April 11, 2006 – New York – The American Jewish Committee has praised the decision of the Council of the European Union to suspend assistance to the Hamas-led Palestinian government. At the same time, in a letter to Javier Solana, secretary general of the council, AJC welcomed the European body’s decision to continue providing humanitarian assistance.

AJC has long supported a negotiated two-state solution. “We continue to hope that responsible Palestinian leadership will ultimately emerge, and that a peaceful coexistence will one day take root between Israel and the Palestinians,” wrote AJC President E. Robert Goodkind and Executive Director David A. Harris.

The full text of the AJC letter to Javier Solana follows:

His Excellency Javier Solana

Secretary General/High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy

Council of the European Union

Dear Javier:

We are writing to express the American Jewish Committee’s appreciation for the decision adopted yesterday by the Council of the European Union to suspend assistance to the Hamas-led Palestinian government.  We thank you for your personal role in this important decision. We also welcome the Council’s decision to continue the provision of humanitarian assistance to meet the basic needs of the Palestinian people through non-governmental channels.

Ursula Plassnik, President of the Council, said in a statement after the adoption of the decision that the European Union’s “aim is to see all parties contribute to a positive development in the Middle East by peaceful means.” We fully share this sentiment. As you know, we have long supported a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with two states living side by side in peace and security. Regrettably, the recent victory by Hamas in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections presents a major setback to the prospects of peace.  We continue to hope, nevertheless, that responsible Palestinian leadership will ultimately emerge, and that a peaceful coexistence will one day take root between Israel and the Palestinians.

We firmly believe that the international community must remain consistent and united in its stance toward Hamas – dealing with it only if it agrees to recognize Israel’s right to exist, to abandon terrorism, and to respect existing agreements and obligations.  Any deviation from these principles, which have been set by the Quartet, would only strengthen the radicals who are opposed to peace, and further marginalize moderates.  The European Union can – as it has since the Palestinian elections – play a crucial role in preventing any erosion in the international community’s united stance on this issue.

We have always valued our relations with the European Union and with you personally. We fondly remember our meetings with you in the past, and look forward to our continued cooperation in advancing trans-Atlantic understanding and the cause of peace in the Middle East and around the world.

Respectfully,

E. Robert Goodkind, President

David A. Harris, Executive Director