To All American Citizens:
Is anyone willing to help Shoshannah Walker continue to fight for Jerusalem?
Following is a letter to Benjamin Gilman
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE (House of Representatives)
Chairman Benjamin Gilman
2170 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C.
20515
202-225-2035 fax 202-225-2541
FAX TO: The Honorable Congressman Benjamin Gilman
I am writing this letter to call your attention to
the disturbing situation which exists in this government regarding the
'Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act' (public Law 104-45), which, although
it became law on Nov. 8, 1995, is being ignored by the State Department.
In addition, two House Bills (one of which was proposed
by yourself), H.R. 1298 and H.R. 2832, concerning United States policy
with respect to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and to record a place
of birth as Jerusalem, Israel, for purposes of United States passports
and birth certificates, have been languishing in the Committee on International
Relations for months.
Sadly, either the State Department has not been duly
informed of this legislation, or it is choosing, unlawfully, to defy it.
When I called the Country Desk for Israel at the State Department recently,
to inquire about adjusting my childrens' birth certificates to read, 'Jerusalem,
Israel', I was told that United States policy is non-recognition of Jerusalem
as even a part of Israel, notwithstanding its being the capital. The official
then told me that there are also other requests for documents to record
place of birth as 'Jerusalem, Palestine', that my request is no more valid
than theirs, and that the State Department has been issued orders to remain
neutral on the status of Jerusalem while negotiations are ongoing.
In fact, they are not being neutral, but are taking
sides against Israel, their friend and ally, who has the right to decide
on its own capital. My children, by the way, were born in Jerusalem before
the existence of the Palestinian Authority, and there were, therefore,
no ongoing negotiations at that time. Is it not time now to act more forcefully
to reverse the anti-Israel discriminatory practices of the State Department?
As this Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act is the law of the land, and with
it United States recognition of Jerusalem as being the undivided capital
of Israel, it is unthinkable that State Department personnel continue to
mislead the public and articulate unlawful and anti-American policies.
I urge you, please, to move positively on the Jerusalem bills now waiting
in your committee, and to act decisively, now that you are aware of the
disgraceful situation which exists in our State Department.
To: senator_al@damato.senate.gov
ATTENTION: Please brief Senator D'Amato on this letter
so that he is aware
Dear Senator D'Amato
My name is Shoshanna Walker, and, at the suggestion
of Peggy Weinstein, president of the 'Jewish Political Caucus', I am appealing
to you for your assistance with the following important matter:
My two children, Ayelet Walker, and Avichai Ben-Shmuel,
were born in Jerusalem, Israel on July 25, 1985 and September 13, 1986,
respectively, during the eleven years that I was living there. Since
I returned to my native New York in 1989, I have become increasingly aware
of Israel's political situation, the unfair and disrespectful treatment
of Israel by most of the world, and the continuous efforts of Congress
to rectify this, at least domestically.
According to the texts of The Jerusalem Embassy Relocation
Act (Public Law #104-45), Concurrent Resolution #HCON 60 EH ("Relating
to the 30th anniversary of the reunification of the City of Jerusalem"),
and Bill #HR 2382 IH ("Concerning U.S. Policy with respect to Jerusalem
as the capital of Israel"), which I have read, it is my understanding that
it is stated as a matter of United States policy that Jerusalem is the
undivided capital of Israel. If I am correct, then I have the right,
as a U.S. Citizen, to have my childrens' American birth certificates (Certification
of an American citizen born abroad) amended to include the word 'Israel'
(Jerusalem, Israel) as their place of birth.
However, when I called the Country desk for Israel
at the State Department, the official with whom I spoke told me that my
request was no more valid than other requests for a birth certificate to
say, "Jerusalem, Palestine." He also told me that official U.S. Policy
is not to recognize that Israel even has sovereignty in Jerusalem, and
that he was not aware
This matter has caused me the utmost distress.
I feel it needs your immediate attention. Please let me know if I
am entitled, according to existing legislation, to have my request honored.
Assuming that my understanding of the legislation is correct, please intervene
on my behalf, or advise me how to proceed in accomplishing this.
Up to this point, I have been given the "run around", resulting in extreme
frustration.
Thank you in advance for your attention.
Yours truly,
Shoshanna Walker
(sign)
FROM: Shoshanna Walker
Dear Congressman Gilman:
From: shoshannawalker rosewalk@concentric.net
Subject: Request
September 2, 1998
of it before his speaking engagement on September
13
that Congress had passed legislation stating the opposite.
e-mail rosewalk@concentric.net
Come back to this site for more
details. Let's all do our utmost to assist Shoshanna
in having this problem solved
once and for all!
Yerushalayim Shelanu!
