Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Statement in Connection with the Israel Defense Forces Anti-Terroristic Operation in Gaza

The anti-terroristic operation “Cast Lead” of the Israel Defense Army in Gaza, aimed at the destruction of the military infrastructure of HAMAS in Gaza, has entered its ground phase. The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress expresses solidarity with the decisive actions of the Israel Defense Forces and the government of the State of Israel and hopes that the operation will be a success. Jewish communities and organizations that are a part of the EAJC in 26 European countries and countries of the Asian-Pacific Region are unanimous in their support of the actions of the Jewish state. 

For the last several years, terrorists from Gaza have never ceased rocket fire on Israel cities, first and foremost – on Sderot. As early as in 2007, at the EAJC General Assembly that took place in Jerusalem, a resolution was adopted on the situation in Sderot, in which the delegates of the General Assembly expressed their resolute indignation of the bombardment of Sderot by Palestinian terrorists, that has continued for six years and has made normal life in the city impossible. The terrorists' targets are civilians, including Arabs living in Israel.

Despite all of Israel's actions, including an unprecedented act of one-sided delimitation, the situation only escalated with time. The terrorists did not reduce their activity. After the coup that led the terroristic organization HAMAS to power in the Gaza Strip, the bombardment of Israeli territory took on a systematic character. The official aim of HAMAS is to destroy the State of Israel and to create an Islamic Palestinian State on the lands from Jordan in the East and to the Mediterranean sea in the West. After the failure of negotiations, Israel was forced to war to provide safety for its citizens. 

The EAJC wants to underscore that the anti-terroristic operation of the Israel Defense Forces is of a forced and defensive character. The only target for Israeli actions is the terroristic infrastructure. Israel steadfastly follows international law. 

EAJC calls for international support of the actions of the State of Israel, and hopes that the actions of the Israel Defense Forces will be accompanied by minimal losses among the civilian population, and will lead to a complete destruction of the terrorist infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. This is in the interest of both the citizens of Israel and the civilian Palestinians, who also suffer from the aggressive and provocative actions of terrorists. 

Alexander Mashkevich,

President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress,
President of the Jewish Congress of Kazakhstan;

Michael Chlenov,

Secretary General of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress,
President of VAAD Russia;

Josef Zisels,

Chairman of the General Assembly of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress,
Chairman of VAAD Ukraine.