August 2021 – Poland: Appeals court overturns ruling against Holocaust historians
The case was Coordinated by Dr. Aleksandra Gliszczyńska-Grabias, who serves as an IJL Board member. The IJL supported this case, also by submitting the Amicus Curie brief to the Court of Appeal
August 2021 Legislation is not enough. Improving Legal Action – With Aleksandra Gliszczynska-Grabias, Dr. Mala Tabory, Avraham Yishai and David Benjamin from IJL
May 2020 Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in the Aid Sector – Policy Paper
In recent years, attention to the problem of sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector has grown and a process to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) has been going on. This policy paper, written by Ido Rosenzweig, aims to help promote the discussion towards a (better) approach for PSEA in the aid sector by addressing potential regulative strategies.
January 2020 – Several members of the Executive Committee of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers (IJL), met today with the Israeli Supreme Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut and her Deputy, Justice Hanan Melcer. During this meeting, Committee members led by IJL’s President Meir Linzen, presented to Justice Hayut and Justice Melcer an overview of IJL’s legal actions to combat antisemitism worldwide. Both Justices thanked our Executive Committee members, and encouraged IJL to keep up our important work.
Octuber 2019 – The International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists deeply mourns the passing of Justice Meir Shamgar, Member of the first IJL Board.
IJL President Adv. Meir Linzen, on behalf of the entire membership, extends profound and heartfelt condolences to his wife, Michal Rubinstein Shamgar, and his children and grandchildren.
December 2018 International Chess competition – Saudi Arabia refused to allow the Israeli chess team to enter the country and attend the world championship competition held there in December 2017. The Association conducted legal research and was in contact with the chair of the Israeli Chess Union as well as with the World Chess Federation (FIDA). These actions led to an agreement to the effect that a similar situation would not occur in future competitions.
January 2018 IJL Statement on the Occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Statement
December 2017 IJL Statement on The Declaration by President Donald J. Trump Regarding Jerusalem
Statement
October 2017 Conference in London on the Balfour Declaration
The IJL is co-sponsoring a conference entitled The Balfour Centenary: A Legal Conference, to be held in London on October 8, 2017. Speakers include Professors Allan Dershowitz, Malcolm Shaw, Robbie Sabel, Guglielmo Verdirame, Natasha Hausdorff and Dr. Gerald Adler. The other conference co-sponsors are the UK Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, UK Lawyers for Israel, the Zionist Federation for Israel, and Balfour 100.
August 2017 IJL Statement on the Israeli Government Kotel Decision
IJL statement on the Israeli Government Kotel decision
June 2017 IJL Letter Regarding the German Pension Law (ZRBG) and Nazi-Era Forced Labor
On March 27, 2017, the IJL wrote to the Chairwoman of the Committee on Labor and Social Affairs of the Bundestag regarding the German pension law which currently excludes Nazi-era forced Ghetto laborers who at the time were under 14 years of age or have not yet completed a 60 month waiting period from qualifying to receive German pensions. The chairwoman replied on April 10, then sent us a declaration dated June 28, signed by several parliamentary groups regarding this issue.
June 2017 Seminar in Vienna on June 20 on the topic of Countering Antisemitism and Hate Crimes and Strengthening the Rule of Law in the Digital Age
Seminar Program
April 2017 IJL Letter and Complaint to FIFA Regarding the Palestinian Football Association’s Breach FIFA Disciplinary Code
IJL to FIFAComplaint
March 2017 Letter to the President of the Human Rights Council
The IJL sent a letter to the president of the UN Human Rights Council on March 28, 2017, regarding the Council’s bias against Israel.
May 2016 Letter to the UN Secretary-General Regarding Iran’s Holocaust Denial Cartoon Contest
On January 18, 2016, and on May 25, 2016, the IJL sent letters to the UN Secretary-General on Iran’s latest Holocaust denial cartoon contest.
May 2016 Letter to the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe
On May 16, 2016, the IJL wrote to Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe regarding the debate held at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in April on the issue of antisemitism. On August 8, we received this reply from the Secretary-General.
August 2016 IJL Newsletter English French Spanish
November 2015 Labeling
The Association sent letters to the 28 members of the European Union, with the assistance of our members in those countries, asking that these EU countries not confirm or adopt labeling of goods produced in the settlements, basing the request on the argument that such labeling contradicts paragraphs in the WTO agreement. Click here for an example of a letter and see these, Document A and Document B, for relevant legal material.
November 2015 Request to the President of the Human Rights Council.
The Association wrote to the president of the Human Rights Council that its reports summarizing violence in the Palestinian Authority did not condemn the current wave of terrorism and demonstrated bias against Israel by showing only the Palestinian point of view in this matter.
November 2015 Seminar in Austria
The Association had a one-day seminar in Austria themed: Opening A Dialogue: Combating Antisemitism Through Legal Means in association with the Ministry of Justice in Austria.
October 2015 Palestinian Bar Association
The Association wrote to the EU Ambassador to Israel bringing to his attention that the PBA, which is financially supported by the EU, awarded an honorary law degree to the terrorist who killed two Jews in Israel towards the beginning of the current wave of terrorism. click to see the letter.
October 2015 Letter to the President of the Human Rights Council
The Association sent a letter to the Human Rights Council on October 29, 2015, in response to the controversial speech of Mahmud Abbas.
November 2015 Publication in the European Union Official Journal
IJL member Marc Levy published “A Note on Interpretative Statement Concerning the Indication of the Origin of Goods from the Territories Occupied by Israel Since June 1967” in the European Union Official Journal on November 11, 2015.
October 2015 IJL Letter to the Human Rights Council In Response to PA President Abbas’s Appearance
On October 28, 2015, the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, appeared before the Human Rights Council (his full speech here: http://webtv.un.org/watch/palestine-special-meeting-of-the-human-rights-council-28.10.2015/4584216179001). The IJL sent a letter to the president of the Council in response to this speech.
March 2015 IJL Statement at the Human Rights Council
Item 7
Item 7
Item 9
February 2015 IJL Letter to ICC Regarding Palestinian Jurisdiction
The IJL wrote to the ICC Chief Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, regarding the Palestinian attempt to create ICC jurisdiction.
January 2015 The IJL Addresses the International Criminal Court
The Association sent a letter concerning the surprising death of Argentinean prosecutor Alberto Nisman to the ICC.
January 2015 Schabas Committee Project
The Association arranged for a delegation of people from Israel’s south to appear before the three commissioners of the Schabas Committee that was established in order to investigate the 2014 Gaza Conflict, despite the fact that the State of Israel chose not to cooperate with this commission. The planning of the project, its executing and further information, appear in the articles below:
http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Israelis-testify-in-Geneva-before-Schabas-commission-388178
http://m.maariv.co.il/HomePage/FrontPage/Article.aspx?id=459870
http://news.nana10.co.il/Article/?ArticleID=1103813&TypeID=0&sid=126
http://www.haaretz.co.il/news/politics/1.2539448
November 2014 IJL Letter to Southampton University
The IJL sent a letter to Southampton University in the UK asking it to cancel its scheduled conference that will deal with Israel’s legitimacy to exist. The university’s response.
November 2014 Letter to New Zealand Radio Station
The IJL wrote to a New Zealand radio station about its broadcast entitled “Israel Apartheid.”
September 2014 IJL Statements at the 27th Session of the Human Right Council
Item 7 – General Debate: The newly established CoI for the Gaza conflict functions under an unclear and ambiguous mandate, that does not name Hamas explicitly, and fails to refer to its responsibility and obligations under international law.
Item 9 – General Debate: the IJL expresses its deep concern regarding the increase of antisemitic incidents in Europe.
September 2014 Letters to British Officials Regarding Antisemitism in Britain
The IJL sent letters to the Scottish Cabinet and Home Secretary in England concerning the number of antisemitic incidents that have occurred in Britain in the summer of 2014 and in particular during Operation Protective Edge, including the level of antisemitic hatred see on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks. The IJL received these responses: 1, 2,3.
August 2014 IJL Letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon
The IJL wrote to Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon requesting an inquiry into the activities of UNRWA in the Gaza Strip due to the reports of improprieties.
August 2014 IJL Addresses the Human Rights Council
The IJL addressed delegates to the Human Rights Council concerning the current situation in Iraq and the atrocities perpetrated by ISIL against the Yazidi minority and other groups.
August 2014 IJL Addresses the Human Rights Council on Operation Protective Edge
1. Irit Kohn’s message to IJL members
2. The IJL addressed the Special Rapporteur on a contemporary form of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance re Turkey’s Antisemitic public statements
3. The Association’s statements regarding the Human Rights Council resolution “The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories including East Jerusalem.”
4. IJL protests the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ statement in light of the on-going hostilities in Israel and Gaza (July 13)
July 2014 IJL President Irit Kohn’s Statement Regarding the Abu Khdeir Murder
Irit Kohn’s wrote to IJL members concerning the murder of the Arab teenager Muhammad Abu Khdeir,
June 2014 Statement on the Murder of Three Israeli Teenagers
The IJL statement on the murder of the three Teenagers in June 2014.
June 2014 IJL Appears Before the Human Rights Council
Item 3 Video
Item 7 Video
Item 9 Video
May 2014, IJL Summary of Argentinian Appeals Court Decision Regarding the AMIA Bombing
IJL’s summary, written by Claudia Caputi, on the Argentinean Federal Court of Appeals decision upholding a petition filed by two Jewish Argentinean organizations, Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) and Delegación de Asociaciones Israelitas Argentinas (DAIA), ruling that the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Argentina and Iran in January 2013 concerning the establishment of a “Truth Commission” to investigate the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires, contravened the Argentinean Constitution.
May 2014 Side Event at the United Nations Regarding UNRWA
Below are the recent publications concerning the IJL and the AAJLJ’s side event on UNRWA held at the UN on May 19:
Jerusalem Post: http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Israels-UN-envoy-UNRWA-fuels-fiction-of-Palestinian-right-of-return-352762
Ma’ariv http://www.thepost.co.il/news/new.aspx?pn6Vq=E&0r9VQ=FHGFL
Channel 7 http://www.inn.co.il/News/News.aspx/276448
Israel Today http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=17579
i24 news: http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy-defense/140520-israeli-un-envoy-blasts-palestinian-refugee-agency
This Ongoing War: http://thisongoingwar.blogspot.co.il/2014/05/19-may-14-will-momentary-focus-on-unrwa.html
Doc’stalk: http://docstalk.blogspot.co.il/2014/05/israeli-un-envoy-unrwa-fuels-fiction-of.html
Commentary: http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2014/05/18/want-peace-change-un-refugee-policy-unrwa-palestinians/
The Tower: http://www.thetower.org/0351-un-side-event-focuses-on-unrwa-prolonging-palestinian-refugee-problem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT5OnRDojAI
Israel’s Voice http://israelsvoice.com/article.php?id=14&c=5&t=1400311850
London & Kirshenbaum –TV interview with Irit Kohn: http://www.tvland.co.il/Display.asp?ID=53650&Q=לונדון
GLZ- radio interview with Irit Kohn: http://glz.co.il/1097-7513-he/Galatz.aspx
May 2014 IJL Letter to the Director-General of the UN Geneva Office Regarding a Roundtable on the Legal Aspects of the Question of Palestine Sponsored by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
IJL Letter
Reply from the UN
IJL Follow-Up Letter
March 2014 IJL Statements to the 25th Session of the Human Rights Council
Genocide
UPR regarding Israel
Item 3 Ouda Seliman Tarabin
Item 4 Syria
Item 7 UNRWA
February 2014 IJL Letter in Support of Panayote Dimitras
Letter to several Greek officials
February 2014 IJL Letter Regarding Vandalism of Copies Anne Frank’s Diaries in 30 Japanese Libraries
Letter to the Japanese Minister of Justice
January 2014 IJL Letter to the British Parliament Regarding UNRWA
IJL letter to the British Parliament concerning UNRWA’s misuse of donations and its ongoing activities against Israel that are inconsistent with its mandate.
January 2014 IJL Letter to the Head of the European Union Delegation to Israel
IJL letter to the head of the EU delegation to Israel regarding the increase of antisemitism in Europe, making reference to the annual survey of the EU’s Agency for Fundamental Rights.
November 2013 IJL Letter to Secretary-General Regarding Khamenei’s Hate Speech Regarding Israel
Letter to the Secretary-General
October 2013 Resolutions from the IJL Annual Conference Held in The Hague
Conference resolutions
October 2013 IJL Letter to the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe Regarding Circumcision
IJL letter to the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe regarding its decision concerning circumcision.
October 2013 IJL Statements at the 24th session at the Human Rights Council
Statements by Adv. Tom Gal:
Item 3 General Debate; Ouda Tarabin (video)
Item 4 Syria (video)
Item 7 UNRWA (video)
Item 9 Racism (video)
July 2013 IJL Letter Polish Minister of Justice
IJL letter to the Polish Minister of Justice after the Polish Constitutional Tribunal prohibited the slaughter of animals under the Jewish and Islamic law.
June 2013 Letter to the Chilean Minister of Justice
IJL letter to the Chilean Minister of Justice asking her to invoke Bulletin No. 7130-07 of the Senate of Chile, in response to a statement made on a Chilean television broadcast that “Jews are not to blame for being a better fuel than wood”.
May 2013 IJL’s Statements at the 23rd Session of the Human Rights Council
Item 4 Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. Click here for the report, here for the statement.
Item 7 Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur
Item 9 Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur, link to the video
Item 9 General Debate, link to the video
May 2013 IJL Human Rights Council Representative’s Report on Briefing By ICC Prosecutor
Report by Adv. Tom Gal, IJL representative to the ICC, on a briefing she attended given by Mrs. Fatou Bensouda, the ICC’s Chief Prosecutor.
May 2013 IJL Letter to the Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
IJL letter to the Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on global antisemitism
Full Council of Europe report Annex 1, Annex 2 and Annex 3
April 2013 IJL Letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Regarding Richard Falk
The IJL sent letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights demanding the removal of Richard Falk from his position as the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 because of his biased approach towards Israel.
April 2013 IJL Continues to Fight for the Release of Ouda Tarabin
The IJL coordinated a letter-writing campaign of its members to Egyptian embassies worldwide on behalf of Ouda Tarabin, an Israeli citizen wrongly sentenced in Egypt at the age of eighteen to 15 years imprisonment on charges of spying. Mr. Tarabin had been in prison over 11 years.
February 2013 IJL Statements to the 22nd Session of the Human Rights Council
Item 5 Women’s rightsVideo
Item 4- Syrian Arab Republic Video
Item 7 Fact Finding Mission IJL’s referral to the report Video Response
Item 7 General Debate Video
Item 9 Protocols of the Elders of Zion Video
January 2013 IJL Letter to Argentinean Officials Regarding AMIA Investigation
IJL letter to the Argentinean Minister of Justice, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and President of the Supreme Court, protesting the establishment of a joint Argentinean-Iranian commission to investigate the AMIA bombing.
October 2012 IJL Letter to the Swedish Minister of Justice Regarding Antisemitism in Sweden
IJL letter to the Swedish Minister of Justice regarding antisemitic attacks in Sweden, in light of the bombing of a Jewish community center in Malmo, Sweden.
August 2012 IJL Letter to the UN Secretary-General Regarding Iran
IJL letter to the UN Secretary-General calling on him to act regarding Iran’s threats to destroy Israel, in contravention of Articles 1 and III(c) of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
August 2012 IJL Letter tot the President of the UN Security Council Regarding Iran
IJL letter to the President of the UN Security Council regarding Iran’s threats to destroy Israel, in contravention of Articles 1 and III(c) of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
August 2012 IJL Letter to the Hungarian Minister of Justice Regarding Antisemitism in Hungary
IJL letter to the Hungarian Minister of Public Administration and Justice regarding the increase of antisemitism in Hungary and the lack of legal means to stop it.
August 2012 IJL Letter to the President of France Regarding the Winter Velodrome Incident
IJL letter to the President of France praising him for his speech at the ceremony commemorating 70 years since the Winter Velodrome incident
July 2012 IJL Letter to the Human Rights Council Regarding Syria
IJL letter to the Human Rights Council supporting the U.S. and the European Union’s action asking it to disqualified Syria from the council’s membership
January 2012 IJL Supports the Ottawa Protocols
IJL resolution supporting the Ottawa Protocol for Combating Antisemitism
January 2012 IJL Statement Regarding Extreme Religious Elements
Statement regarding extreme religious elements.
November 2011 IJL Statement Regarding Iran’s Call for the Annihilation of Israel
IJL Berlin Convention statement regarding the UN reaction to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s call for the annihilation of Israel
November 2011 IJL Berlin Conference Resolutions
Berlin Conference resolutions
June 2010 IJL Letter to the ICRC Regarding Gilad Shalit
IJL letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding Gilad Shalit. Reply from the Red Cross