Israeli Leaders Express Shock Over Shootings in U.S.

JERUSALEM — Political leaders and many others in Israel expressed shock Wednesday at the latest instance of violence directed against Jews in the United States, the nation perceived as the world’s most accepting to them, apart from the Jewish state itself.

All major Israeli newspapers carried stories about the shootings at the Jewish community center in Granada Hills on their front pages, in some cases even crowding out articles about two Palestinian attacks Tuesday against Israelis.

Prime Minister Ehud Barak told reporters that the shooting had “international significance in the expansion of terrorism against Israel and Jews all over the world. This is one of many recent, very severe anti-Semitic events.”

Rabbi Michael Melchior, Cabinet minister for social and diaspora affairs in the Barak government, also condemned the attack and expressed concern about what he termed a rise in anti-Semitic acts and expressions in the United States.

Melchior said he had telephoned Jewish community leaders in Los Angeles to express abhorrence of the shooting and offer aid to the families of the injured children. He also said he had begun consulting international Jewish leaders about ideas to combat anti-Semitism worldwide.

“We cannot tolerate any type of racism or anti-Semitism,” Melchior said in an interview with Israel Radio. “We must help all Jews in the diaspora. We are one community, a Jewish world community, and the state of Israel has a lot to offer.”

Rabbi David Rosen, who heads the Jerusalem office of the Anti-Defamation League, said he had fielded numerous calls from Israeli reporters Wednesday, asking him to help them explain to readers and viewers why Jews seemed to be under increasing threat in the United States.

“Since there have been [a number of] attacks there in a relatively small space of time, people seem to have the impression that there’s a problem for Jews in America,” Rosen said. “I’m not saying there isn’t a problem, but there seems to be a bit of a disproportionate concern here. Part of it also must have to do with the ease with which weapons are accessible, I think.”