The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) called today on the Obama administration, Congress, the international community, and Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders to categorically reject any United Nations proposal of Palestinian statehood, particularly after a Manhattan federal jury found, after a seven-week trial last February, that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) were liable for orchestrating six terrorist shootings and bombings in Israel between 2002 and 2004, which resulted in the death and maiming of dozens of American citizens and others (Sokolow v. PLO). Despite this latest confirmation of the PLO/PA’s support for and promotion of terrorism against innocent American citizens and others, the media has reported that France is coordinating a UN initiative for Palestinian statehood with the United States. Even if the U.S. does not endorse the initiative, the Obama administration reportedly might not veto a UN resolution.

Morton A. Klein, the ZOA’s National President, urged the Obama administration, Congress, the international community, and Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders to reject any notion of a Palestinian state, particularly after the decision in the Sokolow case, stating: “The jury’s decision in the Sokolow terrorism case is just more evidence that a Palestinian state would be another terrorist state. The jury heard testimony from relatives of American citizens who were killed in terrorist attacks orchestrated by the PLO and the PA, and from survivors who can never truly recover from the horrors they suffered. The jury also heard evidence that the PA pays the salaries of its employees who were jailed for their role in terror cases, and pays benefits to the families of suicide bombers and gunmen who died while carrying out their murderous attacks.

“The PA’s incitement, support for, and glorification of terrorism against innocent civilians continue to this day. The PA recently dedicated yet another city square to the memory of a terrorist killer of innocent civilians in Israel. The media also recently reported that the Palestinian Arabs have signed an ‘agreement for all-out cooperation’ with Iran, the world’s worst sponsor of terrorism, and that PA President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to visit Iran in the next few months. We also recently learned that authentic PA documents were leaked on line which show – as described by a columnist for the Palestinian al-Ayam newspaper – ‘rampant corruption, mismanagement and nepotism’ in the PA government. Isn’t the handwriting on the wall? There can be no doubt that a Palestinian state would be yet another terrorist state. The Obama administration should make it crystal clear that the U.S. cannot support the creation of a Palestinian state at the present time and that it will veto any initiatives in support of Palestinian statehood at the UN.”