Brit Tzedek v'Shalom

Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 11, 2004
Contact: Jessica Rosenblum [email]
Tel: 312 341-1205 or 773 750-7873

American Jewish Group Expresses Condolences to Palestinian People

Washington, DC — With the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace, expresses its sympathy to the Palestinian people at the loss of their long-time leader and chairman of the Palestinian Authority.

"While we are more than aware of how controversial Yasser Arafat had been for most of his life, both among the Jewish community and to many Palestinians, we understand that millions of Palestinians will mourn him as the leader of their national movement," said Marcia Freedman, president of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom. "Although we opposed Arafat’s support for terrorism, we also remember him for his contributions, including the amended Palestinian charter which formally recognizes the right of the State of Israel to exist within its pre-1967 borders, and for his historic agreement in 1993 to enter into negotiations with Israel, thus breaking a long-held taboo in the Arab world."

Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, a pro-Israel national organization of American Jews, believes that the vast majority of Israelis and Palestinians long for an enduring peace, and that security for Israel can only be achieved through the establishment of an economically and politically viable Palestinian state.