(New York, NY) — On September 24, 2024 a coalition of 37 leadership organizations in the American Jewish and legal communities (listed below), called on the law firm of Covington & Burling in a letter to withdraw its sponsorship of the American Branch of the International Law Association’s (ABILA’s) “International Law Weekend” (October 24-26, 2024).
This request is a result of the ABILA’s steps over the past year to honor and promote Navi Pillay, chair of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Israel and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Pillay has consistently used her platform at the United Nations to further a contemptible discriminatory agenda against the Jewish people and the State of Israel.
CEO of StandWithUs, Roz Rothstein, stated: “The ABILA should be ashamed of its willful and continued endorsement and promotion of Pillay’s legal and moral stature. By sponsoring the ABILA’s International Law Weekend, Covington & Burling will appear as though it falls in line with the ABILA’s decision to honor Pillay, despite her contributions to modern-day antisemitism on the world stage.”
In 2023, the ABILA sought to present Pillay with its Outstanding Achievement Award at its International Law Weekend (ILW). Three major law firms admirably withdrew their names as sponsors of ILW 2023 after they were apprised of the award.
Despite omitting Pillay’s name from the program, the ABILA still conferred her the award. On July 2, 2024, the ABILA produced another event, “In Conversation with Navi Pillay,” in order to celebrate her work and her “2023 ABILA Outstanding Achievement Award for her longstanding dedication to international law.”
Pillay’s record includes the following:
Signatories: StandWithUs, World Jewish Congress – North America, B’nai B’rith International, Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting & Analysis, American Association of Jewish Lawyers & Jurists, Simon Wiesenthal Center, Shurat HaDin Law Center, American Jewish Congress, Israeli-American Coalition for Action, NGO Monitor, National Jewish Advocacy Center, Zionist Organization of America, Zachary Legal Institute, Jewish War Veterans of the USA, Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel, Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, StandWithUs Center for Legal Justice, Hasbara Fellowships, Stop Antisemitism, Endowment for Middle East Truth, Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, Deborah Project, Eagles’ Wings Ministries, Israel Christian Nexus, Human Rights Voices, Women’s International Zionist Organization, UK Lawyers for Israel, Proclaiming Justice to the Nations, South African Friends of Israel, South African Zionist Federation, Club Z, Israel Peace Initiative, Jewish Women International, Jew Belong, American Jewish International Relations Institute — B’nai B’rith International, A Wider Bridge, Combat Antisemitism Movement.
About StandWithUs
StandWithUs (SWU) is an international, nonprofit and non-partisan Israel education organization that works to inspire and educate people of all ages about Israel, as well as challenge misinformation and fight against antisemitism.
Through university fellowships, high school internships, middle school curricula, conferences, materials, social media, educational films and missions to Israel, StandWithUs supports people around the world who want to educate their schools and communities about Israel.
Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Los Angeles, the organization has chapters and programs on six continents, including throughout the U.S., in Israel, the UK, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Argentina and the Netherlands.
For the last eleven years, SWU has consistently received the highest possible ratings from Charity Navigator and Guidestar, two charity watchdog groups that assess hundreds of thousands of charities in the United States.
www.standwithus.com and www.facebook.com/standwithus and www.twitter.com/standwithus and www.instagram.com/standwithus.com
StandWithUs is an international, non-partisan education organization that supports Israel and fights antisemitism. StandWithUs empowers and energizes students and communities with leadership training and educational programs on hundreds of college campuses, high schools, and middle schools. StandWithUs informs through social media, print and digital materials, films, weekly newsletters, and missions to Israel. StandWithUs takes legal action through the StandWithUs Saidoff Legal Department. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Los Angeles, the organization has chapters and offices throughout the U.S., Israel, the UK, Canada, Brazil, Argentina and Australia. More at www.standwithus.com.
