"We are—however—also concerned about the continued tensions and violence on the ground and the continuation of unilateral measures, such as settlement expansion, and the security issues," said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.
Jacob Colchamiro of Short Hills, N.J., placed second in the world, while Nathanael Vinar of Teaneck, N.J., placed sixth. Even middle-school national winner Yechiel Shulman from St. Louis broke the top 16 and participated in the televised Yom Ha’atzmaut competition.
Rabbi Yossie Shemtov, executive director of Chabad Lubavitch of Tucson, stated: “We are determined not to be affected by this distressing incident and will continue serving the wider community.”
In a video on Maan News Agency’s YouTube channel on Jan. 16, Palestinian journalist Dr. Nasser Al-Laham said Israel has become so arrogant that one day someone angry will drop a nuclear bomb on it, and there will be nobody left to say “Boker tov” (“Good morning” in Hebrew).
“The people of Iran should stand united in the face of this, and they will deliver a strong punch to the mouth of the American Secretary of State and anyone who backs them,” said Ismail Kowsari.
“It really goes to show how colossally poor of a decision it was for Democratic leadership to put someone on the House Foreign Affairs Committee whose animus towards Jews and Israel so clouds her judgement that she can’t recognize that Israel is not only a democracy, but the only one in the Middle East,” said RJC spokesperson Neil Strauss.