Jewish group to deliver 180K letters to White House to mark 180 days since Oct. 7
A major Jewish advocacy group is planning a demonstration at the White House in protest of President Biden's shifting policy towards the Israeli offensive into Gaza.
The Orthodox Union, which represents over 1,000 synagogues in the United States, is gathering 180,000 letters to be dropped off at the White House on April 3 — marking 180 days since the Israel-Hamas conflict began.
"180,000 letters will be hand-delivered to the White House urging the President to support Israel without undermining its war effort, take meaningful steps to combat antisemitism and secure the release of Israeli and American hostages," the Orthodox Union told Fox News Digital.
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The Orthodox Union — one of the largest Jewish advocacy groups in the country — is drawing letters for the demonstration from its network of synagogues across the country.
Additionally, Orthodox Union is collaborating with the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), Chabad on Campus, American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, Olami, Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, and more to fill the 180,000 quota.
"We urge the Biden administration to stay the course and support Israel until the Hamas threat is eliminated," said Orthodox Union Executive Director of Public Policy Nathan Diament.
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He continued, "We trust this initiative will bring much-needed attention to the urgency of ending the suffering of the hostages, bringing them home, and completely removing the threat of Hamas."
The Orthodox Union initially showed support for the Biden administration in the immediate aftermath of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks on Israel.
However, the group has become increasingly concerned about the government's qualified support for continued offensives in Gaza — which recently led to the U.S. abstaining from a United Nations Security Council vote on demanding an immediate ceasefire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has doubled down on his plans to invade the city of Rafah in Gaza despite vehement opposition from the Biden administration on humanitarian grounds.
"We have been clear in multiple conversations and in every way that any major military operation in Rafah would be a huge mistake," Vice President Kamala Harris told ABC when asked about consequences for invading Rafah. "Let me tell you something: I have studied the maps. There's nowhere for those folks to go."
Asked if she was ruling out consequences for initiating the invasion despite U.S. protest, Harris said she was "ruling out nothing."