FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nathan J. Diament
202-513-6484
June 15, 2009

UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS WELCOMES PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU’S ADDRESS; CALLS UPON AMERICAN JEWS TO UNIFY IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL

Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, welcomed the address delivered yesterday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlining his government’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Orthodox Union president Stephen Savitsky and executive vice president Rabbi Steven Weil issued the following statement:

The Orthodox Union welcomes Prime Minister Netanyahu’s significant and bold speech which reflected a broad Israeli consensus, and effectively challenged proponents of a Palestinian state to understand that Israel will not only accept, but even assist in, the creation of a Palestinian state so long as doing so does not and cannot threaten the physical security and Jewish integrity of Israel.

The Prime Minister has thus effectively “called the question” of whether those who speak and press for steps in the name of security and peace for Israelis and Palestinians are sincere, or do so to mask their efforts and desire to undermine and destroy Israel.

We call upon the millions of Americans who support Israel, and American Jews in particular, to unify in support of the Jewish state and Prime Minister Netanyahu in his efforts.

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For more commentary on this matter from the OU, see
http://www.forward.com/articles/106675/

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