American Jewish Committee Urges World Leaders to Demand End to Palestinian Violence, Supports Israeli National Unity Government

American Jewish Committee
Sunday, 4 March 2001

"The fatal suicide bombing in Netanya demands of the international community a stern message to Yasser Arafat to cease the Palestinian campaign of violence and return to peace negotiations with Israel," the American Jewish Committee said today.

"World leaders who praised Prime Minister Barak last fall for Israel's far-reaching offer to achieve a permanent peace agreement with the Palestinians must ask themselves again why Arafat totally rejected the offer, refused to come back with a counter proposal, and then proceeded to initiate a vicious campaign of violence."

The AJC cautioned that disconcerting complacency has taken hold in the international community whereby the response to sustained, systematic and planned Palestinian violence, including deadly terrorist attacks inside Israel, is to demand further concessions from Jerusalem.

"This complacency, together with the posture of the Palestinian Authority, only encourages the continuing violence that makes it all the more difficult to resume the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations begun eight years ago," AJC said.

"We remain hopeful that Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon's efforts to form a broad-based government of national unity will succeed in giving the Israeli people the security they so much desire, and will fulfill Israel's quest for peace with all her neighbors."

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org