American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, this week spearheaded discussions on faith and climate change at COP28 in Dubai. AJC, the only Jewish organization with an office in the United Arab Emirates, was also the only Jewish organization to sponsor a panel at the first-ever Faith Pavillion at a UN Climate Conference.
Press Releases and Statements
Find American Jewish Committee's latest press releases, official statements, and noteworthy announcements below.
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American Jewish Committee Calls on UN to Condemn Hamas Terrorism in Israel
American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, is urging members of the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) to issue a condemnation of Hamas’s terror attack against Israel following the body’s emergency session Sunday. AJC welcomes statements from individual Member States expressing solidarity with Israel and urges key UN bodies and other multinational institutions to follow suit.
American Jewish Committee Working with Aid Groups to Support Morocco Relief Efforts
American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, announced today donations to a range of organizations, including IsraAID, to deliver urgent aid to the people of Morocco following Friday’s devastating earthquake. AJC also saluted Israel for its offers to send a humanitarian relief delegation, a move that symbolizes the strong and growing ties between the two nations that in 2020 reestablished and upgraded relations.
American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch Praises Nomination of Jack Lew to be U.S. Ambassador to Israel
AJC CEO Ted Deutch today praised President Biden's nomination of Jack Lew to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
AJC CEO Ted Deutch on Today's Announcement on Wrongfully Detained Americans in Iran
I am encouraged by the news that five Americans whose lives, and whose families’ lives, have been upended by Iran’s longstanding callous practice of political hostage-taking and wrongfully detaining foreign nationals for use as bargaining chips, are closer than ever before to coming home as a result of the agreement announced today.
AJC Statement on Israeli Reasonableness Standard Law
American Jewish Committee (AJC) today expressed profound disappointment over the passage of the Reasonableness Standard Law in Israel.
The new law was pushed through unilaterally by the governing coalition amid deepening divisions in Israeli society as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have taken to the streets. Of particular concern to AJC, the continued effort to press forward on judicial reform rather than seeking compromise has sown discord within the Israeli Defense Forces at a time of elevated threats to the Jewish homeland and has strained the vital relationship between Israel and Diaspora Jewry.
The new law was pushed through unilaterally by the governing coalition amid deepening divisions in Israeli society as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have taken to the streets. Of particular concern to AJC, the continued effort to press forward on judicial reform rather than seeking compromise has sown discord within the Israeli Defense Forces at a time of elevated threats to the Jewish homeland and has strained the vital relationship between Israel and Diaspora Jewry.
American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch Praises President Herzog's Speech to Congress
AJC CEO Ted Deutch issued this statement following Israeli President Isaac Herzog's address to Congress this morning:
President Herzog’s address to Congress is a potent symbol of the ironclad partnership between the U.S. and Israel and how it has transformed the Middle East. It also underscores the president’s vital role as a bridge builder, one who offers pragmatic and actionable solutions to many of the issues that confront Israel. His voice is one we need to hear more. Israel has no better emissary. I know him personally as someone whose commitment and love for his nation knows no bounds. That passion was on full display today on Capitol Hill.
President Herzog’s address to Congress is a potent symbol of the ironclad partnership between the U.S. and Israel and how it has transformed the Middle East. It also underscores the president’s vital role as a bridge builder, one who offers pragmatic and actionable solutions to many of the issues that confront Israel. His voice is one we need to hear more. Israel has no better emissary. I know him personally as someone whose commitment and love for his nation knows no bounds. That passion was on full display today on Capitol Hill.
American Jewish Committee Issues Statement on Israel's Recognition of Moroccan Sovereignty Over Western Sahara
American Jewish Committee issued a statement following Israel's recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara.
American Jewish Committee Concerned Over New Measure Tied to Israeli Judicial Reform
American Jewish Committee (AJC) today expressed concern over the Knesset’s vote to advance a portion of the governing coalition's judicial reform effort, deepening existing divisions instead of resuming the compromise negotiations conducted by President Herzog.
Leading College Presidents in Israel for AJC Project Interchange Trip
| Project Interchange
A delegation of U.S. college presidents has arrived in Israel to exchange ideas with their counterparts in the Jewish State and forge partnerships with students and faculty from both nations, as part of a trip sponsored by Project Interchange, an educational institute of American Jewish Committee.
AJC CEO Ted Deutch Lauds Appointment of Ambassador Dan Shapiro as Regional Integration Envoy
AJC CEO Ted Deutch today issued this statement following the appointment by Secretary of State Antony Blinken of Ambassador Dan Shapiro to be Senior Advisor for Regional Integration: Ambassador Dan Shapiro is an excellent choice to lead America’s efforts to expand the circle of peace in the Middle East, from strengthening the Abraham Accords to working to normalize relations between Israel and Arab and Muslim-majority countries.
American Jewish Committee Video for Arabic Speakers Explains What Connects Jews to Israel
American Jewish Committee has released a video, "What Ties Jews to Israel?" (“Ma allathi yarbut al-yahud bi-Isra’il?” in Arabic), the 11th installment in the organization’s Arabic-language educational video series, ‘An al-Yahud (“About the Jews”), which has received more than 45 million views worldwide. The video released today emphasizes that the unique connection between Jews and the land of Israel does not negate those shared by other religions and peoples. The video is also available in English.
Moroccan Foreign Minister Bourita Says Abraham Accords Provide “Incredible Momentum” for Peace in Middle East
Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita today said the Abraham Accords have created “incredible momentum” for peace and prosperity in the Middle East and helped create unprecedented growth in his country’s trade with Israel. In a video address to more than 1,500 attendees at AJC Global Forum in Tel Aviv, Bourita also said the Kingdom of Morocco took deep pride in its Jewish heritage and support for its Jewish community and institutions.
Israeli President Herzog Touts New Israel Diaspora Project, Tells AJC Global Forum a Compromise on Judicial Reform is Possible
Israeli President Isaac Herzog told AJC Global Forum that Israel’s relations with Diaspora Jewry are crucial to the future of the only Jewish state.
Yair Lapid Tells AJC Global Forum Israeli Democracy Alive and Well Despite Split on Judicial Reform, Says Diaspora Jewry Views Important to Israel
Speaking with Ted Deutch, CEO of American Jewish Committee (AJC) during the opening session of AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israeli Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said the battle over a proposed overhaul of Israel’s judicial system, is proof that democracy in Israel remains vibrant and an example for the world.
AJC Leadership Delegation Conducts Meetings in United Arab Emirates
An American Jewish Committee (AJC) leadership delegation today conducted high-level consultations and events in the United Arab Emirates, continuing AJC’s 25-year-plus engagement with the UAE leadership and building on the 2020 Abraham Accords normalization agreement.
American Jewish Committee, Other Jewish Organizations Welcome Suspension of Israeli Judicial Overhaul Legislation
We welcome the Israeli government’s suspension of legislative consideration of judicial reform measures. The last three months have been painful to watch and yet a textbook case of democracy in action. We respect the political leaders, business executives, community activists, cultural figures, and ordinary Israelis who took to the streets, exercising their love of country, and their passion for democracy."
U.S. Mayors Visiting Israel with AJC Project Interchange to Explore, Strengthen Cooperation
A bipartisan group of U.S. mayors is visiting Israel this week with Project Interchange, an educational institute of American Jewish Committee (AJC), in partnership with The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM). The program’s intensive sessions and visits throughout the country will enable the mayors to gain a first-hand understanding of Israel’s vibrant democracy, innovative technologies, diverse society, and regional challenges. This is the fifth delegation of U.S. mayors to participate in this annual seminar.
American Jewish Committee Commends President Herzog's Efforts to Reach Judicial Reform Compromise
AJC commends Israeli President Isaac Herzog's remarkable effort to reach a resolution for the good of the State of Israel. We believe all sides should expeditiously work to forge a compromise that preserves Israel’s vibrant democracy and the principle of judicial independence on fundamental issues. The final outcome of this process should reflect the broadest possible consensus – not what is politically expedient in the short term.
Statement from AJC CEO Ted Deutch on Judicial Reform in Israel
In a call with American Jewish Committee (AJC) leaders from across the United States, AJC CEO Ted Deutch made remarks on judicial reform in Israel.