June 24, 2024 — Seattle
In response to a June 23 vote at the Washington State Democratic Party convention to approve resolutions calling for an Israeli ceasefire in the war against Hamas and for the U.S. to end aid to Israel, American Jewish Committee Seattle Director Regina Sassoon Friedland issued this statement:
"The Washington State Democratic Party must remember that resolutions like those passed can serve as a dog whistle to those who demonize Jews in Washington and around the world. In recent months, we've seen the Holocaust Center in Seattle vandalized, Jewish families targeted in their homes, and a statue of George Washington spray painted with 'kill your local colonizer.' The only Jewish nation in the world is defending itself against a U.S.-designated terrorist group, Hamas, which continues to reject ceasefire proposals supported by the United States, while using rape and sexual assault as a weapon. As Vice President Kamala Harris stated last week, 'We cannot look away. And we will not remain silent.'
The only thing standing in the way of a ceasefire, and ultimately a durable, enduring cessation of violence, is Hamas. When it releases the hostages and lays down its arms, progress can be made. Israel is fighting a war of defense, not of retaliation. No nation cooperates more fully and reliably with the U.S. than Israel in strategic planning, intelligence-sharing, military training, and technological development. The enduring commitment of providing U.S. security assistance to Israel is critical."
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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