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For three millennia the land of Israel has been at the heart of the Jewish people; the Homeland from where the ancient traditions, culture and values emanated. The state of Israel has served as a refuge for Jews the world over, a country rebuilt following the horrors of the Holocaust on the principles of freedom and democracy.

Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke’s Letter to the Community

For three millennia the land of Israel has been at the heart of the Jewish people; the Homeland from where the ancient traditions, culture and values emanated. The state of Israel has served as a refuge for Jews the world over, a country rebuilt following the horrors of the Holocaust on the principles of freedom and democracy.

The United States and the State of Israel share a special relationship and, as a Member of Congress, I am committed to working to strengthen this relationship. Brooklyn’s 11th Congressional District, which I have the honor to represent, has one of the largest Jewish communities outside of the State of Israel. I understand how important the safety and security of Israel is to my constituents and the close ties that many share with the great Jewish State. Please know that I never have nor will ever aim to undermine Israel’s security or her standing within the international community.

Recently my signature was added to two sign-on letters that, I regret, do not reflect my record with regards to Israel. These letters have a provocative and reactionary impact, as they do not provide a complete, and therefore accurate, picture of the situation. They also do not offer a constructive and two-sided balanced solution to the issues facing the region. While I do have genuine concerns about the situation within the Gaza Strip, I have also not forgotten how it developed. Hamas, after having won democratic elections in 2006, turned Gaza into a launching pad from which to terrorize Southern Israel by firing thousands of rockets onto civilian targets. Following the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in a cross-border raid and in response to continued unprovoked shelling by Hamas, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead to defend its civilian population from further attacks.

Given this framework the onus to alleviate the situation rests not only with the State of Israel or continued U.S. involvement in the peace process, but largely with the Palestinian people, their elected leadership and Israel’s Arab neighbors, as well as Egypt. Israel’s Arab neighbors must also use their influence and pressure Hamas to recognize Israel’s right to exist, urge it to renounce terrorism, honor all previously accepted agreements, and become a good-faith partner that strives for peace. Israel has engaged in unilateral moves toward peace before, notably the complete evacuation and dismantling of settlements from the Gaza Strip, and was rewarded with a Hamas-dominated adjacent territory that rained rockets upon its civilian population. No state should, or would, tolerate continued attacks and the deliberate targeting of civilians.

An improved situation within the Gaza Strip would work to reduce the likelihood that its young population will grow up in a radicalized environment that could, in turn, pose a threat to Israel, our Arab allies and the United States. A Gaza Strip where education can thrive and an economically vibrant society can take root, providing the citizens of Gaza with an alternative to the hateful rhetoric of radicals, is in the best interest of all involved. However to achieve this end, multiple parties must commit and work to bring about our shared goal of a lasting peace.

Currently, Israel finds itself confronted with a belligerent Iran that is not only rapidly pursuing nuclear weapons, but also rearming Hezbollah and Hamas which sit on Israel’s northern and southern borders respectively. Given the multi-faceted security threats that Israel faces, I added my name to a letter to President Obama encouraging him to adhere to the 2007 Memorandum of Understanding signed between then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and then-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledging $30 billion in security assistance over the next 10 years.

I have always believed, and continue to believe that the best way to bring about peace is through coalition building and negotiations in which all sides are brought to the table. Unfortunately, these letters are uneven in their application of pressure and do not sufficiently present a balanced approach/path to peace. Please know that I will continue to be the strong and unwavering supporter of the State of Israel as I have been throughout my entire public life while working with the Administration and my colleagues in Congress to ameliorate human suffering wherever it may exist.

I encourage any of my constituents to reach out to my office to share their thoughts and concerns with me throughout my tenure in the House of Representatives and look forward to continue to work with you in the future.

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31 Comments

  • Shlomo

    Hummm.. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
    Why is it that we Jews have always ‘looked’ to the goyim for help and approval. Our salvation comes only from Hashem. If we clean up our own messes, Hashem will clean up the rest of the world. This one should attack Iran for us…that one should help us monetarily…We made our own mess and troubles by giving back Gaza. Period. We allowed them to give back Gaza. The only ones standing up today are not the ‘black hatters’, but the new religious Zionist youth.Remember in the time of the Bais Hamigdosh, when all the Jews were doing what we were suppose to be doing, there was peace in the world. Admosia.

  • vote her out

    she always votes against israel then comes out with this balony letter thinking we jews are dumb. vote her out .can we get someone to run asgainst her .

  • Brain

    She says she thinks the letters were one sided so why did she sign the? This is the most stupid letter I ever read froma politition. In short she says “The letters were biased against Israel but I signed it anyway”. How can we have sucha stupid rep?

  • Here-s my thoughts

    Stop saying one thing in Washington and to the world, and then come home to try and “pacify” your constituents to get re-elected. If you really believed what you wrote here in this letter you would not have signed those other letters. If you really cared about Israel like you said you do you would behave like that always, instead you act just like a politician and try to tell everyone what THEY want to hear, often talking out of both sides of your mouth!!! Even in Liberal Brooklyn, I don’t think your job is safe!

  • next election

    next election i will vote against her, but send her a letter to explain how really I’m her biggest supporter.

    fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me!

  • name was added -- Beyond her control??

    B“H

    The day she states all of this, live, in speeches to the Congressional Black Caucus, the entire assembly of the House of Representatives, AND to President Obama himself, completely sincerely and with genuine emotion, adding nothing else, MAYBE then I’ll reconsider.

    Until then, just HOW STUPID does she really think we Yidden are???? And HOW STUPID does she really think her Christian African-American and Caribbean constituency is, who she also alienates on a regular basis? Obviously, the answer is ”EXTREMELY, ENORMOUSLY, TREMENDOUSLY“.

    Her ”name was added” to the letters, as if she herself had no role in that!!! What was it, Ms. Clarke — a case of identity fraud????

    We’ll remember, come November.

  • Elisheva

    Note this: “Onus to alleviate rests NOT ONLY WITH ISRAEL….”
    WHAT?
    Israel has no, zero, zip, “onus to elleviate”.
    COULD SOMEONE POST HER LOCAL DISTRICT PHONE NUMBER? WE SHOULD ALL CALL TONIGHT AND COMPLAIN.
    “the onus to alleviate the situation rests not only with the State of Israel or continued U.S. involvement in the peace process…”

  • Good By Yvette

    Fool me once shame on me, fool me twice shame on who? I’ve had enough of her. Socialized medicine, don’t fund the troops in the mid-east, government funded abortions, gay marriage, and then Israel? All this isn’t for me. I’m voting republican next election.

  • Eli S.

    Ms.Clark you are a text book definition of a hipocrite. Say 1 thing in front of us and do just the opposite behind our backs thinking we’ll never know. Well you are wrong again. Don’t expect our community to vote for you at the next primary elections. You’re outta here. Please, close the door on your way out.

  • friend

    let us not use the word stupid, let us rise above that and just say respect and suspect.
    For sure she is not worth voting for, she cannot be trusted.

  • Did she CC the presedent ?

    Almost good letter, now get other elected officials to sign and send it to the presedent as a real representative of your constituants!!! Or is this BS?

    Note to the Honerable Ms. Clarke: I would fix the bring all to the table. ie Why dosn’t America negotiate with BenLadin or Alkida? There are so many inocent casualties. Why not “bring them to the table”, evacuate Florida and let them have it and maybe they will stop hating and killing infidels?

  • COPY PASTE

    This was probably a COPY & PASTE letter from one of the complaints she received

  • cma

    No way, no way. I wouldn’t trust her as far as I could throw her.

    And why did she put her signature on something that didn’t “reflect” her beliefs?

    Slavin, get out while you’re ahead. Otherwise you’re the same as her. Imagine when does it the third time. How embarrassing will that be?

  • E Poltrack

    Ms. Clarke
    we are not fooled
    i did not see this letter addressed to the president
    and i did not see “others” who signed the first letter
    add thier names here.
    call it as it is you are ANTI ISRAEL anti semite

  • Menachem

    The message must be to Misters Sperling and and Slavin: we will not tolerate taking money from these people any more. Resign your positions for the Rebbe and Anash pride. Support only candidates who are our friends, and Anash must vote (Clarke must look at the vote totals and knows the vote in Crown Heights couldn’t even elect a dog catcher, they are so low and insignificant.

  • Zalman

    Very simply put, We have to assume that someone in a goverment position reads a letter before they sign it. In this case I’m not sure what her letter is about, is it an apology for not reading the letter? or is it an apology for reading it and signing it anyway? or is it not an apology at all?

    Whatever she is trying to convey, she lost my vote.

  • sara

    ALL IT TAKES TO WRITE SUCH A LETTER ,YOU JUST HIRE SOMEONE WITH GOOD WRITING ABILITIES AND SOMEONE THAT KNOWS HOW TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES ON PAPER AND BUM YOU HAVE A NICE APOLOGY DONT GET FOOLED BY THIS “APOLOGY” I WILL DEFINATELY NOT VOTE FOR HER NEXT TIME !!!!!!!

  • APRPEH

    when the “Holocaust” is in the introduction to a discussion of Israel, the speaker’s or writer’s understanding of the reality of Israel is in question. To far too many on the left, Israel is merely a Jewish refuge. While Rep. Clark pays lip service to the “ancient traditions, culture and values” she demonstrates little depth of knowledge or appreciation that Israel represents the Jewish future as much as the past. In the remainder of the letter, Rep. Clark correctly blames Hamas for the cesspool that is Gaza now but then presents the worn out condition that Hamas must recognize Israel’s right to exist. No, Ms. Clark, Hamas must be destroyed. Hamas must be (like all tyrannical and autocratic regimes) taken at face value. Hamas cannot change and be Hamas. The Arabians residing in Gaza will not nor cannot throw Hamas out any more than they can stop being Arabians.

  • wrong

    Slavin I will not longer count you in a minyan

    How could you sell out the Rebbe and your soul

    Shame on you!!

  • Clarke Kent

    She is doing what Arafat always did, says one thing and does something totaly opposite! we should give her the noble prize in Lying

  • MEYER ROSENSTEIN

    THE QUESTION…HOW MUCH MONEY WAS RAISED IN C.H TO SUPPORT MS. CLARKES POLITICAL CAMPAGINE? IT WOULD APPEAR THAT CLARKE IS RESpONDING TO A POSSIBLE LOSS OF FUNDING FROM THE CH PAC. TRANSPARENCY IS VITAL. WHO FROM CH PUTS UP MONEY TO SUPPORT CLARKE? ELI SLAVIN CERTAINLY KNOWS. FIND OUT THE ANSWER AND YOU’LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT’S HAPPENING.

  • we are losers

    ha we are the suckers! why is it only the jews that you talk into a bad situation

  • meyer rosenstein

    the trail leads to dov hikind and therefore rabbi sperlin. again how much jewish gelt went into supporting ms. clarke?