Watch Livestream on Monday, Sept. 8, at 11 a.m. NY / 5 p.m. Geneva / 6 p.m. Jerusalem

B’nai B’rith President Robert Spitzer and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:

On the opening day of the new United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session on Sept. 8, B’nai B’rith International and Justice for Jews from Arab Countries (JJAC) will hold an event at the Palais des Nations, the U.N.’s European headquarters in Geneva, on the plight of former Jewish refugees from Arab and Muslim countries.

At a time when some governments internationally are preempting bilateral talks and agreement on final-status issues by unilaterally recognizing Palestinian statehood—and as U.N. bodies have long spoken only about the claims of one-time Palestinian refugees and their descendants—the Sept. 8 program will heighten awareness of the experience of Middle Eastern Jews.

Over the course of mere decades in the 20th century, most Middle Eastern lands were collectively emptied of some 99% of their Jewish population, pushed out by expulsion and persecution in one of modern history’s most dramatic but little-recognized mass displacements. The number of displaced Jews in the Middle East—a region to which they were indigenous for millennia—exceeded that of Palestinian Arab refugees.

Next week, JJAC will release research on the extent of Jews’ individual and communal material losses during their forced exodus. B’nai B’rith is committed to ensuring equal respect for Jews’ human rights by the international community.

As a humanitarian organization with a long history in Israel and Arab countries alike—and a consistent supporter of peace and coexistence between them—B’nai B’rith will also highlight enduring potential for reconciliation and cooperation in the region.

The forthcoming U.N. discussion, with opening remarks and moderation by B’nai B’rith U.N. and Intercommunal Affairs Director David Michaels, will feature presentations by Sylvain Abitbol, JJAC co-president; Henry Green, professor of religious studies at the University of Miami and director of Sephardi Voices; Levana Zamir, president of the International Organization of Jews from Egypt; and Stanley Urman, JJAC executive vice president.

B’nai B’rith, an active and accredited nongovernmental organization at the U.N. since the era of its founding 80 years ago, also plans to make relevant interventions at the UNHRC during this month’s session 

The Sept. 8 program will be livestreamed here.