Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)
JCRC Response to Press Conference Featuring President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu
The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati appreciates the reaffirmation of the United States’ commitment to a strong US-Israel relationship, expressed during this week’s press conference featuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump. The reassertion of the “unbreakable bonds” between the United States and Israel aligns with JCRC’s values statement, which states, “The US and Israel share the values of democracy, individual rights, and rule of law, and interests in security, trade, and technology. Since Israel’s founding, the ties between our two nations have been strong and mutually beneficial. A strong and vibrant US- Israel relationship is both right and in our national interest.”
During the press conference, both leaders said that peace will only come through face-to-face negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, and cannot be imposed from outside. JCRC agrees with this and has on numerous occasions noted that, while others can assist, peace must be directly negotiated by representatives of the two peoples.
At the same time, the JCRC wishes to reaffirm our commitment to a two-state solution. As we have stated in the past, “We are hopeful that eventually there will be two states between the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River living side-by-side in peace, one Jewish and democratic and the other Palestinian Arab and democratic.” We urge all involved parties to continue to pursue a two-state solution despite the real challenges that exist in making this vision a reality.
