The Boston-based office of the American Jewish Committee’s New England branch sent a letter from its regional director, Robert Leikind, to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), on April 11.
He acknowledged that the senator has been “a supporter of Israel’s right to defend its
people against Hamas’s relentless efforts to destroy the world’s only Jewish state,” adding that the organization was “deeply troubled” by her remarks at a public event on April 5.
To that end, “we write to express our deep disappointment and concern about your recent comment regarding Israel’s defensive war in Gaza. You stated that there is ‘ample evidence’ that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.”
The letter noted a clarification from the senator’s office that she intended to comment only on the International Court of Justice proceedings, rather than state her own views.
Still, “we believe that your statement was inaccurate and hurtful, and did not reflect what is happening in Gaza or the likely outcome of South Africa’s claim against Israel at the ICJ, which Secretary of State Antony Blinken called ‘meritless,’” wrote Leikind.
He noted that Warren’s remark “has provided cover to extreme voices who have been maliciously accusing Israel of genocide long before a single Israeli soldier entered Gaza.”
Leikind added that Warren’s voice resonates worldwide, concluding the letter with “our hope that moving forward, there will be opportunity to work together to judiciously assess these complex and difficult issues.”
