Congressman Lamborn Leads Letter to Secretary of State Blinken Concerning Two Upcoming United Nations Resolutions

Washington, D.C.- Today, the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, sent a letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, expressing their concern about two resolutions that will be voted on by the United Nations General Assembly.

1) The annual resolutions that approve the continued function and activities of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) and;
2) Division for Palestinian Rights (DPR).

In the letter, the Co-Chairs stated, "Israel is subjected to a yearly barrage of hostile actions and condemnations by the UNGA. While most of these actions are simply declaratory without significant consequences, two are of critical importance, namely the annual resolutions that approve the continued functioning and activities of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP), and the Division for Palestinian Rights (DPR). These two money-wasting institutions do nothing to advance the cause of peace and, on the contrary, represent a significant obstacle to reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians."

They continued, "Fortunately, support for these dubious entities has been declining steadily. Last year, only 91 countries voted in favor of continuing the work of CEIRPP and only 82 in favor of DPR—in each case, considerably less than half of the UNGA membership. This reflects a growing recognition among governments that CEIRPP and DPR's brand of biased criticism against Israel, which is based on standards not applied to any other UN member state, are unproductive and do nothing to promote peace."

"We appreciate that the US, year in and year out—under the Administrations of both parties—strongly opposes these resolutions. We believe it is time to move more rapidly toward retiring CEIRPP and DPR and ask the Department of State to make that a diplomatic priority: to urgently press other countries with whom we cooperate to join us in voting against these harmful resolutions," the Co-Chairs concluded.

"This year, the United Nations will consider resolutions that could finally terminate two anti-Israel United Nations bodies: the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) and the Division of Palestinian Rights (DPR)," said Congressional Israel Allies Caucus Co-Chairman Congressman Doug Lamborn. "These two institutions are uniquely nefarious among UN bodies, serve only to undermine the state of Israel, and undercut constructive pathways to peace. As co-chairs of the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, Representatives Steve Chabot, Chris Smith, and I encourage the United States to vigorously oppose this reauthorization resolution and invite other nations to do the same."

Additionally, the letter was sent to government officials in Bahamas, Barbados, Congo, Croatia, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nauru, Panama, Palau, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Surname, Togo, Uganda, Vanuatu, and Zambia.

Read the full letter here.