North Shore, New York – Assemblymember Charles Lavine (D-North Shore), President of the New York Chapter of the National Association of Jewish Legislators and a member of NAJL’s national board of directors, issues the following statement on the murderous attack on Israel:

This morning’s despicable sneak attack against the Israeli people is a war crime. The taking of hostages, murder of civilians, the use of torture, the beating and the killing and parading of captured soldiers are cruel and brutal throwbacks to medieval times. This abhorrent conduct must be condemned by all.

We affirm and we will defend the Right of the Israeli people to self-defense. In the harshest of terms, we condemn those who have attacked our democratic ally.