After meeting earlier this week with a group of Jewish community representatives and activists, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, who represents a diverse district covering a large swath of Brooklyn, issued an “open letter” to her constituents expressing regret regarding her participation in two letters that were critical of Israel.

The first letter, co-signed by 36 members of Congress, dissented from a resolution in Congress last November that called on the Secretary of State to oppose unequivocally the Goldstone Report, which contained harsh criticism of Israel’s incursion in Gaza last year. The second was a more recent letter signed by 53 other members of Congress that called on President Obama to pressure Israel to lift the blockade of Gaza.

In her new “open letter,” Congresswoman Clarke wrote that the two earlier letters do not “reflect my record with regards to Israel” and “have a provocative and reactionary impact, as they do not provide a complete, and therefore accurate, picture of the situation.”

“These letters,” Ms. Clarke wrote, “are uneven in their application of pressure and do not sufficiently present a balanced approach/path to peace.”

The Congresswoman went on to explain the challenges facing Israel and pledged to “be the strong and unwavering supporter of the State of Israel [that] 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.”

The community representatives who met with the Congresswoman included (in alphabetical order): Chaskel Bennett; Rabbi Eli Cohen; Leon Goldenberg; Rabbi Shmuel Lefkowitz; Rabbi Michael Miller; Rabbi Yechezkel Pikus; Yeruchim Silber, Rabbi Chanina Sperlin; and Rabbi Gedaliah Weinberger. These individuals, executives and lay leaders of Agudath Israel of America, COJO of Flatbush, Crown Heights Community Council, and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, expressed the Jewish community’s deep concern over the letters on which Congresswoman Clarke’s signature had appeared.

The participants in the meeting with Congresswoman Clarke greeted her new “open letter” with cautious optimism. One expressed hope that the Congresswoman “now clearly understands the issues well, and that her stances on Middle East issues in the future will reflect the support for Israel she is voicing now.”

Agudath Israel of America executive vice president Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, citing the effective efforts of the participants in the meeting with Congresswoman Clarke, said that the results of the meeting “show what can be accomplished when the community comes together and works together.”

Regarding Congresswoman Clarke, Rabbi Zwiebel said: “Her reiteration of her friendship today, and the principled stance she has again taken, are more than appreciated by the Jewish community. They are deeply valued.”

Open Letter to Constituents From Congresswoman Clarke:

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.

CONGRESSWOMAN YVETTE D. CLARKE – REPRESENTING NEW YORK’S 11th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Kensington, Carroll Gardens, Prospect Heights, Lefferts Gardens, Grand Army Plaza, Windsor Terrace, Flatland, Midwood.

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