October 7, 2024 — Washington, D.C. and New York, NY
American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, today brought together diplomats from more than 45 countries for memorial events recognizing the one-year anniversary of the October 7 terror attack, during which Hamas terrorists massacred 1,200 Israelis and took 251 people from Israel and 25 other countries hostage. U.S. and Israeli officials that addressed the events included Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff; U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield; U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt; and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog.
Representing the Biden Administration at AJC’s National October 7 Memorial Commemoration in the nation’s capital, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff read a prayer for peace, and Ambassador Lipstadt shared a statement from President Biden, which read in part, “On this day of remembrance, which also falls during the holiest days of the Jewish calendar, we honor the indomitable spirit of the Jewish people and mourn the victims of October 7. May their memory be a blessing.”
In speaking to how October 7 has affected the Jewish community over the last year, AJC CEO Ted Deutch said, “October 7 isn't just a mournful moment for Israel and the Jewish people…October 7 changed us forever.”
He shared, “We all remember where we were on the morning of October 7. We remember the initial conversations. We remember the conversations the rest of the day. And for the diplomats here who are not part of our community: understand that every single day now, for 365 [days], we are checking in on our loved ones. We are checking constant news updates to read the latest about what’s transpired – the latest attack by Hezbollah. The Hezbollah rockets that have rained down since October 8 have kept over 60,000 Israelis from being able to return home. The hundreds of ballistic missiles fired by Iran – almost 200 following the attack of almost 300 missiles and drones in April. We watch every moment of every day because of the connection that we feel. That’s why this day is so important to us. That’s why what happened on October 7 changes us forever.”
At the events in New York and Washington, D.C., diplomats heard directly from hostage families; Orna and Ronen Neutra, and Jonathan Dekel-Chen, whose sons Omer and Sagui remain hostage in Gaza.
Among the more than 200 gathered in Washington, D.C., were the Ambassadors and Chargés d'Affaires of Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Chile, the European Union, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Togo, Ukraine, and Uruguay, and representatives from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, Japanese American Citizens League, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and Washington National Cathedral.
Speaking in Washington, D.C., Ambassador Herzog said, “October 7 is a watershed event. It is one of those events that divide history to before and after – and Israel before and after are two different countries. At 6:28 am on that dark Saturday, the earth shook, the world froze, and our lives changed.”
He continued, “The story of this war is also a human story. We all know, we all witnessed the big tragedy unfolding – the loss of innocent lives on the Israeli side, on the Palestinian side, in Lebanon, and elsewhere. Every loss of human life is a tragedy. All human beings are created in the image of God. For us, for Israel, we are a nation in trauma, our wounds are open and they will not heal until we return our hostages, until we bring them back home. It is a moral and a human obligation. Every day that passes by endangers their lives. And we have to do our utmost to bring them home and every person of conscience should call on Hamas to let our people go.”
Just last month, AJC hosted its annual Diplomatic Marathon on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, meeting with world leaders from more than 60 countries, urging them to work with the United States to intensify pressure on Hamas to accept a hostage and ceasefire deal while also working to counter Iran’s destabilizing actions and aggression in the region and around the world.
In speaking with assembled diplomats in New York at AJC headquarters, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said, “This immense pain in Israel, in Gaza and among peace-loving people all across the globe compels us all to act, to continue to push the Security Council to finally condemn Hamas' terrorist attack once and for all, to stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel as it defends its people from attacks from Iran and its proxies."
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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