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Letter to Hon. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations - Bipartisan Task Force Urges UN to Appoint Senior-Level Official to Combat Anti-Semitism

Letter

By: Chris Smith, Eliot Engel, Ted Deutch, Randy Weber, Sr., Marc Veasey, Brian Mast, Nita Lowey, Kay Granger, David Cicilline, Brad Sherman, Brian Fitzpatrick, Lee Zeldin, Steve Scalise, Mark DeSaulnier, Kathy Castor, David Trone, Dan Crenshaw, Albio Sires, Brendan Boyle, Greg Murphy, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Pete King, Jim Costa, Kathleen Rice, Joshua Gottheimer, Grace Napolitano, Lucy McBath, Scott Perry, Joe Wilson, Sr., Paul Mitchell, Conor Lamb, John Rose, Carolyn Maloney, Guy Reschenthaler, Michael McCaul, Troy Balderson, Thomas Suozzi, Donald Bacon, Dusty Johnson, Derek Kilmer, Anthony Gonzalez, Doug Lamborn, Francis Rooney, Chris Pappas, Mark Meadows, Steve King, Dave Joyce, Robin Kelly, Jackie Walorski, Rodney Davis, Chrissy Houlahan, Mark Walker, Bob Latta, Joe Cunningham, Nydia Velázquez, Denver Riggleman III, Juan Vargas, Will Hurd, Steve Stivers, Susan Wild, Elise Stefanik, Jim Banks, Haley Stevens, Jerry Nadler, Eleanor Norton, Madeleine Dean, Mario Diaz-Balart, Ralph Norman, Jr., Max Rose, Ross Spano, David Schweikert, John Ratcliffe, Lois Frankel, Susan Davis, Anthony Brown, Ken Calvert, Ron Wright, Jack Bergman, Carol Miller, Colin Allred, Alcee Hastings, Sr., Dan Lipinski, Charlie Crist, Jr., Ted Yoho, Andy Kim, John Sarbanes, Bill Foster, Grace Meng, Roger Marshall, Ted Budd, Ken Buck, John Katko, Morgan Griffith, Greg Steube, David Kustoff, Dean Phillips, Jim Hagedorn, Scott Tipton, Brian Babin, Bill Johnson, Andy Barr, Barry Loudermilk, Brad Schneider, Brad Wenstrup, Jennifer Wexton
Date: Jan. 27, 2020
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Foreign Affairs

Dear Mr. Secretary-General,

As Members of the U.S. House of Representatives who care deeply about the scourge of anti-Jewish hate, we have watched with horror the increases in anti-Semitic incidents, rhetoric, and violence, both here in the United States. and around the world. During Hanukkah in 2019, Jews in and around New York City were brutally beaten up and stabbed in a string of violent anti-Semitic attacks.

We write to express our deepest appreciation to the United Nations for releasing the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief's report, Combatting Antisemitism to Eliminate Discrimination and Intolerance Based on Religion or Belief. We are grateful for the leadership and commitment of the Special Rapporteur, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, whose thoughtful research made this historic report possible.

The report finds that most countries in the world have few, if any, methods for monitoring hate crimes, which is further compounded by the fact that many victims do not report their experiences. Additionally, it addresses the claims that the objectives, activities, and effects of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement as fundamentally anti-Semitic. It also underscores what we have long believed -- that anti-Semitism is "toxic to democracy." All too often, communities that accept anti-Semitism are equally accepting of other forms of discrimination and bias-based hate.

The Special Rapporteur proposes several recommendations that different sectors can take to combat anti-Semitism. Under the report's recommendation for the United Nations System, it suggests that the Secretary-General should consider appointing "a senior-level focal point in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General with responsibility for engaging with the Jewish communities worldwide, as well as for monitoring antisemitism and the response of the United Nations thereto."

We strongly urge you to implement this recommendation, as we believe the appointment of a senior-level leader -- similar to roles that have been created in the United States, European Union, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom -- would enable the United Nations to take significant steps in the fight against hatred of the Jewish people.

We look forward to learning more about your policy initiatives and thank you for your consideration of this request.


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