Thank you so much for joining us today. Let me say that the Vice President and i are outraged on israels attacks. We are outraged and broken hearts we are sending our love, our strength and our unwavering support to the people of israel. Im honored to be with all of you today as an american, as a patriot who loves this country, but also as a jew. And like all jews, i feel a deep connection to israel and its people. We witnessed a mass murder of innocent civilians. It was a terrorist assault. There was never any justification for terrorism. There are no two sides to this issue. The images that we saw will be seared in our brains forever. Rockets falling on cities. People dragged from their homes and shot dead. Children sheltering from bullets. Bodies lining the streets. And all the while we have seen terrorists cheering on these atrocities. The toll on israel and the Jewish Community is hard to imagine, but we can imagine because its happening. Many of you have sent texts and calls and checking on loved ones and too many of you received heartbreaking replies. Today, 22 americans wont be coming home. I know you are all hurting. The entire Jewish Community is hurting. I am hurting. We dpreeive with you and stand with you. But thank god we have the steady leadership of joy biden and Kamala Harris during this unthinkable time in our history. Their morale compass, calm and empathy is what we need in this time of crisis and saw that yesterday when President Biden and Vice President harris and secretary blinken addressed the nation and played clear to the world that israel has United States unwavering support. Our president and Vice President is making sure that israel has what it needs to defend itself. We are grateful for their support during this exceptionally difficult time. We acknowledge and address how these events will impact us as jews. We feel a deep fear that these attacks will unfortunately and have led to a rise in hate and antisemitism. And this discussion and the work and your organizations do is so vitally important. Almost a year ago, i sat right in this spot in this very room and many of you were here with me that day and then we called attention to the epidemic of hate that we are facing and following that meeting, we took action. And in may, Bidenharris Administration countered antisemitism. Includes meaningful actions that we are taking right now to fight back against antisemitism and hate. And each of you played a role in crafting this strategy and couldnt have done this without you. Thank you for the work you are continuing to do and myself and the Bidenharris Administration are working with federal, state and local leaders to implement this plan across the country and continue to bring people together and importantly and build coalitions to fight back against hate. We cannot do this alone. The story of the jewish people has been one of perseverance and resilience. In dark times we come together and fight back and seek to build a better world. Last year before my trip to poland and germany, President Biden told me how his father taught him about the horrors of the holocaust and traveled to daukau so i know how important it is to President Biden to preserve our jewish history and make sure that hate has no safe harbor in america and in the world. As an american jew, i am so grateful that in this moment in pain, we have joe biden as president and Kamala Harris. It is my honor to introduce president joe biden. [applause] President Biden folks, i came first of all to say thank you, thank you to all of you in this room. You not only care, but you have been breaking your neck the last couple of years to deal with this overall issue of antisemitism. And many of you are personally impacted by whats happened in israel. Thousands of dual citizens. And doug, i want to thank you for all the work you have done on behalf of our administration to combat antisemitism. And i apologize, i have been on the phone around the clock with our friends around the world discussing what is going on in israel. And i want you to know that i want to thank you as well for all of you for working that you are doing to bring comfort in this moment of grief for those of you grieving as well. And the tora teaches us that god mated stars to quote, give light on the earth and separate light from darkness, give light on the irgt and separate light from darkness. You know, it has been hard to find that light during the darkness these past few days. When terrorist groups like hamas brought not only terror, but sheer evil, sheer evil to the world, evil that echoes the worst and exceeds the worst atrocities, more than 1,000 civilians slaughtered in israel. By the way, i have been speaking with a number of leaders around the world and leaders in the region as well, and among those who have been victimized or killed are at least 22 american citizens. This attack was a campaign of pure cruelty. Not just hate, but cruelty against the jewish people. And i would argue its the deadliest day for jews since the holocaust. One of the worst chapters, the expression i learned from my dad, silence is compliesity. I mean silence is compliesity. It really is. I want you to know and i think you have figured it out, i refuse to be silent and i know you refuse to be silent as well. [applause] you all represent a voice that america has to hear. Americans cant be silent. We reject this but it goes beyond rejecting terrorism. I spoke with netanyahu many times this morning and we are sending additional and interceptors and u. S. Carrier fleet to the eastern meed tear indiana and more fighter jets and made it clear to the iranians, be careful. We want to make it real clear, we are working on every aspect in the hostage crisis and deploying experts. And what are you doing to bring get these folks home. If i told you, i wouldnt be able to get them home. Folks, there is a lot we are doing and i have not given up hope. But the idea im going to tell you that what im doing is bizarre. I hope you understand how bizarre it would be. And we are working closely with our partners to ensure israel needs to defend its citizens and cities and respond to these attacks. As i said yesterday, my commitment is unshakeable. The United States has israels back and i have yours as well, both at home and abroad. You can see some of the pain on your faces. You ok, kiddo. Well, your fear, Family Friends back in israel, worried about kids being targeted in school and going about their daily lives and downplaying the atrocities. And i have asked my team, secretary mayorkas and secretary garland to work with our Jewish Community partners to set up Community Around jewish life here in america to disrupt threats and combat antisemitism at every turn. The past few days have been a solemn reminder that hat never goes away. I used to think you could defeat hate. All it does is go underground. It gons underground. It hides until it is given a little bit of oxygen and i secured the increased funding for nonprofits including synagogues, jewish day schools and released the National Security to combat antisemitism. And it is the most aggressive in american history. But, we must all do our part and speak out against antisemitism and make clear there is no place for hate in america, not against jews, muslims, not against anybody and mourn the act that you and so many leaders have across the country are showing us what thousands of years of jewish history has shown us. The enduring point of personal privilege in the senate. I took my kids, everyone put them on a plane and took them to daukau and wanted them to see and not know what was going on. You could not fail to understand as a country what was going on. Thats a fact. Had a profound impact on my children. Some thought taking a 14 grandchild i took them one at a time and three more to go. Folks, its important. You know, the miracle of israel is israel. I hope it inspires. What it represents to the world. And folks, i was asked in one of my very frank conversations why not feel so deeply about this. Its not about a region. I truly believe that israel [indiscernible] the only guarantee. The only guarantee. And folks, because of you and i mean this sincerely because of the sincerity and the brilliance you bring to this cause, i think we have a chance to end this in a way that is makes it difficult to be repeated. I thank you for your leadership. And there is a lot to talk about and im concerned hard to talk about this without detail and its contrary to our interests to let out the detail of what is going on. This is just round the clock as you understand and fully understand. But, you know, i have known bebe for over 40 years and very frank relationship, i know him well. And the one thing that i did say that is really important that israel and all the anger and frustration that exists is that operate by the rules of war, the rules of war and the rules of war. And i believe israel is doing everything in its power to pull the country together and stay on the same page and we are going to do everything in our power to make sure israel succeeds and god willing to bring home those americans. I will let you have the private conversation that you have been having which you should continue to have. I really mean it i give you my word as a biden. Thank you tore the intensity of your support. It matters. It matters that americans see what is happening. I have been doing this a long time. I never really thought that i would see, have confirmed pictures of terrorists beheading children. I never thought i would any way but there are countries in the region that are trying to be of some help including arab nations trying to be of some help. So, any way mr. Ppt [indiscernible] President Biden my faith, the core of every human being is a spark of humanity and decency that has to be touched and spoken to. Thats why you are here. Its not about revenge. Its about decency. Just basic decency. Treating people with a sense i dont know how to say it, but i know we can overcome this. I know we can overcome this. Look, i dont know anything about the losses here, but i know a little bit about what it is to feel loss and lose people that you adore. Theyre gone. Not the same, but i get it. And what i have learned is that as we per ser verdict, we can grow and the day will come when the memory of that person or those persons bring a smile to your lips before a tear to your eye. It will happen. But by god, it will take a long time. But if it was borne from a mistake to a vicious attempt, im not saying i know the same. Look, i mean ill never forget i wont go into that. Any way, i just think that if we stay true to our values, pursue every inch and every bit of our energy to get this and bury this again and bring people back and bring people home, i think we can change the middle east. But then again, i have been referred to as a an optimist. Imnot going to answer any more questions but my team knows that when the press is gone, they will talk directly to you. But even then they wont be able to tell you all were doing and all that is going a group of 400 rabbis in washington, hoping to meet with Franklin Delano roosevelt and appeal to him to act, and they were refused a meeting with president roosevelt. They were refused entry to the white house. And the fact that we are here today and you have spoken as the president of the United States so clearly to the jewish people and to leaders and representatives into the white house shows that we are blessed today to live in these United States. Thank you for your leadership. [applause]
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