Wiesenthal Center Expresses Condolences to Victims of Today’s Massacre in Paris

January 7, 2015

BREAKING NEWS

“The only way such horrendous acts will cease is when the 6,000 Imams in France publicly condemn these acts as well as the ideology and theology behind them and when they deliver this message consistently to every mosque in France”

Paris

Paris  — In a letter to the editorial team of Charlie Hebdo, Wiesenthal Center French President, Richard Odier and Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels, expressed, "Horror at today's atrocity, our sympathy to the families of its victims and prayers for the wounded."

Samuels noted,  "In 2005, we shared the same courtroom with Charlie Hebdo's then-editor, Philippe Val, as we were both charged with defamation by a French Palestinian solidarity organisation."
Odier added, "Today is a black day for freedom of expression, tolerance and respect in France as the very values of the Republic are under attack."

Samuels stressed, "Jihadi fanaticism and terrorism are the same reality for its victims, whether in France, Israel or beyond."

The Centre urged that, "The authorities draw the lessons of today and crack down on these threats with all measures available."

In a statement released form the international headquarters of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, Rabbis Marvin Hier, SWC Founder and Dean and Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean said that on behalf of the 400,000 constituent families of the Wiesenthal Center, “We want to add our voice of condolence and solidarity for the victims, 10 journalists and 2 policemen, who were massacred today in Paris. As we told President Hollande during our meeting at the Elysee Palace this past June, the only way such horrendous acts will cease in France is when the 6,000 Imams in France publicly condemn such acts as well as the ideology and theology behind them and when they deliver this message consistently in every mosque in France."

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The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).