House Resolution 185 was
adopted today at 10 AM PST. This Resolution recognizes,
for the first time, the rights of Jews, Christians, and
other minorities who became refugees as a result of the
Arab-Israeli conflict. The Resolution asks the President
to ensure that in all international forums, when the
issue of "Middle East refugees" is discussed, US
representatives will ensure that any explicit reference
to Palestinian refugees is matched by a similar explicit
reference to Jewish and other
refugees.
We believe this Resolution will
produce a more balanced and accurate historical account,
and ultimately, a more just resolution to the
Arab-Israeli conflict.
This bi-partisan effort was
spearheaded in the House of Representatives by Rep.
Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) along with Rep. Ileana
Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL); Rep. Michael Ferguson (R-NJ); and
Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY). We are indebted to former
Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, who was a strong supporter of the
Resolution.
With the passage of this
Resolution, Rep. Nadler stated, "We believe that as a
member of the Quartet, and in light of the U.S. central
and indispensable role in promoting Middle East 'just
peace', the U.S. must reaffirm that it embraces a just
and comprehensive approach to the issue of Middle East
refugees."
"Discussions of Middle Eastern
refugees invariably focus exclusively-and
shortsightedly-on the plight of those of Palestinian
descent," said Rep. Ros-Lehtinen. "Far fewer people are
aware of the injustice faced by Jewish refugees from
Arab lands and Iran. Many Jews saw their communities,
which had existed vibrantly for centuries systematically
dismantled. They lost their resources, their homes, and
their heritage sites, fleeing in the face of
persecution, pogroms, revolutions and brutal
dictatorships."
Rep. Mike Ferguson said that
there was very strong bi-partisan support for this issue
which recognizes, "the plight of hundreds of thousands
of Jewish refugees who were displaced from countries in
the Middle East, Northern Africa and all around the
Persian Gulf." Congressmen Ferguson acknowledged that
the U.N. has never recognized Jewish refugees, and that
this,"is completely unacceptable and long over due, and
this is one of the things this Resolution seeks to
address."
Copy of the Resolution
Photos from the House Vote on
H.Res.185
