Las Vegas Jewish leader praises Netanyahu’s speech to Congress

Elliot Karp, president of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas, applauded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for telling Congress on Tuesday that Israel is ready to make "generous" territorial concessions for peace.

Karp said Palestinian leaders shouldn't be resistant but need to seize the opportunity to negotiate a "real and lasting peace" with Israel, which is something Palestinians have let slip by in the past.

"I think Israel has proven its willingness, its eagerness, its desire for peace. It has not been reciprocated," Karp said in an interview after Netanyahu's speech.

The federation represents two dozen congregations and almost 60,000 Jews in the Las Vegas Valley, which was one of the country's fastest-growing Jewish communities before the recession.

"As American Jews, we are deeply proud of the extraordinary address by Prime Minister Netanyahu," said Karp, adding it was reassuring that Congress also was pleased.

Karp said the Jewish community is dedicated to not only a "secure and defensible Israel as the homeland for the Jewish people," but a Palestinian state as a homeland for the Palestinians. And Netanyahu "articulated" this dedication in his address, Karp said.

Now, the Palestinian people need to press their leaders to come to the table, he said.

Contact reporter Trevon Milliard at tmilliard@
reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279.