B’nai B’rith International has issued the following statement:

B’nai B’rith International praises the United Kingdom for amending a law that had previously allowed the issuance of arrest warrants against visiting Israeli politicians under the international legal principle of universal jurisdiction. Through this legislative reform, the United Kingdom has demonstrated its resolve to prevent its judicial system from being abused and manipulated for political motives.

The impetus for this legislative reform came in December 2009 after an arrest warrant was issued against opposition leader Tzipi Livni at the encouragement of pro-Palestinian activists. The warrant was revoked soon after the British government discovered Livni was not visiting the United Kingdom.

In the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Livni said she is “pleased that the warrant issued against me opened Britain's eyes and will put a stop to the cynical use of British legislation against IDF commanders and soldiers… Real justice has been done, and it will distinguish between leaders and commanders who defend their country against terrorism, and real war criminals.”

Also in 2009, pro-Palestinian lawyers attempted to arrest Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak under universal jurisdiction, the international law which allows for states to claim criminal authority over those whose alleged crime is considered so grave it can be tried anywhere. Barak’s status as a cabinet minister gave him diplomatic immunity.

Over the past few years, Palestinian activists have sought arrest warrants for several other senior Israeli civilian and military figures.

Israeli officials must not be subjected to such legally condoned harassment. B’nai B’rith hopes other states with similar regulations will follow in the U.K.’s footsteps in revoking such biased and odious legislation.

Book Signing and Reception for New Book by Cornelia Wilhelm on B’nai B’rith

In the mid-19th century, American Jewish communities experienced profound demographic transformations as an influx of German Jews immigrated to the United States, the Reform movement began to gain traction and Jewish immigrants struggled to reconcile their religious identities with their new lives in America. It was in this context that 12 German Jewish immigrants came together in 1843 to establish B’nai B’rith.

In her new book, “The Independent Orders of B’nai B’rith and True Sisters: Pioneers of a New Jewish Identity 1843-1914,” Cornelia Wilhelm examines B’nai B’rith in the organization’s larger context as an intellectual outlet for German Jews and as a cultural center outside the traditional religious realm of synagogue.

Join us for an exclusive book signing. This event is part of the symposium “Reconsidering the ‘German Jew’ in America: Images and Identities” at Emory University.

WHEN:         Monday, Sept. 19 at 1 p.m.

WHERE:       Marcus Hillel Center
                    Emory University
                    735 Gatewood Road

WHO:          Opening remarks by B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin.

Cornelia Wilhelm will be available to sign books.

B’nai B’rith International praises the United Kingdom for its decision not to attend the commemoration of the World Conference against Racism at the United Nations this month in New York. The event will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the initial conference which was held in Durban, South Africa. Although meant to combat global racism, the conference was reduced to an anti-Semitic and anti-Israel hate fest.

The conference’s initial laudable goal of addressing and combating racism worldwide has been replaced by attempts to isolate Israel by demonizing and delegitimizing the Jewish state.
A review conference, in 2009 in Geneva, featured Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a speaker, and only furthered the public vilification of Israel. This year’s commemoration, by affirming the original Durban Declaration and Programme of Action that had singled out Israel for implied characterization as racist, can unfortunately be expected to yield similar disdain of the ideals it claims to represent.

The United Kingdom joins the ranks of the United States, Israel, Canada, Germany, Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy and The Netherlands in their decision not to attend the conference. B’nai B’rith is hopeful that other nations will follow their example in standing together against an event that promotes intolerance and bigotry.

The B’nai B’rith Board of Governors passed a resolution earlier this year urging all nations to reject the prejudiced objectives of the World Conference.

B’nai B’rith International praises the White House for definitively stating that it would veto any potential U.N. Security Council resolution recognizing Palestinian statehood. The administration has already opposed Palestinian efforts to achieve statehood this month at the United Nations, but this is the first explicit signal that the United States will use its veto power to prevent the statehood bid.

During her Senate confirmation hearings, newly-confirmed Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman declared that, “If any such resolution were put in front of the Security Council, then we would veto it." She said the United States continues to encourage the Israelis and Palestinians to return to the table for peace talks.

“Forced recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations through a unilateral declaration will only continue to marginalize Israel’s standing at the world body and further the conflict in the Middle East,” said B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs.

B’nai B’rith has long opposed using the United Nations as a venue for promoting unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. Elevating the Palestinians to a “nonvoting observer state” would bypass legitimate peace talks and only continue to isolate Israel.

“We thank Undersecretary Sherman for clearly stating our country’s plan of action in the face of an expected Palestinian unilateral declaration of statehood,” B’nai B’rith Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin said. “We hope this will persuade other nations that the only path to peace is through direct, bilateral negotiations.”

Rosalind Klein of Northridge, Calif., was elected senior vice president of B’nai B’rith International. This is Klein’s second term in the post. She served four years, starting in 2002, when she became the first woman in B’nai B’rith history to become an international senior vice president.

She is filling the vacancy left by former Senior Vice President Gary P. Saltzman of Centennial, Colo., who was recently appointed and confirmed as chairman of the executive.

Klein has a long and active history with B’nai B’rith International, serving the organization in myriad positions. Most recently, she has served as national leadership chair, with the task of increasing participation in the organization, especially among women.

Active in all aspects of B’nai B’rith, Klein recently helped ensure a Los Angeles-area award dinner was a great success by inviting guests, contacting political leaders to serve on the tribute committee and obtaining a proclamation entitled, “Certificate of Congratulations” from Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for honoree Alan J. Fuerstman, Montage Hotels & Resorts founder and chief executive officer.

Klein is actively involved in B’nai B’rith’s partnership with Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi, and also serves on the Executive Committee, the Board of Governors, is a member of the Henry Monsky Foundation, the Strategic Planning Committee and is a trustee of the B’nai B’rith Foundation of the United States. She has been chair of both the Center for Senior Services and the Label A. Katz Young Leadership Awards committee.

Recently, Klein chaired and moderated a highly successful program on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Klein brought this program to the West Coast, found a partner organization and created a set of accompanying educational materials. Klein also chaired the B’nai B’rith leadership training weekend in Tucson, Ariz., in September 2010. The program is a vital give-and-take opportunity for leaders at B’nai B’rith housing units worldwide to share best practices.

Klein has represented B’nai B’rith on an international level, traveling to the B’nai B’rith Australia/New Zealand district convention in Canberra, Australia.

In 1988, she and her husband helped found a married couples unit in Southern California. In 1994, Klein was named one of 150 Outstanding Volunteers in the Los Angeles area on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of B’nai B’rith.

Klein has been married for 47 years to Howard S. Klein. They have two children and two grandchildren. Until 2004, Klein managed the Law Offices of Howard S. Klein.

B’nai B’rith International applauds Germany’s decision not to participate in the 10th anniversary commemoration of the World Conference against Racism at the United Nations in September in New York. Writing to The Jerusalem Post, a German spokesman stated that Germany “cannot rule out that the Durban commemoration event in New York will be misused for anti-Semitic statements, as was the case in previous conferences.”

The upcoming event will commemorate the 2001 conference in Durban, South Africa, whose intention was to address and combat racism. It was instead reduced to a racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Israel hate fest, which further isolated the Jewish state in the international community.

The 2009 Durban Review Conference only furthered the vilification of Israel. Germany was among the 10 countries that decided to not attend that conference. By affirming the original Durban Declaration and Programme of Action that had singled out Israel for implied characterization as racist, this event can unfortunately be expected to yield similar disregard of the ideals it claims to represent.

Germany joins the ranks of the United States, Canada, Israel, the Czech Republic, Italy, The Netherlands, Austria and Australia in their decision not to attend the conference. B’nai B’rith calls on other nations to follow their example in standing together against an event that promotes intolerance and bigotry.

Panel Commissioned by U.N. Secretary-General Upholds Israeli Self-Defense as Legitimate

B’nai B’rith International welcomes the finding of a United Nations “panel of inquiry,” led by former New Zealand Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer, that Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and the May 31, 2010, Israeli flotilla raid seeking to violate it were justified.

In contrast with a separate U.N. Human Rights Council “fact finding mission” that had prejudged Israel as guilty, both Israel and Turkey participated in the Palmer panel, commissioned by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The report suggested that the Turkish government could and should have done more to prevent the maritime provocation by the Turkish extremist group IHH.

This report finally validates and vindicates Israel’s right to defend itself.

The Mavi Marmara was one of six so-called humanitarian ships that had attempted to break through a blockade meant to prevent weapons-smuggling into Hamas-controlled Gaza. The report does, however, unfairly criticize as “excessive and unreasonable” the force the Israel Defense Forces used while intercepting the Turkish Mavi Marmara ship—a vessel on which Israeli naval commandos were assaulted.

“Whatever efforts it undertakes in self-defense, Israel is inevitably accused of employing disproportionate force,” said B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs. “The fact that violence did not ensue on other ships headed for Gaza demonstrates that Israeli soldiers never sought confrontation, but were, in this instance, forced into it. The report exposes last year’s flotilla as another example of reckless political gamesmanship.”

Israel instituted its blockade of Gaza in response to the actions of Hamas: the control that terrorist group has seized in the coastal territory and its incessant rocket attacks on the Jewish state. At the same time, Israel facilitates importation of humanitarian supplies and materials vital to the area’s residents, and had offered to receive goods from the ships at a safe port and truck them into Gaza.

“Israel responded legally and professionally to the security threat to Israeli citizens that these ships posed,” said Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin. “This report is a positive first step in correcting the record at the United Nations that has been bent on vilifying Israel.”

Israel itself established a public commission, led by former Israeli Supreme Court Justice Jacob Turkel, to conduct an exhaustive investigation into the flotilla episode. The body found that Israel’s military acted in accordance with international laws and practices.

B’nai B’rith International lauds Austria which, according to a report from The Jerusalem Post, chose to not participate in the 10th anniversary commemoration of the World Conference against Racism at the United Nations in September in New York citing “doubts about the content and direction of the conference.”

The upcoming event will commemorate the 2001 conference in Durban, South Africa, whose intention was to address and combat racism. It was instead reduced to a racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Israel hate fest, which further isolated the Jewish state in the international community.

The 2009 Durban Review Conference, which featured Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a speaker, only furthered the vilification of Israel. This year’s commemoration, by affirming the original Durban Declaration and Programme of Action that had singled out Israel for implied characterization as racist, can unfortunately be expected to yield similar disdain of the ideals it claims to represent.

Austria joins the ranks of Canada, Israel, the United States, the Czech Republic, Italy, The Netherlands and Australia in their decision not to attend the conference. B’nai B’rith calls on other nations to follow their example in standing together against an event that promotes intolerance and bigotry.