What's on Our Mind 5-21-2021

What's On Our Mind

The chain of events is predictable: tensions and conflict rise in Israel and so does antisemitism.  The fighting between Israel and Hamas is being used to justify hatred for the Jews once again.

Antisemitic incidents are up 436% globally since the fighting between Israel and Hamas began last week.

In London, people advocated for sexually assaulting young Jewish women. 

In Los Angeles, a group of people verbally and physically harassed diners at a local Jewish restaurant – screaming “death to Jews.”

The University of Michigan student government called Israel’s actions of self-defense ethnic cleansing and apartheid, and urged the students to support boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS).

We can also expect the anti-Israel UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to hold a special session on the war to unfairly criticize Israel yet again. Members of the council include Russia, China, Somalia, Brazil, Venezuela, Libya, and other countries with questionable human rights activities.

Two months ago, the UNHRC adopted a resolution on “Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” It had 19 paragraphs criticizing Israel, only one criticizing rockets fired on Israel, and no mention of Hamas.

Israel has an unequivocal right to defend itself. No country should allow itself to be fired upon by more than 2,000 missiles targeting its population.

President Joe Biden clearly stated that the U.S. “fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks from Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorist groups.”

At JAC, we will continue to work, despite the numerous political challenges, to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and to ensure that support for Israel remains unconditional and bipartisan.