by Israel National News
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations delegation addresses Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, urges Israel to press UN to hold Hamas to account for the sexual violence on 10/7 and against hostages.
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| Yuli Edelstein Flash 90 |
As part of its annual mission to Israel, a delegation from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations today addressed members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, chaired by MK Yuli Edelstein.
Speaking in the special session, they urged Israel’s leadership to continue pressing the United Nations to condemn Hamas and to hold it accountable for its systematic use of sexual violence against women on and since the attacks of October 7, 2023.
Carol Ann Schwartz, National President of World Hadassah, highlighted the international campaign to demand justice for the victims. “We were outraged by Hamas’ brutal October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the reports of extensive weaponization of sexual violence. Over the last year, the war has impacted women in deeply personal ways. We met with UN leaders and mobilized over 150,000 grassroots signatures from nearly 120 countries, alongside 120 collaborative organizations, to demand that the United Nations speak out and hold Hamas accountable.”
She stressed, “The UN has yet to list Hamas as a party suspected of committing patterns of rape in armed conflict or hold the terrorist organization accountable for these crimes against humanity. We will not give up. Sexual violence in conflict is increasing worldwide, and accountability is key to preventing future atrocities.”
Meredith Jacobs, CEO of Jewish Women International and Co-Founder, spoke about the broader impact of Hamas' crimes on Jewish women worldwide. “As Jewish women, our bodies share the pain—the impacts of dehumanization, objectification, and hate that are playing out on our campuses and beyond. Jewish survivors of sexual violence no longer feel safe seeking help from mainstream agencies. Those of us in the field have lost colleagues, and women’s studies programs at universities across the United States are teaching that Israel is weaponizing feminism and that Zionists are not to be trusted.”
Sheila Katz, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, reinforced the urgency of breaking the silence surrounding Hamas’ crimes: “Rape is a violation against humanity. It must never be normalized—not in our cities, not on our campuses, not as a tool of war. But silence itself normalizes rape.”
She said emotionally, “I wish I could sit with the women Hamas silenced on October 7 and tell them: Your last moments will not define you. We are fighting to ensure no one else suffers as you did. Let this be the revolution they inspire.”
During the meeting, MK Edelstein reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to ensuring that Hamas is held accountable and that the international community cannot continue to ignore the evidence of sexual violence perpetrated by the terror organization.
The delegation emphasized that Israel has a responsibility to lead in confronting sexual violence in conflict, ensuring accountability, and preventing future atrocities. They called on Israeli leadership to continue demanding action from the UN and international bodies to recognize and condemn Hamas’ crimes.
Israel National News
Source: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404124
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