​​Dear High Representative Federica Mogherini,
 
On behalf of B’nai B’rith International’s more than 100,000 members and supporters around the world, we write you regarding your upcoming Foreign Affairs Council meeting with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmud Abbas on 22 January in Brussels.
 
We are the world’s oldest and leading Jewish Human Rights organization with a history of 175 years, that has been engaged in the region since the founding of the State of Israel, and is closely working together with International Organizations and world leaders since then to support the peace process and a two state solution.

We urge you and the EU Foreign ministers to address the following crucial aspects in your meeting with Abbas this Monday:
 
Following US President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the Jewish State’s capital, where the freedom to worship for all religions has always been protected by Israel, Palestinian Leader Abbas has once again denied the 3000 year old connection of the Jewish people to the State of Israel, calling Israel in a speech on January 14 in Ramallah a “colonialist enterprise that has nothing to do with Judaism” and directly incited to violence by encouraging armed resistance against the ‘colonialist entity: “if you have weapons, go ahead. I’m with you, and I will help you”.

Abbas also used 345 Million US Dollars in 2017 alone to pay pensions and salaries to convicted terrorists and their ‘families of martyrs’. This amounts to over half of the annual financial aid by the international community that is being misused to sponsor convicted terrorists.
 
B’nai B’rith’s main goal is the facilitation of direct negotiations between the parties to the Middle East conflict, which Abbas has categorically refused to engage in for many years.

We strongly believe that the incitement and funding of terror and violence, the denial of Israel’s existence and right to self-determination, the misuse of EU funds and refusal to engage in any peace talks with Israel are the primary obstacles to peace.

Honorable High Representative, for the sake of much needed progress in the Middle East peace process, we urge you to address these crucial issues laid out in this letter in your upcoming meeting with Abbas.
 

​Sincerely,

​
Gary P. Saltzman                                                  Daniel S. Mariaschin                                    Benjamin Nägele                       

​President                                                      Executive Vice President and CEO                      Director EU Affairs