The EJP, together with more than 30 Jewish organizations and collectives, have signed a letter of support to Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories.
Francesca Albanese has long been under attack from politically motivated organizations such as UN Watch, who have campaigned to silence her and damage her human rights mandate. The campaigns have aimed to protect the Israeli government from being held responsible for violations of international conventions and UN resolutions, as well as from criticism in general.
Unfortunately, some politicians in various Western countries have continued these smear campaigns by accusing Francesca Albanese of anti-Semitism. The Jewish groups that are signatories to the letter of support reject the accusations as unfounded.
The Jewish signatories strongly condemn the shameful diplomatic and military support to Israel that many Western governments have given to the ongoing campaign of mass killing of Palestinian civilians and destruction of all the foundations of life in Gaza. Further, the signatories condemn the use of accusations of anti-Semitism to shut down any criticism of Israel, including against UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese and the UN more generally.
The cynical use of the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, which conflates criticism of Israel with hatred of Jewish people, is problematic both because it ignores and downplays the dangerous antisemitism of the far right, and because it inaccurately conflates the state of Israel with the Jewish people, thus endangering Jews.
The only path to security for all is a human rights-based approach and a reaffirmation of the international legal order through consistent enforcement of international law. Exactly what Francesca Albanese stands for and encourages.
Signatories to the letter
- A Different Jewish Voice (Netherlands)
- Antizionist Jewish Alliance in Belgium (Belgium)
- Boycott from Within (Palestine/Israel)
- kollectif doykait (Switzerland)
- Decolonizer (Belgium)
- Een Andere Joodse Stem (Belgium)
- European Jews for a Just Peace (Europe)
- European Jews for Palestine (Europe)
- IfNotNow Toronto (Canada)
- Independent Jewish Voices (Canada)
- International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (Argentina)
- International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (Spain)
- International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (UK)
- Israelis Against Apartheid (Israel/Palestine)
- Jewish Call for Peace (Luxemburg)
- Jewish Voice for Labour (UK)
- Jews for Justice for Palestinians (UK)
- Jews for Palestine (Ireland)
- Jøder for Retfærdig Fred af 5784 (Denmark)
- Jødiske Stemmer for Rettferdig Fred (Norway)
- Judeobolschewiener*innen (Austria)
- Judeus pela Paz e Justiça (Portugal)
- Jüdische Stimme für Demokratie und Gerechtigkeit in Israel/Palästina (Switzerland)
- Jüdische Stimme für gerechten Frieden im Nahen Osten (Germany)
- Junts Associació Catalana de Jueus i Palestins (Spain)
- MARAD, Collectif juif decolonial (Switzerland)
- Nahlieli – Jews For Justice In Palestine (Finland)
- Tsedek! (France)
- Union des progressistes juifs de Belgique (Belgium)
- Union juive française pour la paix (France)
- United Jewish People’s Order (Canada)