October 1, 2024 — New York, NY
American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO Ted Deutch issued the following statement in response to today’s Iranian missile barrage against Israel:
“American Jewish Committee stands in unwavering solidarity with the people of Israel and is praying for their safety as we condemn this latest act of aggression from the Iranian regime, which openly calls for the annihilation of Israel and the Jewish people.
“This is the second direct attack launched by the Iranian regime against Israel in the last six months. In April, in its first-ever direct attack, Iran launched more than 300 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones against Israel. Both assaults are but a piece of a decades-long genocidal campaign waged by the Islamic Republic of Iran against Israel and the Jewish people – a campaign that has also included attacks on American military installations in the Middle East. They are also far from the only times that the regime has attacked Israel in the last 6 months, let alone the last year. It had been doing so before October 7 and has continued since, through its numerous proxies – including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen.
“All throughout the country, Israelis took cover in shelters from the indiscriminate rocket fire meant to harm and kill civilians.
“Iran, the world’s foremost state sponsor of terror, is single-handedly responsible for undermining regional stability in the Middle East, all while continuing its pursuit of nuclear weapons in violation of international law and the JCPOA.
“Today’s attack and Iran’s actions over the last year should leave no doubt in the international community that stopping Iran's aggression requires immediate action.”
AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York, 25 regional offices across the United States, 15 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC’s mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. For more, please visit www.ajc.org.
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