ZOA lobbies Capitol Hill

March 31, 2009

WASHINGTON (JTA) — More than 250 Zionist Organization of America activists urged Congress to tighten sanctions on Iran and place conditions on U.S. aid to the Palestinians.

The organization urged U.S. House of Representatives members and senators to make Palestinians comply with commitments to “end incitement and arrest terrorists” before receiving the $900 million in financial assistance that the United States has pledged. ZOA President Morton Klein noted, though, that the group was  told by a number of Congress members that AIPAC had been telling them to vote for the aid without such conditions.

The ZOA activists also backed legislation providing more transparency for U.S. funds that go to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees and a bill withdrawing funding for the Durban II conference.

Participants also heard from about 30 Congress members who visited the organization’s luncheon on Capitol Hill to give brief remarks.