New York, NY, January 27, 2005 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today congratulated Condoleezza Rice on her confirmation by the Senate as Secretary of State and expressed confidence in her role as a key U.S. mediator in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

Barbara B. Balser, ADL National Chair, and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:

We congratulate Condoleezza Rice on her well-deserved confirmation by the Senate.  We have long valued her commitment to combating anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred and to seeking a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that will preserve Israel's security and satisfy Palestinian hopes for a better future.

We are confident that her lifelong commitment to advancing human rights, democracy and religious freedom will serve our nation well in facing the challenges to come.

We will continue to count on her friendship and good counsel and we stand ready to be of assistance as the administration moves forward in seeking a solution to the Middle East conflict and in promoting peace and democracy around the world.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.