[pjw] UPDATE: Merkeley's staff "looking into" Israel embassy move

[Peace and Justice Works]

PJW supporters
On Friday we received what looked like a form letter from Sen. Jeff 
Merkley about our calling him out for supporting moving the US embassy 
from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

On closer inspection at last night's Iraq Affinity Group meeting,* I 
realized he was saying he'd heard from other people and is having staff 
look into the issue. Since this is the person who looked into Trump's 
practice of putting immigrant children in cages, I think this may be more 
than a "move along, nothing to see here" email. You decide-- I've pasted 
his reply above our original email, below.

By the way it says "Dear Peace and" because I put our name in as "Peace 
and" "Justice Works" in the online form.

--dan handelman
peace and justice works iraq affinity group

*- heads up, we're going to experiment for a while with the IAG meetings 
moving to the (bear with me here) Tuesday after the second Monday of each 
month. This is so that on months that begin on Tuesdays, I don't end up 
with back-to-back Portland Copwatch and IAG meetings. So the next meeting 
will be Tuesday, April 13 at 7 PM, and meetings will then always be on the 
9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th or 15th (third Tuesday) after that.

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Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2021 12:58:21
From: Senator Jeff Merkley <Senator_Merkley at Merkley.senate.gov>
To: pjw at pjw.info
Subject: In response to your email
Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley


Dear Peace and,

Thank you for contacting me to share your concerns about maintaining the 
United States Embassy in Jerusalem. I appreciate you raising this issue 
with me.

Thanks to your message and correspondence from fellow Oregonians, who have 
also expressed concerns, my staff is taking a closer look into this 
matter.

Again, I have made note of your points and appreciate your input. I hope 
you will continue to send your observations and thoughts my way.

All my best,

Jeffrey A. Merkley
United States Senator
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2021 14:36:13
From: Peace and Justice Works <pjw at pjw.info>
Subject: [pjw] LETTER to OR Senators: Vote to support US embassy in Jerusalem
     illegal

PJW supporters

We just sent the below message to both Senators Ron Wyden

https://www.wyden.senate.gov/contact/email-ron

and Jeff Merkley

https://www.merkley.senate.gov/contact .


Feel free to share, and to send your own letters if you agree that their vote 
last week was inappropriate.

dan handelman
peace and justice works


Senators Wyden and Merkley:

We were very disappointed to read that the Senate voted almost unanimously to 
keep the US' Israeli embassy in Jerusalem, and more so that each of you were 
among the "yes" votes. The move from Tel Aviv violated international norms and 
sent a clear signal that the US was not interested in a meaningful solution to 
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.


https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/us-embassy-in-jerusalem-wins-bipartisan-senate-support-in-near-unanimous-vote/ar-BB1dpWzw

This is in contradiction to both a UN Security Council and separate General 
Assembly Resolution.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 478 (1980) notes that Jerusalem is 
part of the occupied territories and condemned Israel for declaring it the 
capital. The US abstained on this vote.

United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES.10/L.22 (2017) voided the 
legitimacy of Jerusalem as the capital after the US declared they would 
recognize it. This Resolution passed 128-9, with the US among the only nine 
countries in the world voting against it.

Moreover, even the United Arab Emirates, which was coerced by President Trump 
to recognize Israel in exchange for military gear, is planning to open its 
diplomatic headquarters in Tel Aviv.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/24/uae-cabinet-approves-establishing-embassy-in-tel-aviv

We urge you to take public feedback, check in with international partners 
including the United Nations, and raise the issue again in the Senate in order 
to reverse the US' unlawful decision and keep open the possibility of a just 
and lasting solution that is fair to the Palestinian people.

dan handelman and other members of
peace and justice works
portland, or