New York, NY – Dianne Lob, Chair, and William Daroff, CEO, of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, issued the following statement:
“We strongly support the decision to cancel the planned ‘Nakba Day’ event organized by Rep. Rashida Tlaib at the US Capitol and praise Speaker Kevin McCarthy for electing to host a bipartisan discussion on Israel-US relations. This action signifies a significant step towards promoting understanding and fostering an environment of constructive dialogue.
“‘Nakba Day’ events across the country are platforms that propagate revisionist histories, tolerating – and at times – even encouraging hateful, anti-Israel, and antisemitic rhetoric. Last May, during similar events, speakers referred to Israelis as the ‘stench of white European invaders’ and chanted for ‘death to Israel.’
“We are also concerned by statements made by the co-organizers associated with the Capitol event and their of history of employing inflammatory and offensive language about Israel. Such rhetoric serves to deepen divisions and hinder efforts to achieve a genuine and lasting peace in the Middle East.
“Particularly given the ongoing rocket barrage launched by terrorists in Gaza targeting innocent civilians in Israel, we cannot abdicate our responsibility to call out the kind of divisive rhetoric that will inevitably lead to further violence.
“We commend Speaker McCarthy’s decision to shift the focus towards a civil, bipartisan discussion on Israel-US relations. This approach fosters mutual understanding and constructive engagement, laying the foundation for progress towards a more peaceful future.”
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