Vice President Mike Pence aids in the cleanup effort at a recently vandalized Jewish cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, Feb. 22, 2017. Photo: Pence’s Twitter account.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin thanked US Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday, a day after Pence stopped at a recently vandalized Jewish cemetery in Missouri and lent a helping hand in the cleanup effort.
“We appreciate @VP Pence’s visit to the desecrated cemetery in St. Louis,” Rivlin tweeted. “We stand together against antisemitism and this crime of hate.”
We appreciate @VP Pence’s visit to the desecrated cemetery in St. Louis. We stand together against antisemitism and this crime of hate. https://t.co/M6N9X8qD7L
— Reuven Rivlin (@PresidentRuvi) February 23, 2017
Pence — who was joined at the cemetery by Missouri’s Jewish governor, Eric Greitens — said while there, “There is no place in America for hatred or acts of prejudice or violence or antisemitism.”
The vice president later tweeted, “MO’s people are inspiring the nation w/ their compassion for the Jewish community. Thank you for showing the world what America is all about.”
MO’s people are inspiring the nation w/ their compassion for the Jewish community. Thank you for showing the world what America is all about pic.twitter.com/PWTFLGqqz0
— Vice President Pence (@VP) February 22, 2017
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said antisemitism is “horrible” and “has to stop.”
In a statement delivered to the press after a tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC, Trump referred to the recent surge of antisemitism in the US — including the cemetery incident and a spate of telephone bomb threats against Jewish community centers across the country.
“The antisemitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil,” Trump said.
In remarks given at a synagogue in Sydney, Australia on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the US leader’s words, saying, “It’s very important that President Trump took a strong stand against antisemitism. And it’s important that we all continue to do so in the years ahead.”