J Street grieves for victims of terror in Paris

January 9, 2015

We are heartbroken by the tragic news this afternoon that four hostages have been killed in Paris after a violent standoff at a kosher supermarket.

The nightmare that has gripped the city this week has shaken the conscience of the world. We condemn these horrific acts of terrorism and grieve for the victims: the Jewish families who were buying groceries before Shabbat, the 12 men and women who were murdered on Wednesday at the headquarters of French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, and the two police officers who were killed in the manhunt that followed. Our thoughts are with their loved ones at this difficult time.

We are proud to stand with others around the world in solidarity with the French people, for we know that no act of hatred or violence will ever extinguish the honored spirit of liberté, egalité and fraternité. On this somber Shabbat, we hope for the day when no synagogue must close out of fear, and no act of speech is met with violence or intimidation.