Three Jewish House Democrats are calling on President Joe Biden to appoint an ambassador-at-large to combat anti-Semitism that has emerged in the United States in the wake of violence between Hamas and Israel this month.
In a May 25 letter to the president, Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Elaine Luria (D-Va.), and Kathy Manning (D-N.C.) said that they are “deeply disturbed” by the recent surge of anti-Semitic incidents in the country.
“It is undeniable that this increase in anti-Semitic incidents has coincided with recent conflict in the Middle East. It must be made clear that there is simply no excuse whatsoever for harassing or targeting people because they are Jewish. Blaming Jews for conflict in the Middle East or seeking to hold them collectively responsible for Israel’s government policies is anti-Semitic, and it is wrong,” the lawmakers wrote.
The trio cited recent attacks on Jewish Americans in New York, California, and Florida, saying that Jews across the United States are facing an “extraordinarily tense environment of fear and insecurity.”
“We believe we need a united, all-of-government effort to combat rising anti-Semitism in this country,” they said.
The lawmakers urged the president to nominate “an experienced and qualified” United States ambassador-at-large to monitor and combat anti-Semitism.
The group also criticized recent “reckless, irresponsible anti-Semitic rhetoric” from “elected officials,” referring to comments made online by the progressive “Squad,” without naming members Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.).
Three Jewish House Democrats are calling on President Joe Biden to appoint an ambassador-at-large to combat anti-Semitism that has emerged in the United States in the wake of violence between Hamas and Israel this month.
In a May 25 letter to the president, Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Elaine Luria (D-Va.), and Kathy Manning (D-N.C.) said that they are “deeply disturbed” by the recent surge of anti-Semitic incidents in the country.
“It is undeniable that this increase in anti-Semitic incidents has coincided with recent conflict in the Middle East. It must be made clear that there is simply no excuse whatsoever for harassing or targeting people because they are Jewish. Blaming Jews for conflict in the Middle East or seeking to hold them collectively responsible for Israel’s government policies is anti-Semitic, and it is wrong,” the lawmakers wrote.
The trio cited recent attacks on Jewish Americans in New York, California, and Florida, saying that Jews across the United States are facing an “extraordinarily tense environment of fear and insecurity.”
“We believe we need a united, all-of-government effort to combat rising anti-Semitism in this country,” they said.
The lawmakers urged the president to nominate “an experienced and qualified” United States ambassador-at-large to monitor and combat anti-Semitism.
The group also criticized recent “reckless, irresponsible anti-Semitic rhetoric” from “elected officials,” referring to comments made online by the progressive “Squad,” without naming members Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.).
