Jewish Federation of Rockland Issues Statement in Response to Recent Attacks Against Israel
(NOVEMBER 15, 2012) Nat Wasserstein, President and Diane Sloyer, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Rockland County, and Robert L. Pitkofsky, Chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council, issue the following statement in response to Hamas's recent launching of missiles into Israel:
The Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Rockland County strongly condemns the cowardly acts of Hamas terrorists in launching missiles into Israel. We urge all elected officials and community leaders in the United States to condemn these acts and encourage their constituencies to demand action to encourage the perpetrators to cease this action immediately.
Since Saturday, November 10, citizens of Israel’s south have been targeted by another rocket barrage by terrorists in the Gaza Strip, putting more than one million Israeli citizens under a state of siege. Over 200 rockets have landed in densely populated sections of Israel in the last five days causing fear, anxiety, and injury to many innocent civilians.
We commend Israel for its tremendous restraint in response to these acts of war. We call upon the worldwide community to come together and condemn such tragic and unprovoked violence and to defend Israel’s right to protect itself and its citizens from further harm under Article VII of the United Nations Charter.
These latest unprovoked attacks follow years of unrelenting terror which has forced many Israelis to live in a constant state of fear -- conditions which no country would tolerate. These acts promote instability in the region, target innocent citizens, and are tantamount to an act of war against a sovereign and democratic nation.
As President Obama said after a visit to Sderot in 2008, “I can only imagine the terror these rockets inspire. It is intolerable.” The Jewish Federation of Rockland County stands ready to support Israeli citizens in this time of crisis, and salutes the bravery of the Israel Defense Forces as they risk their lives to defend Israel from these incessant attacks.
About Us: The Jewish Federation of Rockland County leads efforts that strengthen Jewish life and meet the critical needs of the Jewish community in Rockland County, Israel, and around the world. As a member of Jewish Federations of North America, we are part of a network of 157 Jewish federations across the continent. Learn more about the Jewish Federation of Rockland County at www.jewishrockland.org
