JCRC Statement
March 3, 2026
The following is a statement from Ron Halber, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.
"Delegate Rasoul is nothing if not predictable. It is disappointing, though hardly surprising, that he would dust off his typical antisemitic talking points in a desperate bid for attention.
"Charges that America does Israel’s bidding, and that Jewish organizations like ours ‘run cover’ for the government, are straight out of the antisemitism playbook. These claims invoke the insidious ‘dual loyalty’ trope and baseless conspiracy theories about malevolent Jewish power. This is nothing new for Delegate Rasoul, who has a long history of spewing hateful, anti-Jewish rhetoric and singling out Jewish organizations for criticism. Comments like these have fueled the unprecedented surge in recent years of antisemitic threats and violence regionally and nationally targeting Jews in their homes, schools, and communities.
"With these latest comments, Delegate Rasoul once again disrespects his office, denigrates his constituents, and demonstrates why he is unfit to serve as chair of the Virginia House of Delegates’ education committee. Like many Americans, we hope that Iran’s deadliest weapons capabilities are permanently eliminated, and that a diplomatic resolution to the military conflict can ultimately secure a long-term peace. Antisemitic nonsense from an individual clearly out of his league will not get us closer to either goal."