ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA

NEWS RELEASE

ZOA Urges ADL & Others: Join Us in Demanding Bernie Sanders Fire New Jew-Hating Senior Advisor

Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) National President Morton A. Klein and ZOA Chairman Mark Levenson, Esq. released the following statement:

The Zionist Organization of America strongly urges presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders to fire Sanders’ new Jew-hating, Israel-bashing senior advisor, Phillip Agnew a.k.a Umi Selah.

Agnew/Selah co-founded the Jew-hating Israelophobic group “Dream Defenders.” He strongly supports anti-Israel Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and falsely wrote in Ebony Magazine that Zionism is a “racist, exploitative, exclusionary, ethnic ideology.” Agnew a.k.a Umi Selah also falsely said, “Zion is hell on earth for millions,” and falsely characterized the “occupation of Palestine” as “murderous.”

Agnew/Selah posted Dream Defenders’ common-core-compatible “rebellion curriculum” series for 6^th to 11^thgraders, which glorifies the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a U.S. designated foreign terrorist organization. The “curriculum” calls all of Israel “occupied Palestine”; speaks of destroying Israel; and “liberating Palestine from Israeli rule” as “the best way to create a communist, working class party”; and mentions PFLP tactics including “hijackings, assassinations, car bombings, suicide bombings, and paramilitary operations against civilian and military targets” and the killing of Israel’s Tourism Minister.

The Dream Defenders’ curriculum concludes that the PFLP seeks “to be free from global imperialism. They want liberation. They want equal rights. Just like the Dream Defenders.”

Agnew/Selah participated in a “Dream Defenders” trip to Israel and the areas of Judea & Samaria controlled by the Palestinian Authority, led by PFLP supporter Ahmad Abuznaid, during which the trip participants harassed Israeli soldiers, called for BDS against Israel, and met with PFLP affiliate Addameer. Agnew/Selah falsely wrote that he “saw cold, calculated racism and ethnic privilege masquerading as a Jewish state.” The trip participants also met with BDS founder Omar Barghouti and Diana Butto, PLO spokesperson during the Second Intifada — in which Arab terrorists murdered over 1,500 Jews and maimed 10,000 Jews.

Agnew/Selah also falsely accuses Israel of committing “genocide and ethnic cleaning.” He falsely said that, “Palestinian children are met with tear gas and rubber bullets as they walk home from school.”

On non-Israel issues, Philip Agnew/Umi Selah frighteningly demands that the U.S. must abolish prisons and police forces, end capitalism, and have open borders. And on Facebook, Agnew/Selah thanked Ferguson demonstrators for throwing Molotov cocktails at police. (Selah posted: “yes, #thankyouferguson for your Molotov.")

Despite all of Agnew/Selah’s ugly, radical, maniacal Jew-hatred, Senator Bernie Sanders stated, “I am excited to welcome Phillip to the team” as “one of our generation’s most critical voices.”

ZOA strongly urges Senator Sanders to immediately fire Philip Agnew/Umi Selah and condemn Agnew/Selah’s antisemitism.

ZOA also urges ADL’s Jonathan Greenblatt, AJC’s David Harris, the Conference of Presidents’ Arthur Stark and William Daroff, AIPAC’s Howard Kohr, B'nai B'rith’s Dan Mariaschin, the Reform and Conservative and Orthodox Jewish groups and other Jewish and Christian and Muslim and political leaders, to join ZOA in this urgent demand to Sen Bernie Sanders — fire and condemn this dangerous, maniacal Jew-hating bigot and militant extremist Philip Agnew, a.k.a Umi Selah. You dare not be silent!

Click here to view the article on zoa.org.

About the ZOA

Founded in 1897, ZOA played a key role in the Jewish state's re-establishment. Today, ZOA is the leading major American Jewish organization courageously defending Israel and the Jewish people. ZOA presents the facts about the Arab/Islamic war against Israel, and the Jewish people's lawful right to live in and settle historic Jewish lands. ZOA combats the anti-Israel lie that Israel is an "occupier" of her own land. ZOA spearheaded the long battles to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, and apply civil rights protections to Jewish students who are harassed on college campuses. ZOA provides legal and other assistance to pro-Israel students at campuses throughout the country. ZOA exposes that a Palestinian state would endanger Israel's existence. ZOA is at the forefront, fighting against all forms of antisemitism, including anti-Jewish boycotts. It is because of ZOA's bold and unapologetic voice that we have such a significant impact on public discourse and policy.

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