Please note the original statement misstated the number of civilian casualties. We regret the error and issued the following revision: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2012 CONTACT: Jessica Rosenblum, [email protected], 202.448.1600 (o) or 202.279.0005 (c) WASHINGTON—J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami today issued the following statement in response to the most recent outbreak of violence between the Israel Defense Forces and militants in Gaza, which began on Friday. “J Street is deeply concerned about the most recent spate of violence between the Israel Defense Forces and militants in Gaza. We condemn the rocket fire on Israel and unequivocally support Israel’s right to protect its citizens from attack. Our thoughts are with the civilians on both sides whose lives are once again besieged by the consequences of the unresolved conflict. We urge all involved to exercise maximal restraint and we call on Israeli, Palestinian, American and international leaders to take bold steps to diplomatically resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The way to address outstanding grievances is by achieving a two-state solution, not by escalating violence. The majority of Israelis and Palestinians recognize that a two-state solution is the only means to achieve true peace and security. Particularly in the absence of a meaningful diplomatic process between Israelis and Palestinians, such an escalation has the demonstrated capacity to engage other actors and enflame already heightened tensions in the region as a whole. We urge the United States and all members of the Quartet to make brokering a ceasefire an immediate priority, in word and in deed.”