Yesterday’s passing of a symbolic resolution opposing Palestinian statehood in the Israeli Knesset – with more than a third of the body absent – reflects the Israeli people’s understandable fear and deep skepticism of a Palestinian state in the aftermath of October 7, the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust in which more than 1,200 people were murdered and over 250 taken hostage, 120 of whom remain in Hamas captivity. Israelis are rightly concerned that Hamas or another terrorist movement could at some point take over the Palestinian Authority, and that the realities of October 7 could repeat. The resolution should not be misinterpreted as the Israeli people’s rejection of peace with their Palestinian neighbors. It must be understood in the context of this moment.
Everything You Need to Know About Israel
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AJC Statement on Israeli Knesset Resolution on Palestinian Statehood
AJC Launches Center for a New Middle East
After more than 30 years of active engagement in the Arab world, American Jewish Committee (AJC) today announced the establishment of AJC’s Center for a New Middle East, an initiative that will bolster the organization’s decades of work to build trust, understanding, and interconnectedness throughout the Middle East.
Heroes of Israel: AJC Honors Nasreen Yousef
At AJC Global Forum 2024, American Jewish Committee (AJC) honored Nasreen Yousef, whose calm demeanor and quick thinking helped prevent a massacre in the village of Moshav Yated on October 7.
Heroes of Israel: AJC Honors Zvi Reder
American Jewish Committee (AJC) honored Zvi Reder, a paramedic with Magen David Adom, who treated wounded civilians fleeing from the Supernova music festival.
Israeli President Herzog: October 7 Shows Hatred Lives On, But So Does Our Resilience
In a special video address to AJC Global Forum 2024, Israeli President Isaac Herzog thanked AJC advocates and experts for their unwavering support of Israel on and since October 7.
Israel at War - AJC Advocacy Anywhere
Over the weekend, Hamas, the Iran-backed terror group controlling the Gaza Strip, launched an unprecedented, horrific, and brutal attack on Israel. Join AJC CEO Ted Deutch, Lt. Col. (res) Avital Leibovich, AJC Jerusalem Director, and Eyal Hulata, Director, National Security Council of Israel (2021-23) for an update on the situation on the ground.
American Jewish Committee Calls on UN to Condemn Hamas Terrorism in Israel
American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, is urging members of the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) to issue a condemnation of Hamas’s terror attack against Israel following the body’s emergency session Sunday. AJC welcomes statements from individual Member States expressing solidarity with Israel and urges key UN bodies and other multinational institutions to follow suit.
American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch Praises Nomination of Jack Lew to be U.S. Ambassador to Israel
AJC CEO Ted Deutch today praised President Biden's nomination of Jack Lew to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
Unpacking The Latest Chapter of Israel's Judicial Reform - AJC Advocacy Anywhere
In July, the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) passed legislation which would limit the High Court of Israel’s ability to apply a “reasonableness” standard when reviewing certain administrative decisions made by elected officials. In conversation with AJC Board of Governors Chair Bobby Lapin, distinguished Israeli lawyer Lt. Col. (Res.) David Benjamin will provide insightful analysis on the history and effects of the Reasonableness Standard legislation and shed light on its implications for the Israeli legal system.
AJC Statement on Israeli Reasonableness Standard Law
American Jewish Committee (AJC) today expressed profound disappointment over the passage of the Reasonableness Standard Law in Israel.
The new law was pushed through unilaterally by the governing coalition amid deepening divisions in Israeli society as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have taken to the streets. Of particular concern to AJC, the continued effort to press forward on judicial reform rather than seeking compromise has sown discord within the Israeli Defense Forces at a time of elevated threats to the Jewish homeland and has strained the vital relationship between Israel and Diaspora Jewry.
The new law was pushed through unilaterally by the governing coalition amid deepening divisions in Israeli society as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have taken to the streets. Of particular concern to AJC, the continued effort to press forward on judicial reform rather than seeking compromise has sown discord within the Israeli Defense Forces at a time of elevated threats to the Jewish homeland and has strained the vital relationship between Israel and Diaspora Jewry.
American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch Praises President Herzog's Speech to Congress
AJC CEO Ted Deutch issued this statement following Israeli President Isaac Herzog's address to Congress this morning:
President Herzog’s address to Congress is a potent symbol of the ironclad partnership between the U.S. and Israel and how it has transformed the Middle East. It also underscores the president’s vital role as a bridge builder, one who offers pragmatic and actionable solutions to many of the issues that confront Israel. His voice is one we need to hear more. Israel has no better emissary. I know him personally as someone whose commitment and love for his nation knows no bounds. That passion was on full display today on Capitol Hill.
President Herzog’s address to Congress is a potent symbol of the ironclad partnership between the U.S. and Israel and how it has transformed the Middle East. It also underscores the president’s vital role as a bridge builder, one who offers pragmatic and actionable solutions to many of the issues that confront Israel. His voice is one we need to hear more. Israel has no better emissary. I know him personally as someone whose commitment and love for his nation knows no bounds. That passion was on full display today on Capitol Hill.
American Jewish Committee Concerned Over New Measure Tied to Israeli Judicial Reform
American Jewish Committee (AJC) today expressed concern over the Knesset’s vote to advance a portion of the governing coalition's judicial reform effort, deepening existing divisions instead of resuming the compromise negotiations conducted by President Herzog.
Leading College Presidents in Israel for AJC Project Interchange Trip
| Project Interchange
A delegation of U.S. college presidents has arrived in Israel to exchange ideas with their counterparts in the Jewish State and forge partnerships with students and faculty from both nations, as part of a trip sponsored by Project Interchange, an educational institute of American Jewish Committee.
AJC CEO Ted Deutch Lauds Appointment of Ambassador Dan Shapiro as Regional Integration Envoy
AJC CEO Ted Deutch today issued this statement following the appointment by Secretary of State Antony Blinken of Ambassador Dan Shapiro to be Senior Advisor for Regional Integration: Ambassador Dan Shapiro is an excellent choice to lead America’s efforts to expand the circle of peace in the Middle East, from strengthening the Abraham Accords to working to normalize relations between Israel and Arab and Muslim-majority countries.
American Jewish Committee Video for Arabic Speakers Explains What Connects Jews to Israel
American Jewish Committee has released a video, "What Ties Jews to Israel?" (“Ma allathi yarbut al-yahud bi-Isra’il?” in Arabic), the 11th installment in the organization’s Arabic-language educational video series, ‘An al-Yahud (“About the Jews”), which has received more than 45 million views worldwide. The video released today emphasizes that the unique connection between Jews and the land of Israel does not negate those shared by other religions and peoples. The video is also available in English.
Israel’s National Unity Party Leader Benny Gantz: “A Struggle That Unites Us All”
Israel’s National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz, who formerly served as Israel’s Defense Minister, Alternate Prime Minister, and as IDF Chief of Staff, laid out the latest struggles facing the Jewish people and the Jewish state in an address at AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv.
3 Key Takeaways From AJC CEO Ted Deutch’s Conversation with Israel’s Leader of the Opposition Yair Lapid
As AJC Global Forum 2023 opened in Tel Aviv, Yair Lapid, Leader of the Opposition in Israel, warned that democracy should not be taken for granted.
Benny Gantz Address to AJC Global Forum 2023
Member of Knesset Benny Gantz, Chairman of Israel’s National Unity Party and a former defense minister and alternate prime minister—addressed AJC Global Forum 2023.
3 Key Takeaways From Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s Conversation with AJC CEO Ted Deutch
Israeli President Isaac Herzog sat down with AJC CEO Ted Deutch at AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv to discuss how and why he has used the office of the president to affect constructive change.
Unveiling Israel's Strategic Vision: A Conversation with Ron Dermer, Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs
In an exclusive and insightful conversation at AJC Global Forum 2023, Ron Dermer, Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs, engaged in a dialogue with Jason Isaacson, AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer.
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