Press Releases and Statements

As the world marks the third anniversary of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and its sustained campaign of human rights violations and war crimes, American Jewish Committee (AJC) reaffirms unwavering solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) is concerned by President Trump’s comments undermining the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and suggesting that Ukraine bears responsibility for the war that Russia began — in 2014 with the occupation of Crimea and in 2022 with the illegal invasion of Ukraine.

More than 40 Jewish and non-Jewish elected officials, leaders, and organizations from across the EU joined American Jewish Committee (AJC) in signing a letter urging European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and other EU Council members to prioritize combating antisemitism. The letter calls for this issue to be central to the agenda during the European Council Meetings on December 19 and highlights the need for a holistic response as a key priority for the incoming European Commission.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO Ted Deutch brought a clear message to government officials across Western Europe last week: safety for Jews in Europe must be a priority.

Alongside AJC President Michael Tichnor, AJC Europe Managing Director Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, Transatlantic Institute Director Daniel Schwammenthal, Deputy Director for AJC Europe Julie Decroix, and AJC Paris Director Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache, Deutch urged government leaders and elected officials in the major capitals of London, Paris, and Amsterdam to take concrete action now to combat antisemitism and safeguard their Jewish communities.

American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, is today calling for immediate action from European government ministers in response to surging and increasingly violent antisemitism on the continent. To protect Jews in Europe - and the European way of life - AJC is calling for an emergency high-level meeting of relevant ministers from across Europe and for these officials to implement new enforcement, protection, and justice-related actions in the fight against antisemitism.

American Jewish Committee (AJC), the nonpartisan global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, has urged the Lithuanian Social Democrats leader and likely next Prime Minister, Gintautas Paluckas, to reverse his plans to enter into a coalition with the antisemitic Dawn of the River Neman party.

American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, is horrified by the violent, antisemitic assaults on Israeli and Jewish fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team that took place in Amsterdam. This modern-day pogrom reflects a broader rise in antisemitic violence across Europe since October 7 – fueled not only by an anti-Israel political ideology and extremist interpretations of Islam, but also by the rhetoric and complacency of some European leaders. Symbolically, the attacks were a chilling reminder of Europe’s darkest chapters on the very eve of the anniversary of Kristallnacht on November 9.

Today, German Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser issued a ban on the activities of the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) for its illicit activities on behalf of Hezbollah and the Iranian regime. American Jewish Committee (AJC), which for years has raised concern over the misuse of this religious center for malign purposes by the Iranian regime, praised the decision as good for all Germans, including the Jewish and Muslim communities.

As antisemitic intimidation, harassment, and violence rise on university campuses in the U.S. and Europe, American Jewish Committee (AJC) joined European and American Jewish community leaders and government officials for the third annual European Conference on Antisemitism, to assess the threat to Jewish students and civic order, and urge comprehensive action by campus administrators.

American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) Paris office released preliminary findings of its Survey of Antisemitism in France 2024 which showed that younger French people are more likely to hold antisemitic beliefs and French Jews under 25 years old are more likely to be the target of antisemitic incidents. Yet, even with rising antisemitism, the survey also found profound resilience among French Jews who are overwhelmingly embracing their Jewish and Zionist identities, with nearly three-quarters of French Jews saying that the October 7 massacre strengthened their Zionist convictions (73%) and their Jewish identity (71%).

NATO is an indispensable bulwark of peace, security, and prosperity.

Japan and South Korea’s support of Israel following the Oct. 7 terror attack by Hamas is a reflection of a strong bond between the two nations forged by an unstinting commitment to democracy and economic ties that have propelled both nations’ growth, American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO Ted Deutch said following a mission last week to Japan and South Korea.

American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, today announced that Agnieszka Markiewicz will be returning to her previous post as the Rubin and Frances Partel Director of the AJC Central Europe Office in Warsaw. Markiewicz, a native of Poland, previously held this position from 2017 - 2019.

In response to the recent ethnic unrest affecting the Bnei Menashe community in Manipur, India, American Jewish Committee's (AJC) Asia Pacific Institute (API) has announced a donation of $15,000 through AJC's Heilbrunn Humanitarian Relief Fund.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) is urging NATO to give Ukraine a “clear path” to becoming a member of the alliance to deter further aggression by Russia and other “bad actors” who seek to destabilize Europe. In a letter prior to the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11-12, AJC CEO Ted Deutch and AJC President Michael Tichnor described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as posing a threat to democracy and the international order.

American Jewish Committee will work with the European Jewish Congress to help European Jewish communities tackle rising antisemitism and bring more attention to looming threats and foster a more vibrant Jewish life on the Continent.

Today at AJC Global Forum 2023, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said her nation stands with Israel in stemming the threat posed by Iran’s growing nuclear capability and promised her country would do its part to keep Iran’s nuclear ambitions in check.

The Transatlantic Friends of Israel (TFI)—the interparliamentary, cross-party network spearheaded by the American Jewish Committee (AJC)—launched its Italian chapter to strengthen the ties between Europe, and specifically Italy, the United States, Canada, and Israel. TFI Italy Chair Senator Marco Scurria announced the launch in the Italian Senate with the support of 16 bicameral lawmakers from Fratelli d'Italia, Lega, Forza Italia, Noi Moderati, and Partito Democratico.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO Ted Deutch today met with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and other Polish leaders at a time when Poland has moved to strengthen its ties with Israel. Deutch and Morawiecki discussed Poland’s leading role in providing ongoing military and economic aid to Ukraine from where an estimated 10 million people fled to Poland following the Russian invasion last year.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) President Michael Tichnor and CEO Ted Deutch led a leadership delegation to the Vatican. “We are so grateful for the transformation in Catholic-Jewish relations and for the privilege AJC has enjoyed and continues to enjoy as a central actor in this ongoing historic reconciliation, which Pope Francis has taken to even greater heights,” said Deutch. “Pope Francis’s love and care for the Jewish People is universally known. We are grateful for his strong voice condemning antisemitism.”