In response to the ongoing terror campaign being waged against Israel, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center issued the following statement today:

"We strongly condemn the ongoing barrage of rockets being launched into Israel by the terror group Hamas, which has so far resulted in the deaths of three women and dozens of injured Israelis as rockets have hit homes and buildings, including a school. Rockets are being fired indiscriminately at civilian targets in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and throughout Israel.

There is no moral equivalence in the current conflict taking place between Israel and Hamas militants. As Hamas commits acts of warfare and terror, Israel is doing what any other country under attack would do – defending its land and people. While Israel is doing its utmost to protect its citizens from rocket attacks by urging the public to take safety in bomb shelters, Hamas uses its civilians – and in particular children - as human shields by launching rockets from civilian areas and inciting Palestinians to join the cause.

Let this be clear: Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, and it values and respects the rights of all people - whether they are Jewish, Muslim or Christian. The culprits in the ongoing conflict are the terror groups, supported by Iran, whose overriding mission is to destroy Israel and kill Jews.

We stand with the State of Israel today and always in its ongoing fight against hatred and terrorism."