Conference of Presidents Welcome U.S. Rejection of Erdogan’s Comments

NEW YORK, N.Y.

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations leaders, Richard Stone, Chairman, and Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman, welcomed Secretary of State John Kerry’s comments today rejecting and criticizing Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s comments that equated Zionism with crimes against humanity. Secretary Kerry stated at a press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, that the U.S. not only “disagreed with the comment but found it objectionable.”

The Conference leaders said that Prime Minister Erdogan’s statement is the latest in a serious of outrageous statements and actions which only serve to raise tensions in the region and damage any hope of reconciliation between Israel and Turkey, “It is an insult to every person, regardless of faith, who believes in the right of the Jewish people to its historic homeland and support the existence of the state of Israel, to blaspheme Zionism in such a derogatory and demeaning way. It is time to hold Prime Minister Erdogan and other Turkish officials to account and to demand that they end these outrageous and insidious attacks. This is happening too often and will continue unless the international community reacts strongly. Secretary Kerry set the tone today and we hope that he will communicate these sentiments strongly to the Prime Minister and that other world leaders will follow,” stated Stone and Hoenlein.

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