Press Releases and Statements

"With his vast experience in international affairs and as an advisor to presidents, Ambassador Schifter gave a boost to AJC’s diplomatic efforts, especially in matters related to the United Nations,” said AJC CEO David Harris. “In the State Department, in the White House, and at the UN, Dick was a passionate advocate for American leadership, for the security and well-being of Israel, for Soviet Jews seeking freedom, and for the defense of human rights.”

An initiative launched by academics and AJC Central Europe voicing concern over the nomination of Dr. Przemysław Czarnek MP as Poland’s Minister of Education and Science has brought together universities, NGOs, popular publicists, and religious leaders to send a clear message that experimenting with education is unacceptable. A statement supported by 122 intellectuals was published by Poland’s top online media outlets.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) commended California Governor Gavin Newsom for vetoing today AB 331, a bill that would have required students across the state to complete an ethnic studies course for high school graduation.

The urgent task before the country is to decouple the courts, and especially the Supreme Court, from raw partisan politics. Supreme Court appointments are a Presidential prerogative. They should not be fodder for presidential campaigns.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) is launching a global campaign to bar Iran from participating in the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. “Iran’s record of abuse against its own athletes is abysmal,” states the public letter to International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach that is the centerpiece of the AJC effort.

AJC mourns the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who loomed large over the American legal landscape for more than half a century, including, notably, her service on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (1980-1993) and the Supreme Court (1993-2020). She was 87 years old.

American Jewish Committee (AJC), in coordination with Israeli Flying Aid (IFA), is providing tents for thousands of people in Chad who have lost their homes in massive floods.

Ambassador Nathan Sales, the U.S. State Department’s Coordinator for Counterterrorism, announced today on an American Jewish Committee (AJC Advocacy Anywhere program that Hezbollah weapons caches, including significant stores of ammonium nitrate, have been discovered and destroyed across Europe.

American Jewish Committee (AJC), the leading global Jewish advocacy organization, saluted today’s signing at the White House of the Abraham Accords, formalizing the normalization of relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, and between Bahrain and Israel. AJC CEO David Harris and Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson attended the signing ceremony on the White House South Lawn. Isaacson has led AJC engagement with Bahrain, the UAE and other Arab countries in the region for more than 25 years.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) praised the Kingdom of Bahrain for its momentous decision to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel – capping years of increasingly public contacts and affirmations of shared interest between the countries’ leaders.

Beit Berl College, one of Israel’s top colleges of education, has been making strides. “Ninety-nine percent of our haredi students graduate with a bachelor’s of education degree, essential for professional advancement and higher salaries,” says Orit Lehrer Kanfo, director of Beit Berl’s Center for Haredi Educators.

In the past decade, a number of pundits talked about Israel’s growing isolation under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. To the contrary, I have repeatedly said that Israel’s diplomatic position globally has been on the upswing.

-- In celebration of the relationship between America’s Black and Jewish communities, and in opposition to antisemitism and racism, the National Urban League and American Jewish Committee are partnering to designate the week of September 7th Black-Jewish Unity Week. The hashtag #BlackJewishUnity will be used to promote the unity week’s themes and programs to strengthen Black-Jewish understanding and joint advocacy.

American Jewish Committee (AJC), which for more than 25 years has advanced understanding and fostered cooperation between Arab states and the Jewish people, today announced its plans to open an office in the United Arab Emirates.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC) welcomed the State Department’s announcement today that it would lift the U.S. arms export restriction of non-lethal defense equipment and services to the Republic of Cyprus for a full year.

American Jewish Committee (AJC), in a new position paper on QAnon, is urging government and civil society to strongly respond to the group’s antisemitic pronouncements and conspiracy theories. “In a time of rising antisemitism and growing distrust and division in the United States, the QAnon worldview must be condemned in the strongest terms,” said Holly Huffnagle, AJC U.S. Director for Combating Antisemitism, who wrote the AJC position paper

American Jewish Committee (AJC) Philadelphia welcomes the NAACP decision to remove Minister Rodney Muhammad as head of the organization’s Philadelphia branch, and replace the entire local leadership.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) is dismayed that California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 1460 (Weber)

American Jewish Committee (AJC) will host a series of panel discussions on key policy issues at the Democratic and Republican conventions. “Our programs on the sidelines of both political conventions every four years have offered unique opportunities to engage in-person delegates and other attendees,” said Jason Isaacson, AJC Chief Political and Public Policy Officer. “As the pandemic compelled us to embrace virtual programming, for the first time ever we are able to welcome many more people to attend and participate in these probing conversations.”

American Jewish Committee (AJC) welcomes today’s historic announcement of a peace deal between United Arab Emirates and Israel, made possible with the active engagement of the United States.