World Jewish Leaders Appeal to Public Opinion to Halt the Massacre of Lebanese Jews

The leaders of the Jewish communities of Britain and France joined the chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations this week in appealing to world opinion to “halt the massacre” of Lebanese Jews “whose government has confessed its impotence to protect them.”

The appeal, which denounced “the taking of hostages and the systematic selection of Jewish victims,” was signed by Kenneth Bialkin, chairman of the Presidents Conference; Dr. Lionel Kopelowitz, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews; and Theo Klein, president of CRIF (the Representative Council of French Jewry).

The Jewish leaders issued their statement after the second of five Jewish hostages seized by Islamic terrorists in Lebanon was found dead in Beirut. They addressed their appeal “to the human conscience, to the leaders of religious groups and to governments,” declaring:

“It is no more acceptable today than earlier in this century that Jews should be murdered simply because they are Jews. This time, other voices than ours must be raised in solemn protest. Today, silence is a crime.”