Israeli ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter said that the bond between Israel and Western civilization won't be broken, while speaking to a group of Christian students at the Passages DC Experience in Washington.
The Passages DC Experience gathered Christian student leaders from across the US and Canada, who visited Washington over the weekend to learn how to stand against antisemitism and advocate for Israel.
Leiter talked to the students about the US-Israel relationship, his son, who died while fighting in Gaza, and the recent events surrounding criticism of how Israel is fighting Hamas in Gaza.
“Hamas is getting the food, and Hamas is holding it up for others. They are the root of any suffering in Gaza. There's nothing more evil than that. It doesn't matter what the facts are anymore. There's a tsunami out there, and in Israel, we're being accused of the worst kind of crimes. Nonetheless, the bond that exists between Israel and Western civilization won't be broken,” explained Leiter.
“We don't kill innocent civilians. We don't target innocent civilians. Our soldiers died because we don't target innocent civilians. My son might be alive today if we bombed population centers instead of sending our soldiers in on foot looking for terrorists.”
US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff addressed the group, calling their efforts to bring young Americans to Israel, to foster understanding, and to build bridges of faith and friendship "nothing short of inspiring.”
He continued, “You are nurturing the next generation of leaders who will carry this torch forward, and for that, I am deeply, deeply grateful to all of you today.”
Will Scharf, Assistant to the President and White House Staff Secretary, spoke about the difficult situation facing students on campuses who stand up for Israel.
“The dominant narrative on college campuses has been totally hijacked and bears essentially no relationship to the reality on the ground, to the reality of Middle Eastern history, to what's actually going on in Israel and the broader Middle East,” said Scharf. “And I think fighting back against that SJP narrative is just incredibly important, not just for Jewish students, but really for all Americans who believe in Judeo-Christian values, who believe in I think the values that we all share. We can't let them win on this.”
Combatting antisemitism on college campuses
Nicknamed the “Christian Birthright,” Passages was founded in 2016 and has brought over 11,000 North American Christian students to Israel to strengthen their faith and connect with Israel and the Jewish people. Since October 7, Passages has increased its advocacy and efforts to combat antisemitism on North American college campuses, holding regular weekend conferences for Christian student leaders.
“Unfortunately, due to irresponsible international actors, parts of the media, NGOs, and global decision-makers, Israel is being libeled and attacked on multiple fronts, and painted as evil and heartless,” said Rivka Kidron, Co-Founder and Board Member of Passages. “It is vital that our students have all the tools at their disposal to stand for the truth, stand for peace, and stand for Israel.”
“Our Christian student leaders have been on the frontlines standing in solidarity alongside those in the Jewish and pro-Israel community facing hate and lies since the October 7massacre,” said CEO of Passages Zach Bauer. “To fight lies and hatred, it is vital that our students are able to disseminate truth and compassion on their campuses, and this is what we are teaching them, as well as to be a force multiplier, at the Passages DC Experience.”