Washington: The White House voiced alarm on Tuesday at a
surge in anti-Semitism in Europe and in France, after last week`s attack in
Paris on a kosher supermarket, which killed four Jewish people.
"The violent assault on the Jewish community in France that took place on
Friday afternoon (...) was the latest in a series of very troubling incidents
in Europe and around the world that reflect a rising tide of
anti-Semitism," White House chief of staff Denis McDonough said at an
American Jewish committee event in a Washington synagogue.
"On behalf of the President (Barack Obama) I am here to
affirm our nations` solidarity to the French people and the Jewish community in
France, and around the world, to condemn in the strongest possible terms the
violent attacks of last week" on the market, and at satirical weekly
Charlie Hebdo where 12 people were killed. Including a policewoman shot dead in
a related incident, 17 people lost their lives in the three-day killing spree
all told.
"We will not waver in our commitment to combat the
scourge of anti-semitism," McDonough stressed, adding that: "from the
President on down, you have my commitment that we will wage this fight
tirelessly, and together."
Recalling Obama`s mentioning this week that France is the
United States` oldest ally, McDonough said "we stand in solidarity with
the French people and share this steadfast commitment to the values of liberty,
free expression, coexistence and religious freedom that were so cruelly and
violently assaulted in Paris last week."
There are between 4.5-5.7 million American Jews, the largest
Jewish community outside Israel.
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