Jul 31, 2015
The Greater Miami Jewish Federation and its Jewish Community Relations Council Strongly Denounce this Week’s Acts of Extremism in Israel
July 31, 2015
The Greater Miami Jewish Federation and its Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) are outraged by the heinous terror attacks committed in Israel this week. We condemn the murderous hate crimes perpetrated during the stabbing attack that injured six Israelis at the 14th annual Jerusalem March for Pride and Tolerance and in the firebombing in Duma, a Palestinian village in the West Bank, which killed an 18-month-old Palestinian baby and severely injured his parents and siblings.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, and we pray for a swift and full recovery for all those injured.
Both of these horrific acts are examples of dangerous extremism and call attention to the need to eradicate the sources of intolerance and hatred within all sectors of Israeli society.
Regarding the stabbing attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement: “We must ensure that in Israel, every man and woman lives in security in any way they choose. That’s how we acted in the past and how we’ll continue to act.”
This morning, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin stated the following regarding the arson attack: “In the face of a wave of terror against the innocent, the loss of life, and the loss of law and order, the State of Israel and Israeli society must carry some soul searching. Introspection that will find expression not just in words but in action. Israel’s leadership, across the political spectrum, must express clearly not only their condemnation of this terrorism, but their genuine commitment to confront violence and racism, recognizing our commitment to an adherence to the values of the law and of democracy, respect for the courts, and respect for our fellow man as created in God’s image.”
We are heartened by the Israeli government’s swift and widespread condemnation of these atrocious crimes, and we call on law enforcement authorities to pursue with determination and bring to justice the people who committed these acts of terror.
