Press Releases and Statements

Jewish Committee (AJC) praised the Azerbaijan government announcement today that the Shi’ite majority country will open an embassy in the Jewish state. “Azerbaijan has long been a trendsetter in relations between Israel and the Muslim world. Opening an embassy in Israel reflects close and wide-ranging Azeri-Israeli ties spanning more than three decades,” said AJC CEO Ted Deutch. “It is another example of the expanding cooperation between Israel and the Muslim world, including the historic Abraham Accords normalization agreements of 2020.”

Rabbi David Rosen, American Jewish Committee (AJC) International Director of Interreligious Affairs, today addressed the Bahrain Dialogue Forum, a gathering of more than 200 interfaith leaders from around the world.

Regardless of the composition of any governing coalition, we will continue to work with those in the Israeli government and in Israeli society who are committed to advancing democracy, inclusion, and peace, and to combating efforts to undermine these values.

American Jewish Committee has welcomed new regulations by the U.S. Department of Commerce that clamp down on companies that comply with a boycott of Israel by the Arab League. The updated rules were detailed by Matthew Axelrod, Assistant Commerce Secretary for Export Enforcement, during a meeting at the American Jewish Committee office in Washington. Axelrod also oversees the Office of Antiboycott Compliance, which has administrative enforcement authority over U.S. antiboycott laws that prohibit American citizens or companies from supporting unsanctioned foreign boycotts against countries friendly to the United States.

Just a day after Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid told the United Nations he supports a two-state solution, it was regrettable that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas reacted to this courageous overture with hostile rhetoric that prevents a meaningful dialogue.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) praised Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s call, in his address to the UN General Assembly, for the search for a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The leading global Jewish advocacy organization offered this statement:

An American Jewish Committee delegation of 80 people from across the United States were joined last evening by Emirati government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, business leaders, and members of the local Jewish community to celebrate the second anniversary of the Abraham Accords and the official opening earlier this year of AJC Abu Dhabi: The Sidney Lerner Center for Arab-Jewish Understanding.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) honored today Christian Stückl, director of the Oberammergau Passion Play, with its prestigious Isaiah Award for Exemplary Interreligious Leadership. The AJC award, honoring extraordinary achievement in interfaith endeavors, was presented to Stückl by Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC’s Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations. “Throughout his illustrious career as Oberammergau Passion Play director, Christian Stückl has demonstrated the power of one individual to make a tremendous difference," said Marans.

An American Jewish Committee (AJC) leadership mission completed a week of consultations and public programs in Indonesia, a country with which the leading global Jewish advocacy organization has been engaged for two decades. The 17-member delegation included AJC CEO David Harris and professional and lay leadership of AJC’s Asia Pacific Institute (API) and Interreligious Affairs Department. “AJC knows the central importance of Indonesia to the Asia Pacific region and the Muslim world,” said API Director Shira Loewenberg. “We found a growing circle of friends and partners who want to engage with Jews along religious, political, cultural, and human dimensions.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) hailed today’s announcement that Saudi Arabia will permit Israeli commercial flights to traverse the kingdom’s airspace. “In the spirit of the historic Abraham Accords, today’s Saudi announcement is a significant example of normalization that will further advance the promise and reality of Arab-Israeli peace,” said AJC CEO David Harris.

A group of Jewish and Muslim young professionals from Morocco, Israel, and the United States concluded ten days of consultations with senior government, civil society, and diplomatic officials in seven cities throughout Morocco and Israel. It was the capstone program of the Michael Sachs Fellowship for Emerging Leaders organized by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Mimouna Association.

An American Jewish Committee (AJC) delegation has returned from Japan, where they met with top government leaders and diplomats to reinforce strong ties among Japan and the U.S., Israel, and the American Jewish community.

A historic gathering of faith leaders from across religious traditions took place this week in Saudi Arabia, and included 12 rabbis, among them Rabbi David Rosen, American Jewish Committee’s Director of International Interreligious Relations.

Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff joined the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council (MJAC) and other multifaith groups for an Iftar, the evening meal following the daily fast for Muslims during the month of Ramadan. Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, was in conversation with Rashad Hussain, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.

American Jewish Committee surveys of U.S. and Israeli Jewish millennials show that Israel-Diaspora relations remain strong, but also indicate points of divergence regarding what role diaspora Jews should have in influencing Israeli polices, antisemitism in the U.S., and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The first-ever parallel surveys of Jews, ages 25-40, were conducted by YouGov in the U.S. and Geocartography in Israel for ACCESS, AJC’s young professional program, and AJC’s Contemporary Jewish Life Department. “Gauging the views of millennials is critical to ensuring strong, enduring ties between the world’s two largest Jewish communities,” said Dana Steiner, Director of AJC ACCESS Global.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and American Jewish Committee (AJC) Project Interchange (PI) are partnering to further enhance Black-Jewish ties across the United States by expanding collaboration between American and Israeli universities.
The highlight of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations is an annual delegation to Israel for presidents and other leaders of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

American Jewish Committee’s Transatlantic Friends of Israel (TFI) inter-parliamentary group convened a virtual roundtable discussion on transatlantic responses to Iran’s nuclear ambition. Introduced by new American TFI co-chairs Reps. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), the discussion brought together 22 members of Congress, members of the Knesset, and lawmakers from Europe and Canada. The event was moderated by AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson.

A plane filled with Ukrainian Jewish refugees — sponsored by American Jewish Committee (AJC) and organized by Jewish Agency for Israel — has arrived in Israel from Budapest, Hungary. “For Jews facing uncertain safety in their homes, Israel is a lifeline, a sanctuary, and a haven,” said AJC CEO David Harris. “Whether they are still living in Ukraine or have fled the violent Russian invasion to neighboring countries, these Jews know they have a home in the State of Israel, where they can build their lives anew because of the warm welcome they receive.”

American Jewish Committee has released an Arabic-language video about the American Jewish community, the seventh episode of the organization’s popular Arabic video series, ‘An al-Yahud (“About the Jews”).

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Anti-Defamation League (ADL), American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), American Jewish Committee (AJC), B'nai B'rith International, and the Jewish Federations of North America issued a joint statement on the Amnesty International report on Israel.