Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

(NJDC) On Friday, Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), and Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) led a group of sixty House members -- all but four of whom were Democrats -- in writing to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan pressing for an unambiguous, formal United Nations denunciation of Iran's recent call for Israel to be "wiped off the map." In sending the letter, Rep. Waxman noted, "There must be a stronger condemnation considering Iran's support for terrorist groups that attack Israel, and its determination to develop nuclear weapons and obtain long-range missiles capable of striking Israel."

Dear Mr. Secretary-General:

We commend you for swiftly rejecting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's virulent and unprovoked threats against Israel. We urge you to also work for strong U.N. action to hold Iran accountable for its disregard of international law.

During his October 26, 2005 speech at the "World without Zionism" conference in Tehran, President Ahmadinejad called for Israel to be "wiped off the map" and led group chants of "death to Israel." His deplorable comments were a blatant violation of Article 2 of the United Nations Charter, which maintains the sovereign equality of U.N. Members, and a further escalation of previous Iranian threats to use nuclear weapons against the Jewish State. 

At the conference, President Ahmadinejad also appeared beside Sheikh Hassan Nesrallah, leader of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization that operates out of Lebanon. Together they called for violence against Israel and threatened those in the international community working to achieve a two state solution and a peaceful end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The event coincided with a terrorist attack in Northern Israel by Islamic Jihad, another Iranian-sponsored terrorist organization.

The danger of Iran's rhetoric and its terrorist claims are only underscored by its efforts to obtain long-range missles and to develop a nuclear weapon in violation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The Iranian leadership's open beligerance is a grave matter that must be dealt with decisively by the U.N. leadership.

While the U.N. Security Council has issued a press statement condemning the Iranian President's comments, it is necessary for the U.N. to formally respond as an institution and consider all appropriate recourses to rebuke Iran for its actions. Iran must recognize that there are consequences for its hostile behavior and U.N. which has a long history of unfair treatment of Israel, must speak out loudly and clearly in support of its existence.

Sincerely,

Henry A. Waxman, Allyson Y. Schwartz, Pahm Emanuel, Gene Green, Linda T. Sanchez, Alcee L. Hastings, Hohn Shimkus, Howard L. Berman, Edward J Markey, Doris O. Matsui, Jim Costa, Joseph Crowley, Brian Higgens, Michael R. McNuffy, Jerrold Nadler, Mark Steven Kirk, Mike Ross, Zoe Lofgre, Gary L. Ackerman, John Lewis, Robert W. Ney, Susan A. Davis, Robert Menendez, Nite M. Lowey, Corolyn B. Maloney, Dan Burton, Chris Van Hollen, Sanford D. Bishop Jr., Rush D. Holt, Carolyn McCarthy, Barney Frank, Michael M. Honda, Diane E. Watson, Bob Etheridge, Shelly Berkley, Lloyd Doggett, Ike Skelton, Anthony Weiner, Eliot L. Engel, Adam B. Schiff, Tim Holden, Michael F. Doyle, Steve Israel, Jim Matheson, Tim Bishop, Martin T. Meehan, Artur Davis, Frank Palone Jr., Steve R. Rothman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Sander M. Levin, George Miller, Gregory W. Meeks, Brad Sherman, Rose L. DeLauro, Betty McCollum, Kendrick B. Meek, Charles A. Gonzalez, Benjamin L. Cardin, and Tom Lantos.

Members of Congress