“At a time when Israel is mourning victims of the most recent terror attacks, to say that her actions would ‘undermine faith and confidence in a negotiated settlement of this conflict,’ defies understanding.” Such was the response of Mortimer B. Zuckerman, Chairman, and Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman, of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations to State Department spokesman Richard Boucher for his criticism of Israel\'s closure of Orient House in Jerusalem.
“What options are left to Israel?” Zuckerman and Hoenlein ask. Israel has been criticized by the State Department for preemptive strikes at wanted terrorists, for destroying terrorist headquarters and for a bloodless takeover of terrorist offices in Jerusalem. The US is imposing, in the words of the two leaders, “An impossible standard… imposed on no other state, not even our own country when we sought to deter terrorism.”
The Conference executives call on Boucher to remind Arafat that there are consequences to his support of terrorist groups and actions, and to support Israel’s \"absolute right to protect its citizens,\" because only that will contribute to reducing violence in the region.
“What options are left to Israel?” Zuckerman and Hoenlein ask. Israel has been criticized by the State Department for preemptive strikes at wanted terrorists, for destroying terrorist headquarters and for a bloodless takeover of terrorist offices in Jerusalem. The US is imposing, in the words of the two leaders, “An impossible standard… imposed on no other state, not even our own country when we sought to deter terrorism.”
The Conference executives call on Boucher to remind Arafat that there are consequences to his support of terrorist groups and actions, and to support Israel’s \"absolute right to protect its citizens,\" because only that will contribute to reducing violence in the region.