Queens Jewish Link Discussion with ZOA’s Mort Klein: ‘Expose The Reality of the Arab-Islamic

War Against Israel’

ZOA's Klein told the Jewish Link, "The war against Iran should not have stopped until [Ali Hosseini] Khamenei or this regime was rendered ineffective and destroyed. As long as they’re in power, they will continue to do what they can to develop nukes, even if it might take two more years instead of two weeks, all the while promoting hateful propaganda against Israel."

By Jared Feldschreiber

(July 16, 2025 / Queens Jewish Link) Mort Klein, a German-born American economist, statistician, and president of the Zionist Organization of America for three decades, has been praised as a voice of sanity for the Jewish community. While other American Jewish leaders have often been perceived as “emotional” and playing politics, Klein leaves little to the imagination. He’s a pragmatist and remains one of the most prominent Zionist leaders in America, especially at a time of great existential dangers facing Israel and the Jewish diaspora.

Born to Holocaust survivors in a displaced persons camp in Ginzburg, Germany, Klein and his family immigrated to the U.S. Growing up in South Philadelphia, Klein blossomed as a pioneering economist, which led him to work with successive presidential administrations throughout the 1970s.

Klein was elected national president of ZOA in 1993 after serving as its Philadelphia chapter president. Since then, as national chairman, Klein has never shied away from controversy in defending Israel’s security. He has oftentimes taken more ardent views on Zionism than many who claim to be its standard bearers.

During Donald Trump’s first term, it was the ZOA that uniquely bestowed the then-45th President with its coveted Theodor Herzl Award, “for his meaningful work in helping the State of Israel,” Klein tells the Queens Jewish Link.

“[Trump] came there and got a five-minute standing ovation [as] he is the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,” he adds. “We have an obligation as Jews, as human beings, to thank those who help us. We felt we needed to thank Donald Trump for moving the embassy to Jerusalem, for recognizing the Golan Heights, and for so much more.”

Klein spoke exclusively to the Queens Jewish Link in the aftermath of Israel and the United States’ successful launch of strikes against Iran this summer.

Queens Jewish Link: You have said in the past that “President Trump faces a historic opportunity to succeed where others failed.” This is most relevant regarding the destruction of Iran’s nuclear threat and reshaping Middle East security and prosperity. How can Trump best achieve even greater success moving forward?

Mort Klein: It’s a miracle from G-d what’s happened in the last two years. Two years ago, there was an enormous danger of Israel attacking Iran as they were developing nukes. [Back then], Hezbollah had 200,000 missiles; Hamas had 150,000 missiles. Missiles would rain into Israel if they attacked Iran. It was a terrible situation.

I could never fathom how we could get out of this awful situation, and yet two years later, Hamas has been degraded substantially, as has Hezbollah. Iran is, too, degraded substantially with no defensive weapons. Israel destroyed them all. It is a miracle. To me, this is like the splitting of the Red Sea. It’s that extraordinary.

QJL: Who and what do you point to for achieving this level of success?

Mort Klein: Of course, the talent and the courage of the IDF were just remarkable – remarkable is not a strong enough word. It’s just extraordinary.

But I am disappointed that President Donald Trump made it clear that Israel should stop the war. The war against Iran should not have stopped until [Ali Hosseini] Khamenei or this regime was rendered ineffective and destroyed. As long as they’re in power, they will continue to do what they can to develop nukes, even if it might take two more years instead of two weeks, all the while promoting hateful propaganda against Israel.

Things are now much better, but I’m disappointed that Israel didn’t finish the job.

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