Wiesenthal Centre to OECD: “Withdraw Your Auspices from Women in Parliament Global Forum in Amman that Excluded Israeli Delegation.”
May 4, 2016
| “Jordanian Parliament Speaker made clear that banning the Israeli delegation was a prerequisite for holding the Summit in Jordan.” Paris, 4 May 2016 In a letter to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Secretary-General, Angel Gurria, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre’s Director for International Relations, Dr.Shimon Samuels, expressed shock “on learning that the OECD had granted its auspices to the Women in Parliament (WIP) Global Forum that opened today in the Jordanian National Assembly, on condition that all Israeli women M.P.’s or political leaders be excluded.” The letter reported that the WIP website announces that more than 400 female Members of Parliament and Governments from around 80 countries are participating, including Lithuanian President and Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders, Dalia Grybauskaite. WIP’s prestigious Advisory Board includes former Foreign Ministers of Spain Ana Palacio and Austria Benita Ferrero-Waldner, current UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and Assistant Secretary-General to the United Nations Lakshmi Puri.” http://www.womeninparliaments.org/partners/ Samuels noted that “the Jordanian House of Representatives Speaker, Atef Tarawneh, made clear that banning the Israeli delegation was a prerequisite for hosting the Summit in Jordan". He addied “we will not permit any delegation who usurped our land, kills our children and breaks into our religious sites to enter the dome of Jordan’s Parliament" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkGOGlOKSd8 See also http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/hosting-int%E2%80%99l-parliament-forum-sign-jordan%E2%80%99s-distinguished-stature-%E2%80%94-tarawneh#sthash.75hMIk1U.dpuf The Centre registered amazement that “these august women leaders accepted the exclusion of their Israeli peers with equanimity,” continuing, “Israel is a member of the OECD, and we urge you to stand by one of your member-states by publicly withdrawing your auspices from this Amman exercise in discrimination and bigotry.” “OECD declares among its Core Values the pledge that its 'credibility is based on trust, integrity and transparency’. The good name of the OECD has no place in a tribune based upon blackmail,boycott and appeasement’, concluded Samuels. For further information, please contact Shimon Samuels at 00 33 609 770 158.
|
- Regional Offices
- Los Angeles
- New York
- Midwest US
- Southern US
- Toronto
- Jerusalem
- Paris
- Buenos Aires
