WASHINGTON (JTA) – Eighty-nine members of the U.S. Congress signed a letter calling on Turkey’s prime minister to retract his comments blasting Zionism.
The lawmakers, representing both houses of Congress and both political parties, sent the one-page letter to Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday to express “our grave disappointment with the statement you made at the United Nations-sponsored conference in Vienna last month equating Zionism — the foundation of the Jewish state and the movement for Jewish self-determination — with fascism and anti-Semitism, and labeling it a ‘crime against humanity.’ ”
Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), who signed the letter, in a statement sent to JTA said Erdogan’s “outlandish comment is simply unacceptable” and "further threatens unrest in an already perilous region.”
Another signer, Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), said, "Rather than pursuing closer ties with the United States, Europe and Israel, Erdogan continues to pursue a policy of distance and isolation from the West.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
