Press Releases and Statements

American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO Ted Deutch issued the following statement in response to today’s Iranian missile barrage against Israel:

American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch today met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alongside other organizations representing the American Jewish community, following the Prime Minister’s speech to the UN General Assembly.

AJC is under no illusions that a definitive resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be simple - or is close at hand. However, with pragmatism and visionary leadership, AJC continues to imagine, and strive for, a more hopeful future in which Israelis’ security requirements and Palestinians’ political aspirations can be fulfilled.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) tonight honored Tal Becker, a veteran peace negotiator and legal advisor to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for his tireless efforts to strengthen and safeguard the Jewish homeland in the community of nations, as well as his steadfast commitment to peace in the Middle East.

The Madeline and Bruce Ramer Award for Diplomatic Excellence was presented to Becker at this year’s AJC Global Jewish Diplomacy Reception, a keystone event of AJC’s Diplomatic Marathon on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly—a three-decade-old, first-of-its-kind outreach operation aimed at advancing issues of concern to the Jewish community with leaders from around the globe. The reception is the main Jewish event during the opening days of this year’s meeting.

The world community must not waver in its support of Ukraine in its fight against the brutal and unprovoked invasion by Russia, now in its third year. In his address today to the UN General Assembly, President Zelensky made a compelling case for a just peace. Ukraine deserves nothing less.

American Jewish Committee today welcomed a sweeping report that found the City University of New York (CUNY) is ill-equipped to handle rampant antisemitism at many of its campuses.

In his first address to the United Nations as Iran's President, President Pezeshkian sought to portray himself – and the regime he represents – as a thoughtful partner on the world stage. It is important to remember that his is a regime that is single-handedly responsible for undermining regional stability in the Middle East and around the world, pouring funding and weapons into terror groups that are committed to death and destruction, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen, all while building nuclear weapons in violation of international law and the JCPOA.

President Biden has long been a stalwart defender of Israel and his stirring address to the UN General Assembly sent an unequivocal message to the world that his support and that of the United States for Israel remains ironclad.

Today, American Jewish Committee (AJC), Hillel International, and the American Council on Education (ACE) concluded a landmark two-day College and University Presidents Summit on Campus Antisemitism, held at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center. With more than 75 university presidents and chancellors attending, the Summit marked the largest-ever gathering of college and university presidents to discuss the topic of confronting antisemitism on campus.

With the FBI reporting that hate crimes against Jews increased a staggering 63% year over year, from 1,124 in 2022 to 1,832 in 2023, AJC recognizes that the actual numbers of incidents is likely greater, as hate crimes are widely underreported across the country. Despite Jews only accounting for 2% of the U.S. population, the community was the target of 68% of religiously motivated hate crimes committed in 2023.

Time and again, we have seen what happens when baseless rumors spread about a religious or ethnic group. The Jewish people know all too well that these claims often foment suspicion, hatred and even violence, regardless of them having no basis in truth.

Like all Americans, some Jews will vote for President Trump and some will vote for Vice President Harris. None of us, by supporting the candidate we choose, is “voting for the enemy.” Divisive rhetoric like this has no place in politics, especially at a time of rising threats of political violence and two assassination attempts on the former president.

As the world commemorates the fourth anniversary of the Abraham Accords, American Jewish Committee (AJC) honors the sentiments of that day and remains committed to the pursuit of a more peaceful Middle East.

More than 20,000 people joined American Jewish Committee (AJC) today in calling on major tech and social media companies to take action against the prevalence and impact of antisemitism, support for terrorism, and misinformation about Jews and Israel online and on social media.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) and Jewish on Campus today announced a new partnership to better support young Jews before, during, and after their time as college students.

As we have seen, antisemitism will only fester and worsen if it is not dealt with. Universities must know that they will be held to account for hostile environments that they knew of or should have known about. They cannot claim ignorance when they are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of students. The University of Illinois must see this agreement as a turning point and implement immediate and lasting change. Jewish students deserve no less.

AJC CEO Ted Deutch’s Statement and Call to Action After Hamas’ Murder of Six Hostages

American Jewish Committee (AJC), ADL (the Anti-Defamation League), The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, and Covington & Burling announced that they filed a motion adding supporting evidence to a suit against the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) for violations of California’s open meetings laws tied to antisemitic ethnic studies materials.

Jews once lived in North Africa and the Middle East for millennia and became part of the social fabric of their homelands. There were some 800,000 Jews in these regions after World War II. Barely a decade later, most of them were gone. This pivotal but little-known piece of history is the focus of The Forgotten Exodus, an award-winning podcast from American Jewish Committee. The second season debuted today. Additional episodes will be released weekly through Sept. 23.

As Iran and its proxies threaten an imminent attack against Israel, American Jewish Committee (AJC) this week urged the U.S. administration, America's G7 allies, and key strategic partners to take a firm and unified stance to counter the Islamic Republic of Iran’s conventional, terror, and nuclear threats. This ask follows escalating actions not only from Tehran but also the regime’s many proxies throughout the Middle East, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria.