B’nai B’rith International President Robert Spitzer and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the U.S. to make clear that Syria must protect its minorities, including Druze and Christians, and keep armed forces with longstanding ties to extremism and violence away from Israel’s borders. Read the letter below, or in PDF format here.

Dear Mr. Secretary:

On behalf of B’nai B’rith International’s members and supporters across the United States and around the globe, we write to express our alarm and dismay over mass atrocities committed against Druze and other minorities in Syria, including Christians. Both Syrian state and non-state actors have committed atrocities resulting in hundreds of deaths, an untold number of wounded, widespread destruction, and mass displacement of civilians.

We have been horrified by proliferating accounts of massacres, summary executions, mutilations, kidnappings, the burning of property, lootings, and the documented targeting and unspeakable public humiliation of religious figures. This week we learned with particular grief that a 35-year-old American citizen, Hosam Saraya, was apparently one of eight members of a family executed on camera by masked terrorists shouting “God is great.” Mr. Saraya had reportedly founded a school in the predominantly Druze city of Suwayda and had studied in Oklahoma before returning to Syria to care for his ill father.

Israel’s sizable Druze community has modeled the possibility of interreligious and interethnic coexistence, as well as civic responsibility, sacrificing heroically in defense of the country. Israel, meanwhile, has endeavored to protect members of the Syrian Druze population from ongoing persecution, threats, and attacks.

It is critical that the United States make unmistakably clear to the de facto government of Syria – as well as armed groups officially or unofficially acting in concert with it – that Syria must respect the human rights and preserve the wellbeing of all minorities under its jurisdiction. No less, armed forces with longstanding ties to extremism and violence must not be allowed anywhere near Israel’s borders.

Thank you for your attention. B’nai B’rith looks forward to remaining in communication with you on this and other issues of mutual concern in the near future.

Respectfully,

Robert B. Spitzer, President                          Daniel S. Mariaschin, CEO