To: President Donald Trump
A Petition to President Obama on the Issue of Palestine
March, 24, 2013
Dear President Obama,
We, the undersigned, applaud many of the points that you made in your recent speech in Jerusalem on March 21st, 2013. In that speech you rightly noted the need for peace and justice in Palestine. You noted the existence of Israel, and ALSO the pressing need for a viable Palestinian state. The UN resolution that divided Palestine in 1947 explicitly provided for two states—it is long past time that a Palestinian state become a reality. As you rightly noted, “peace is the only path to true security,” and, “Palestinians have a right to be a free people in their own land.”
Sadly, it is clear from past and recent events that great rhetoric and reasonable stances will not necessarily move the Likud government of Israel in the direction needed for peace. If your vision is to become reality, we need to create some real pressure on Israel to resume serious peace negotiations. To that end, at the beginning of your first term you rightly called for a freeze on Israeli settlement activity. Unfortunately, in the absence of any real consequences, Netanyahu’s Likud government was able to get away with simply refusing to comply and thereby unilaterally derailed new negotiations.
This situation cannot be allowed to continue. In Jerusalem you said, “There is no question that the only path to peace is through negotiation.” We believe that is true. That is why we, the undersigned, take serious issue with your assertion in almost the same breath that, “the United States will oppose unilateral efforts to bypass negotiations through the United Nations.”
As you noted, Israel has “a true partner [for peace] in President Abbass and Prime Minister Fayyad.” In seeking greater recognition for Palestine in the UN, this same Palestinian leadership merely sought to create pressure on the current Likud government of Israel to finally restart negotiations. Your characterization of it as an effort to “bypass” negotiations is counterproductive and we sincerely urge you to reconsider your position on this point.
You have often noted that real change comes from below—that sometimes people must push their leaders to do the right thing. We agree—and sometimes we also need to push leaders of other countries to change as well. The American people chose you from all its people to lead this nation. In taking on that unique role, you did not cease to be one of “the people.” So just as “we the people” must do our part, you, as one of us, must also find a way to bring your vision for peace into being.
A final point needs to be made. Sadly, many of the actions of your predecessors have seriously called into question the ability of the United States to serve as an “honest broker” on the Palestinian issue. Years of the US policy of privileging Israel’s interests over those of the Palestinians have not yet led to peace. It is time for a real change. So, in one area in particular, it would be useful at this point for the US to step back from ANY action as Israel’s current leadership begins to take in what your plea for peace and a viable Palestinian State really mean. That area is US action in the UN.
Therefore: to help bring about your vision for a just and comprehensive peace that results in a viable Palestinian State (along the lines laid out in previous US backed, UN resolutions) and in recognition of the fact that the US Ambassador to the United Nations serves solely at the discretion and direction of the President of the United States:
We, the undersigned, hereby respectfully urge you:
1.) to immediately instruct the US Ambassador to the UN to abstain from vetoing any resolutions that are aimed at helping Palestine obtain recognition as a full member of the UN.
2.) and further, to instruct the US Ambassador to the UN to abstain from vetoing resolutions with regard to the issue of Palestine that are aimed at holding Israel accountable for demonstrable violations of existing international law.
We feel that your instructions to this effect are the very least you can do to demonstrate American resolve on this issue. With deepest respect for your vision of peace, and a sincere wish that we all succeed in bringing your vision to fruition, we are, yours truly:
Dear President Obama,
We, the undersigned, applaud many of the points that you made in your recent speech in Jerusalem on March 21st, 2013. In that speech you rightly noted the need for peace and justice in Palestine. You noted the existence of Israel, and ALSO the pressing need for a viable Palestinian state. The UN resolution that divided Palestine in 1947 explicitly provided for two states—it is long past time that a Palestinian state become a reality. As you rightly noted, “peace is the only path to true security,” and, “Palestinians have a right to be a free people in their own land.”
Sadly, it is clear from past and recent events that great rhetoric and reasonable stances will not necessarily move the Likud government of Israel in the direction needed for peace. If your vision is to become reality, we need to create some real pressure on Israel to resume serious peace negotiations. To that end, at the beginning of your first term you rightly called for a freeze on Israeli settlement activity. Unfortunately, in the absence of any real consequences, Netanyahu’s Likud government was able to get away with simply refusing to comply and thereby unilaterally derailed new negotiations.
This situation cannot be allowed to continue. In Jerusalem you said, “There is no question that the only path to peace is through negotiation.” We believe that is true. That is why we, the undersigned, take serious issue with your assertion in almost the same breath that, “the United States will oppose unilateral efforts to bypass negotiations through the United Nations.”
As you noted, Israel has “a true partner [for peace] in President Abbass and Prime Minister Fayyad.” In seeking greater recognition for Palestine in the UN, this same Palestinian leadership merely sought to create pressure on the current Likud government of Israel to finally restart negotiations. Your characterization of it as an effort to “bypass” negotiations is counterproductive and we sincerely urge you to reconsider your position on this point.
You have often noted that real change comes from below—that sometimes people must push their leaders to do the right thing. We agree—and sometimes we also need to push leaders of other countries to change as well. The American people chose you from all its people to lead this nation. In taking on that unique role, you did not cease to be one of “the people.” So just as “we the people” must do our part, you, as one of us, must also find a way to bring your vision for peace into being.
A final point needs to be made. Sadly, many of the actions of your predecessors have seriously called into question the ability of the United States to serve as an “honest broker” on the Palestinian issue. Years of the US policy of privileging Israel’s interests over those of the Palestinians have not yet led to peace. It is time for a real change. So, in one area in particular, it would be useful at this point for the US to step back from ANY action as Israel’s current leadership begins to take in what your plea for peace and a viable Palestinian State really mean. That area is US action in the UN.
Therefore: to help bring about your vision for a just and comprehensive peace that results in a viable Palestinian State (along the lines laid out in previous US backed, UN resolutions) and in recognition of the fact that the US Ambassador to the United Nations serves solely at the discretion and direction of the President of the United States:
We, the undersigned, hereby respectfully urge you:
1.) to immediately instruct the US Ambassador to the UN to abstain from vetoing any resolutions that are aimed at helping Palestine obtain recognition as a full member of the UN.
2.) and further, to instruct the US Ambassador to the UN to abstain from vetoing resolutions with regard to the issue of Palestine that are aimed at holding Israel accountable for demonstrable violations of existing international law.
We feel that your instructions to this effect are the very least you can do to demonstrate American resolve on this issue. With deepest respect for your vision of peace, and a sincere wish that we all succeed in bringing your vision to fruition, we are, yours truly:
Why is this important?
Action the President can take to make his vision of peace in the Middle East, and a viable Palestinian state a reality. The petition specifically calls for new directions for President Obama to give the US Ambassador to the UN.