Protest at US Refusal of Visa to UK Palestine Representative
Ambassador William S Farish
20th October 2002 Dear William S Farish, We are writing to protest strongly that Mr Afif Emile Safieh, Palestinian General Delegate to the UK and to the Holy See, was refused a visa to the USA where he was scheduled to speak at an International Conference on the "Christians of the Holy Land" to be held on Friday and Saturday 18 and 19 October in the National Presbyterian Church-4101 Nebraska Avenue NW-Washington DC 20016. Mr Safieh is an honourable, highly respected and greatly valued diplomat representing the Palestinian people here in the UK, whose work is greatly appreciated by all, among them many in the Jewish community who are concerned with the wellbeing of the Israelis, as well as of the Palestinians. All those who have been working for peaceful coexsistence between Israelis and Palestinians and between the Palestinian and the Jewish communities here in Britain have enjoyed many years of fruitful co-operation with Mr Safieh and the Palestinian delegation under his leadership. Your government's decision to deny Mr Safieh entry to the USA does nothing to promote a resolution of the bloody conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. It achieves nothing but merely demonstrates the bias of the American government towards this conflict - backing Sharon but pushing aside diplomats like Afif Safieh, who could have been the backbone of fruitful negotiation, had the USA honestly wished to facilitate such a process - thus ruling the USA out as an honest broker in this conflict. As Jews and Israelis, we are appalled and shocked by this behaviour of the American authorities, as we realise that this fruitless and damaging attitude will continue to jeopardise the chances of our families in Israel ever leading a normal life, at peace with our neighbours, the Palestinians. Yours faithfully JustPeace UK
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