Jewish Voice for Peace

Stop the Senate from Sabotaging Peace

Three Republican Senators, led by Sam Brownback (R-KS), have introduced a resolution to have Congress declare Jerusalem the "undivided capital of Israel", and even to have Congress declare its refusal to recognize an Palestinian state unless the international community "resolves the status of Jerusalem by recognizing the city as the undivided capital of Israel." the Senators bringing this resolution do not have significant Jewish constituencies, and the vast majority of American Jews do not want the US to prejudice the outcome of an issue they realize Israelis and Palestinians must work out themselves.

While resolutions like this one always fail miserably, but they do so without our representatives hearing from their constituents about how strongly we oppose such measures. As a result, they gain more ground over time. We need to reverse this. Our representatives in Washington MUST hear from us.

Let your Senators know that you want them to actively and forcefully oppose measures like SJR 14. Let them know that as an American concerned for the future of both Israelis and Palestinians, you want the Senate to take a stand against any American actions that make peace harder to achieve. Let them know that you expect the Senate to stand by America's promises that it will back a shared Jerusalem.

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Jerusalem Resolution (Introduced in Senate) SJ 14 IS 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. J. RES. 14 Providing for the recognition of Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel before the United States recognizes a Palestinian state, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 19, 2005 Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself, Mr. CRAPO, and Mr. SMITH) introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations JOINT RESOLUTION Providing for the recognition of Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel before the United States recognizes a Palestinian state, and for other purposes. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This joint resolution may be cited as the `Jerusalem Resolution'. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress makes the following findings: (1) Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years. (2) Jerusalem has never been the capital for any other state other than for the Jewish people. (3) Jerusalem is central to Judaism and is cited in the Tanach, the Hebrew Bible, 766 times. (4) Jerusalem is not mentioned by name in the Koran. (5) Every sovereign nation has the right to designate its own capital. (6) Jerusalem is the seat of the Government of Israel, including the President, the parliament, and the Supreme Court. (7) United States law states as a matter of United States policy that Jerusalem should be the undivided capital of Israel. (8) Israel is the only country in which the United States neither maintains an embassy in the city designated as the capital by the host country nor recognizes such city as the capital. (9) The citizens of Israel should be allowed to worship freely and according to their traditions. (10) Israel supports religious freedom for all faiths. (11) Relocating the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would express the continued support of the United States for Israel and for an undivided Jerusalem. SEC. 3. LOCATION OF UNITED STATES EMBASSY IN ISRAEL. Not later than 180 days before recognizing a Palestinian state, the United States shall move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. SEC. 4. RECOGNITION OF ISRAEL AS UNDIVIDED CAPITAL OF ISRAEL. The United States shall not recognize a Palestinian state until the international community resolves the status of Jerusalem by recognizing the city as the undivided capital of Israel. SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING FREEDOM OF WORSHIP. It is the sense of Congress that the citizens of Israel should be allowed, as a fundamental human right recognized by the United States and United Nations General Assembly resolution 181 of November 29, 1947, to worship freely and according to their traditions.

September 02, 2010

Subject:
Oppose SJR 14

Dear Senator, As your constituent, I am writing to express my strong opposition to the resolution introduced in the Senate this week by Senators Brownback, Crapo, and Smith, SJR 14, the so-called "Jerusalem resolution". I am asking you to take a decisive stand against this and similar resolutions. Jerusalem has long been regarded by the United States, Israel, the Palestinians and the International Community as a "final status" issue which must be resolved between the Israelis and Palestinians. The Senate has a responsibility to help ensure it remains that way. I expect all of my representatives in Congress to work for a just resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, and I want my government to be even-handed in its Middle East policy. Therefore, I expect my representatives to take a strong stand against dangerous and reactionary elements in Congress that would push America toward actions that will make peace impossible to achieve. SJR 14 is one such action. Do not ignore it, but confront it head-on and let the American people see that our Senate is not a fertile ground for such seeds of hate.
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