March 30, 2015 — Washington, D.C.
AJC is urging the Virginia State Bar to reconsider its decision to cancel plans to hold its 2015 Midyear Legal Seminar in Israel. The cancellation, according to the Washington Post, came in response to a petition by some state bar members protesting Israeli security procedures regarding visitors.
“We urge the Virginia State Bar to reconsider its decision and work with Israeli authorities to ensure appropriate treatment of its members upon entering the country,” said Alan Ronkin, AJC Washington Region Director. “Israel must balance its security needs with its commitment to fair and equal treatment of all. There were other options that the Bar could have taken and we strongly urge them to do so.”
As Virginia House Speaker William J. Howell pointed out in a letter to the state bar, the decision to cancel “is inconsistent with the policy of the Commonwealth and sends the wrong signal about our relationship with Israel.” Israel and Virginia share common values as well as deep social and economic ties. Howell urged the state bar to reconsider its decision.
