1,177th day of The Tens

Anti Defamation League Applauds President Obama’s Jerusalem Speech as a “Truly Historic Affirmation of the Bond between the United States and Israel”

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) applauds President Obama’s address to Israeli youth in Jerusalem, calling his speech a “truly historic affirmation of the bonds of friendship between the United States and Israel, a heartfelt acknowledgement of the depth and strength of the biblical Jewish bond to the land of Israel and a clear articulation of mutual values and aspirations for peace shared by both countries.”
The President conveys a deep understanding of important challenges facing Israel, including the peace process and security issues, and highlights the remarkable accomplishments the Jewish state has achieved over the past 65 years.
Barry Curtiss-Lusher, ADL National Chair, and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:

We applaud President Obama’s powerful address and the warmth, respect and admiration it expresses for all that Israel represents for the Jewish people and the world. The speech comes across as a truly historic affirmation of the bonds of friendship between the U.S. and Israel, and a pronouncement of common values and aspirations for peace shared by both countries.

President Obama clearly articulates the millennia-old connection the Jewish people have to the land of Israel, culminating in the realization of the Zionist dream by which Jews now live and reside as a free people in their homeland. And, he highlights and praises the many significant accomplishments the country had come to achieve over the past 65 years.

President Obama also recognizes the grave security challenges facing Israel, including terror threats from Hamas, and the dangers posed by a nuclear-armed Iran. His call on the European Union to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization comes as an important move, indeed, one that European leaders should take seriously.

The President also recognizes the risks Israel takes for peace, steps often not met with reciprocity from the Palestinians. We attach the importance to Obama's reiteration of the consistent position that the peace process continually achieves through negotiations without preconditions, and not through international unilateral actions at forums like the United Nations.

The President’s visit to Israel carried feelings of warmth, meaningfulness, positivity and significance. The people of Israel cherish the U.S.-Israel relationship, and should feel encouraged by the President’s empathy, understanding and personal commitment to Israel’s security and prosperity.

911th day of the Tens

ADL Calls On Ban-Ki Moon To Condemn Incendiary Anti-Semitic Remarks By Iranian Vice President At U.N. Drug Abuse Conference

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have called on U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to immediately condemn an incendiary anti-Semitic and conspiracy-laden speech by Iran's vice president blaming Jews for spreading drug addiction and controlling the international illegal drug trade.

In his address to a U.N-sponsored conference marking International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Tehran, Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi bizarrely claimed that no Jews have any addiction to drugs, declaring: “The Islamic Republic of Iran will pay for anybody who can research and find one single Zionist who is an addict. They do not exist. This is the proof of their involvement in drugs trade.” Rahimi went on to blame “Zionists and Jews” for involvement in other alleged conspiracies, including the Russian Revolution and ordering the killing of black babies.

Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:

“To all those who thought that anti-Semitism is a thing of the past, certainly this makes it very clear that it is alive and well again. What makes it more sinister and dangerous is the fact that it comes from a leader of a country that has vowed to destroy the Jewish state, and is making efforts to obtain the means to do it;

“Before now, good people in the world either ignored Iran's anti-Semitism or did not take it seriously. One would hope that this resurgence of dangerous anti-Semitic themes at a U.N. conference in Tehran would shake up the moral, political, religious leadership to condemn it with a strong voice. We begin by calling on Ban Ki-moon to speak out and to make clear that these views are not only objectionable, but repugnant to the entire international community.”

SOURCE: { http://www.adl.org/PresRele/ASInt_13/6340_13.htm }

759th day of the Tens

The Anti-Defamation League Commends The European Union's Sanctions Against Iran

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) commends the European Union for adopting a ban on imports of Iranian oil and imposing other economic sanctions, including restrictions on transactions with Iran's Central Bank, in response to the country's continuing nuclear weapons program.

“The latest E.U. sanctions demonstrate strong leadership and a determination to take meaningful steps against Iran,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. “These restrictions will not only economically impact Iran, but also signal that oil embargoes are not hypothetical threats and are not limited to the U.S.. When combined with the recent U.S. sanctions on foreign companies dealing with Iran's Central Bank, the regime's clearinghouse for oil transactions, the targeting of Iran's oil has moved from plan to action.”

In a letter to Catherine Ashton, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the ADL praised the E.U. for setting an example that will hopefully inspire other major purchasers of Iranian oil to act responsibly by contributing to the campaign against Iranian nuclear weapons.

The schedule for the oil embargo's enforcement begins on July 1.

SOURCE:

{1}. http://www.adl.org/PresRele/IslME_62/6225_62.htm

New York, NY, January 23, 2011 �