Dear YPO Global Board of Directors,

In light of the recent statement released from the Global Chairs regarding the recent events in Israel/Palestine, we strongly advocate for an immediate revision of the statement.

As a non-profit organization, it is the board's fiduciary duty to represent its member base in a balanced and unbiased manner. In omitting the mention of Palestine or Palestinians, the Board is taking sides at the expense of its Palestinian and Arab member base.

The self-contradictory nature of the statement has led to further misunderstandings and resulted in the opposite effect of what was intended. Needless to say the statement stands starkly against the YPO Code of Conduct.

It's crucial, especially in sensitive matters, that every part of a statement carries the same tone and message to ensure uniformity and clarity.

When discussing issues of significant concern, particularly those involving conflicts, it is imperative that the language used is neutral and refrains from pointing fingers or naming specific parties. This approach not only preserves the dignity and respect of all parties involved but also avoids potential escalation or further misunderstandings.

Given these reasons, the statement should be revised, taking in account the perspective of all parties involved. The intention should be to provide a clear, unbiased, and comprehensive perspective on the matter, without inadvertently favoring or undermining any side.

We hope our concerns will be taken into serious consideration and treated with utmost urgency.

Warm Regards,
The undersigned YPO members and spouses

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Original statement release by Global Chairman and Deputy Chairman of YPO Global of Board of Directors.

"To the YPO Community,

As the current Global Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the YPO Global Board of Directors, we are reaching out to our members in response to this weekend's attack on Israel and the subsequent violence.

We are aware that YPO members have experienced loss, are fearful for family and loved ones and are concerned about escalating violence in the region. We share the heartbreak of those impacted and the two of us are praying for our members and for all of humanity. We know that many of our members and their families are working hard to bring peace and prosperity in their own countries. Now more than ever, the world needs better leaders, and members of the YPO community are uniquely positioned to drive positive change.

In response to these events, we have already seen large numbers of our members engaging with many different humanitarian organizations. That is the kind of leadership we have come to expect from our members, within our many communities, on countless causes every year.

YPO was created 73 years ago for one specific reason to support one another without judgment. Our principle aim is to support our members. At a time like this, where pain, sadness, anger and fear may be overwhelming, we hope that you are surrounded by people who listen and support you, and as a YPOer, we hope you lean into your forum.

We support our members passionately and respectfully speaking out for peace and conflict resolution. We have members from more than 140 countries, who represent a wide variety of languages, religion, and cultural customs bound by a shared set of values. With that in mind, we want to reiterate to our members that YPO has a very clearly defined Code of Conduct, to which every member agrees annually upon membership renewal. Fostering hatred or conflict within our community, or using YPO as a platform to seed political division, is not acceptable.

While WhatsApp groups and other similar communication channels are an efficient way for our global membership to connect, these channels can prove a poor medium of expressing our shared respect.

Our hearts are broken and we are praying for all YPOers and the global community. We have received hundreds of messages and calls today on this topic and we are actively engaged in supporting those who need it. Please join us in praying for our members and their families at this very difficult time. YPO will continue to monitor the situation and the well-being of our members.

Sincerely,

Raymond Watt (YPO Pacific West), YPO Global Chairman Sofyan Almoayed (YPO Khaleej), YPO Global Deputy Chairman"