ZOA and HIAS
A recent Journal online story reported on a letter that maligned me and my organization (Zionist Organization of America) for opposing the election of HIAS chair Dianne Lob to become chair of the COP (Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations).
The letter misleadingly identified its signers as caring “young Jews.” In fact, these “young Jews” were predominantly J Street U officials or members. Top J Street U signers also recently tweeted in honor of “Nakba Day” (meaning Israel’s rebirth was a catastrophe); supported teaching a notorious, virulently anti-Israel “Colonizing Palestine” course at Tufts; and boasted about helping to organize J Street’s campaign to insert anti-Israel planks into the Democratic Party platform.
J Street’s letter wrongly claims that it is “odious” to oppose resettling “heavily vetted” Muslims.
In fact, numerous bipartisan experts, including top Obama officials (including former FBI Director James Comey and former director of National Intelligence James Clapper) confirmed the weakness of U.S. vetting, and the unavailability of needed information.
ZOA does not oppose anyone “because” they are Muslim. ZOA opposes the entry of and HIAS’ resettlement of certain people because they come from nations where ADL polls show that 74% to 93% of the population is anti-Semitic, and where studies confirm that schools teach hatred of Jews and Israel, and glorify “martyrdom” from early childhood onward. HIAS may well be endangering American Jews and support for Israel by resettling anti-Semitic refugees who also likely will oppose strong U.S.-Israel relations and will vote for and lobby for those promoting these ugly beliefs.
Morton A. Klein,
National President
Zionist Organization of America (ZOA)
