NEW YORK – The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) strongly praised President Bush and his administration for “rebuffing the suggestions of some European officials, and continuing to refuse to have contact with the terrorist group Hamas and its leaders even if some of those leaders win elections in Palestinian areas.”

“The United States would not follow in the practice of some European countries of engaging with the group’s political wing even if it also had an armed wing carrying out attacks on civilians.

“The President has said that Hamas is on the terrorism list and it’s there for a reason. We don’t recognize that you have changed your behavior just because the group is running candidates as well as suicide bombers (N.Y. Times, 6/7/05).

ZOA President Morton A. Klein said, “We strongly support President Bush’s stand against the terrorist/neo-Nazi group Hamas. We call them a neo-Nazi group because their official charter not only calls for the ‘obliteration’ of the Jewish country of Israel but also states that ‘the day of judgment will not come until Muslims fight the Jews and kills them. If a Jew hides behind a rock or a tree, find them and kill them.’

“While President Bush, is taking a strong anti-terrorist stand here, it is appalling that Holocaust denier and Palestinian Chief Mahmoud Abbas not only refuses to disarm and dismantle Hamas but he recently hired 350 Hamas terrorists into his police force and welcomes Hamas into his Cabinet. In act, Israeli Prime Minister Sharon told a group of Jewish leaders in Washington last month “Abbas is strengthening Hamas, not fighting them and continues to smuggle weapons from Sinai into Gaza.”