in response to last week’s anti-Israel vote at the United Nations, in which the UK shamefully voted in favour.
The adopted resolution on Jerusalem (document A/71/L.22) was voted in favour by 149 nations, including the United Kingdom. The United States, Canada and, of course, Israel were among the seven nations that voted against it.
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CUFI-UK is urging supporters to email Mr Johnson with a pre-filled email expressing dismay at the UK’s decision to support the anti-Israel resolution that undermined Israel’s existence and legitimate rights to the city of Jerusalem. The email asks to clarify the UK Government’s position on this matter and calling upon them to put pressure on the UK representation at the UN.
The resolution, which was voted on Wednesday 29 November, reiterated the UN General Assembly’s determination that any actions taken by Israel, the “occupying power”, to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Holy City of Jerusalem were illegal and therefore null and void and had no validity whatsoever, and called upon Israel to immediately cease all such illegal and unilateral measures.
The document also referred to a previous 2001 resolution stating that “all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, the occupying Power, which have altered or purported to alter the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, in particular the so-called “Basic Law” on Jerusalem and the proclamation of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, were null and void and must be rescinded forthwith”
The resolution also significantly referred to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount only as “Haram al Sharif”, hereby denying the Jewish connection.
CUFI-UK Executive Director, Des Starritt, says, “The statement of the resolution is completely flawed. Israel is not the occupying power – they own the land. Jerusalem is the capital city of Israel and Israel does have jurisdiction over its own capital. Furthermore, the Jewish historical connection to the Temple Mount precedes Islam. This UN resolution does only harm to the peace process.”
In 2017, Israel will be marking 50 years since the reunification of Jerusalem. We also expect moves by the new United States administration to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem. At the same time, we anticipate that Palestinian leadership will be manipulating the international community to further undermine the Jewish connection to Jerusalem. That is why showing your support for Jerusalem as the eternal, undivided capital of Israel is so important.”
