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July 9, 2002
Orthodox Union Testifies at New York City Council
Hearing
Supports Pro-Israel Resolutions
The Institute for Public Affairs of the Union of
Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America today testified at a New York
City Council hearing considering pro-Israel resolutions and a resolution
condemning the anti-Semitism in Europe. Betty Ehrenberg, Director of
International and Communal Affairs, testified on behalf of the IPA. “We
applaud the New York City Council, Speaker Gifford Miller, and Cultural
Affairs Chairman Councilman Jose Serrano for convening an important
hearing today,” said Ehrenberg. “Given the alarming rise in anti-Semitic
rhetoric, vandalism, and violence affecting European Jewry since September
2000, we strongly support Resolution 258, introduced by Councilman Michael
Nelson. This Resolution calls upon the government of the United States to
strongly condemn and call for an end to the barrage of anti-Semitic
attacks on European Jews. As New Yorkers who strive for peaceful
co-existence amongst all groups, we know all too well the terrible
consequences of hatred. We applaud the New York City Council for
introducing the resolution condemning anti-Semitism in Europe and hope
that it will adopt this resolution immediately. The people of New York
cannot stand idly by as anti-Semitism in Europe continues to threaten the
safety and security of the European Jewish community.
“The Orthodox Union also urges the City Council to adopt Resolution 255,
which calls upon the United Nations to pass a resolution condemning the
practice of suicide bombings by the Palestinian community. The United
Nations has been stunningly silent on the issue of these suicide bombings.
It has an obligation to condemn the wanton terrorism that is inflicted on
Israeli men, women, and children almost daily. The time has come for the
United Nations to reverse its anti-Israel bias and one-sided resolutions
and to condemn these terrorist attacks. We also urge the adoption of
Resolution 214, introduced by City Council Speaker Gifford Miller, which
calls upon the Council to condemn the brutal Palestinian suicide bomb
terrorist attacks against Israel while expressing solidarity with the
people of the State of Israel and sympathy for the loss of civilian lives.
The people of the City of New York are aware that Palestinian youngsters
are encouraged to become living weapons by terrorist organizations and
their families are paid off by the state-sponsors of terrorism such as
Iraq and Syria. New Yorkers cannot tolerate this appalling promotion of
terrorism.
“We strongly support and urge the Council to adopt Resolution 7,
introduced by Councilman Oliver Koppell, which urges President George W.
Bush and the United States government to declare the Palestinian Authority
and the Palestinian Liberation Organization to be terrorist organizations
and to close the offices of the Palestinian Authority in New York. We
believe that you cannot fight terrorism abroad and let it flourish in our
own backyard. Yassir Arafat and the PA are not interested in peace – they
perpetrate and support acts of terror and incite the Palestinian people to
hatred of Israel. The PA and the PLO have a long record of terrorist
activity and human rights violations. The blood of many innocent Israelis
and Americans is on their hands. The offices of this terrorist
organization must be shut down; we cannot shelter the PLO or allow them to
masquerade as legitimate. We urge the New York City Council to support
Resolution 7 and commend all those who have introduced and sponsored it.
“We thank City Council Speaker Gifford Miller, Committee Chairman Jose
Serrano, Council Members Michael Nelson, David Weprin, Melinda Katz,
Oliver Koppell, and Simcha Felder, Lewis Fidler, and James Davis for their
excellent work in the support of the United States’ only reliable Middle
East ally, Israel.”
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