This Friday, Nagasaki will commemorate the 79th anniversary of the detonation of the atomic bomb over that city in 1945. The commemorative event, in support of peace and deterrence of nuclear armament, has in the past been apolitical, with representatives from across the world invited to participate. This year is different.
Everything You Need to Know About Israel
American Jewish Committee (AJC) works to set the record straight on Israel, calling out fact from fiction and standing up to those seeking to tear down and discriminate against the region’s only democratic nation and world’s only Jewish state.
AJC works every day, in the United States and around the world, to advocate for Israel through global diplomacy, political advocacy, coalition building, and strategic communications.
The resources below include facts and key insights into Israel-related topics, including the U.S.-Israel relationship, the Abraham Accords, Israel-diaspora relations, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a two state solution, Israeli democracy, the UN’s anti-Israel bias, Israeli Arabs, the connection between antisemitism and anti-Zionism, Hamas, Hezbollah, Gaza, the West Bank, Palestinians, and more.
To find answers to your questions about Israel use the search bar below and check boxes on the left to view articles, videos, podcasts, columns, eBooks, and more. Don’t see an answer to your question about Israel? Click here to let us know.
Nagasaki bombing ceremony misses an important invitation: Israel's
Jews Worldwide Should Stand By the Druze Community in Israel
The Druze community is an essential part of the Israeli social fabric. It is well-respected, admired for its loyalty and courage. Similarly to the Jewish communities in the US that make approximately 2% of the population, the Druze are approximately 1.6% of Israeli society. Just like the Jewish communities in the US, which are well integrated in multiple walks of life, the Druze, too, are in such a position.
Genocide and Hamas Go Hand in Hand
The torrent of hatred directed against Israel since the brutal Oct. 7 massacre by Hamas in Israel has been unrelenting. A common, libelous trope among the haters is that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, as Donna Nevel inaccurately asserted in the Palm Beach Post. It is totally beyond the pale – a complete inversion of reality – and it must be condemned. Genocide is defined as violent attacks with the intent to destroy in whole, or in part, a national ethnic, racial or religious group. This in no way describes the facts on the ground in Gaza.
Iran and the Failure of Diplomacy
The Iranian regime unleashed an unprecedented attack against Israel on the night of April; 13-14: a barrage of 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles and 120 ballistic missiles.
Mah Nishtanah, How Is This Night Different?
How does one celebrate Passover and sing the songs of jubilation when Israel and the Jewish people feel – and actually are – so threatened? The Seder and the Haggadah (literally, the telling) tell us how to do it. Denialism is not an option, the reality is not good, yet perspective and hope (tikvah) are a must. Nowhere is this more palpable than in Israel, today’s Jewish centerpiece.
Unilaterally Declaring Palestine a State will Torpedo Peace Prospects
Two initiatives that claim to help the Palestinian people are currently making waves at the UN. Both support the unilateral and unconditional advancement of Palestinian statehood. Sadly, if successful, these resolutions would have the opposite effect, setting back the fulfillment of Palestinian national aspirations.
Conversations About Israel Aren't Easy
Blissful ignorance is what has led to antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents on campuses, in the workplace and on the streets. Even Jews who live thousands of miles from Israel can feel like they are under siege.
Rejecting Calls for a Ceasefire Isn't About Wanting More War
Like most American Jews, I tense up when I hear calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas War currently raging in Gaza. I do not recoil because I crave war – far from it. It is undeniable that the situation in Gaza is dire, with thousands of lives lost and many more displaced. I reject calls for a ceasefire because most of such calls for the last 150 days have been for Israel to lay down its arms and accept a genocidal terrorist organization which promises to deliver death and destruction on every Jew in the world to remain in power on its border.
It's Taken Too Long to Respond to Hamas' Sexual Violence
Rape and sexual violence are war crimes and violations of international law. Yet that was overlooked in an Oct. 13 statement by U.N. Women, which equated the Hamas attacks on civilians in Israel with defensive actions taken by Israel and made no mention of Hamas’ barbarism.
Every Young Person Can Be a Building Block for Peace in Israel and Beyond
Antisemitism is rising in America, both in our everyday interactions and online. The anti-Jewish discourse and violent incidents we have witnessed have been horrifying, and I, for my part, refuse to sit on the sidelines.
Israel is Far From Being Isolated
Ominous headlines about the Israel-Hamas war, antisemitic condemnations from world leaders and South Africa’s outrageous genocide allegations before the International Court of Justice could easily lead one to believe that Israel is isolated on the world stage.
It Must be Restated: Israel is Central to Judaism and Jewish Identity
Given the prevalence of misinformation on social media and the one-sided reports in news outlets, it’s not unreasonable for some people to think that Zionism—the belief that Jews have a right to self-determination in our ancestral homeland—is controversial among Jews and that anti-Israel attitudes are mainstream in the American Jewish community. Yet these Jews do not represent the vast majority of the Jewish community and they reside in small but loud echo chambers.
Silence of the Musicians
On October 7, 2023, the music industry suffered the deadliest event in its history when more than 400 people were brutally murdered and kidnapped at the Nova Music Festival in Israel. The event was billed as a celebration of “unity and love.” We should honor that spirit this weekend at The Grammys.
Back from Israel: A Love Letter of Worry, Mourning, Pride, and Resolve
The Israeli motto of the moment is #BringThemHomeNow, translated to or from the Hebrew, “Machzirim otam ha-bye’tah akhshav.” But the Hebrew and English are not exactly the same, and the difference is instructive.
The English, perhaps a call to the world, is a demand of others: do whatever you – diverse government, civic, and faith leaders, influencers - can do to bring the hostages home. But the Hebrew is more profound – it actually means, “We are bringing them home now.”
The English, perhaps a call to the world, is a demand of others: do whatever you – diverse government, civic, and faith leaders, influencers - can do to bring the hostages home. But the Hebrew is more profound – it actually means, “We are bringing them home now.”
Ted Deutch Op-Ed in Chicago Tribune: Stop the Global Gaslighting of Jews and Israel
Two months after the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Israel’s well-documented reports of the atrocities of October 7 continue to be questioned and even outright rejected as falsehoods.
Israel and Ukraine are Fighting the Same Fight
At first glance, the wars in Israel and Ukraine seem unrelated and bear little similarity. One is a rapid-response counterterrorism operation, the other a years-long, multi-front defensive action focused on reclaiming and protecting sovereign territory.
I Am Proud to March for Israel in Washington
November 14, Jews from all across the U.S. will gather in Washington, D.C. for a pro-Israel march. Together, we will show our support for Israel, call for the release of the hostages, and rise against antisemitism. We will stand united for human dignity and against terror and hate. This moment transcends politics, generations, and religions.
AJC CEO Ted Deutch on CNN: Colleges and Universities Must Protect Jewish Students
AJC CEO Ted Deutch on joined CNN's Zain Asher and Bianna Golodryga to send a clear message: colleges and universities have an obligation to protect Jewish students every single day. Ted also urges university leaders to condemn all forms of Jew-hatred and those glorifying Hamas’ ruthless terror.
Israelis Weren't The Only Victims of Hamas' Attack
Hamas, at the time of this writing, had so far freed only four hostages, an American mother and daughter and two Israeli women, ages 79 and 85, all for what the group called humanitarian grounds. Its begrudging benevolence is a start; but it is not nearly enough. All of the hostages must be immediately released.
Hamas Does Not Want to Improve Palestinian Lives
The spectre of Iran continues to loom over the Hamas attack on Israel. Being the de facto bank for armed militias and terrorists throughout the Middle East has been part of Iran's stock-in-trade for decades. Written by Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, Director of AJC Europe
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