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he Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has strongly criticized PBS Newshour co-anchor, Gwen Ifill, for a biased tweet, publicly insulting and mocking the Jewish state of Israel’s democratically-elected leader, Benjamin Netanyahu. (Israel is America’s closest and most reliable ally). Following reports that President Barack Obama had secured the requisite 34 senators to avoid an override to a presidential veto, ensuring that his nuclear agreement with Iran could not be blocked by opponents, Ms. Ifill tweeted, “Take that, Bibi.”

The ZOA believes that Ms. Ifill should be fired forthwith, since her naked bias against Israel has destroyed her credibility in any future reports or interviews concerning the Mideast, the Arab/Israeli situation, or Israeli political scene. Unfortunately, viewers can no longer trust her, since she is not an objective, unbiased journalist or interviewer.

The ZOA regards it as prejudicial, disgraceful and intolerable that a responsible journalist would publicly mock and insult a democratically-elected leader in this way, especially the leader of the country that is most dangerously affected by the Iran nuclear deal, which provides a pathway to Iran to eventually obtain nuclear weapons and hundreds of billions of dollars to fund Israel’s enemies –– Hamas, Hezbollah and the Syrian regime. 

Iran has repeatedly threatened the Jewish state of Israel with annihilation for years, including since the Iran deal was signed last month.

Ms. Ifill’s conduct is so prejudiced and outrageous that the PBS Ombudsman, Michael Getler, has described it as a “self-inflicted wound.” Mr. Getler said, “One would have to lean way over backwards to give her the benefit of the doubt … to personalize it by saying, ‘Take that, Bibi’ is, in my book, inexcusable for an experienced journalist who is the co-anchor of a nightly news program watched by millions of people over the course of any week.”

ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “The ZOA believes that Ms. Ifill should be fired forthwith, since her naked bias against Israel has destroyed her credibility in any future reports or interviews concerning the Mideast, the Arab/Israeli situation, or Israeli political scene. Unfortunately, viewers can no longer trust her, since she is not an objective, unbiased journalist or interviewer.

“Instead of apologizing, Ms. Ifill has stood by her conspicuous public bias and mockery of Mr. Netanyahu, whose position on the nuclear agreement is part of a bipartisan consensus in Israel. It is shared by Israeli Labor Opposition Leader, Isaac Herzog, and the overwhelming majority of the Israeli electorate –– as well as a clear majority in America.

“The Israeli electorate has been polled opposing President Obama’s nuclear deal by 69% to 10% –– an overwhelming 7 to 1 margin. Indeed the American public has been polled by Quinnipiac University also opposing this terrible deal by a decisive, greater than 2 to 1 margin.

“Ms. Ifill’s conduct is unprofessional, reprehensible and inexcusable –– had she even apologized, which she hasn’t. 

“We call upon PBS for her immediate dismissal for her outright inexcusable and unprofessional public expression of naked bias against the Jewish state. 

“Would she ever have dared make such a statement against any other leader of any other American ally?”