Note: ZOA does not endorse or reject political candidates.

Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) President Morton A. Klein and ZOA Chair Mark Levenson, Esq. released the following statement:

ZOA is horrified, alarmed by, and condemns the roles given to notorious antisemites, Israel-haters and Farrakhan-lovers at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) this past week. The DNC included Linda Sarsour, Tamika Mallory, Imam Noman Hussain, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Pastor Frederick Haynes. Also, ZOA is deeply concerned that VP Joe Biden ignored ZOA’s and others’ requests to apologize for speaking alongside the worst radical Islamists at the July “Million Muslim Votes Summit,” and ignored our requests to apologize for reciting a Hadith that promotes violent jihad at that summit. Instead, VP Joe Biden “doubled down” by allowing roles for Jew-haters/Israel-haters at the DNC.

The list of deeply problematic speakers at the DNC this week included:

• Radical Linda Sarsour isthe extremist Israel-hater, BDS-promoter and terrorist-sympathizer-and-inciter who has said she was “honored and privileged” to stand with PFLP murderer-of-Jewish-students Rasmea Odeh; tweeted “nothing is creepier than Zionism”;praised the Intifada terror wars (in which Palestinian-Arab terrorists murdered and maimed thousands of innocent Israelis) as “invaluable on many fronts”; falsely blames Israel for American police killings of Blacks in America; called throwing rocks at Israelis the “definition of courage”; demanded we not “humanize” Jews; proclaimed no Zionists will be allowed at a recent rally, and more.

Sarsour appeared on the Democratic National Convention’s Muslims and Allies Assembly livestream. At the DNC, Sarsour, who calls herself a Palestinian-American organizer and card-carrying member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA, a group that officially boycotts Israel), proclaimed a temporary alliance with the Democratic Party, and portrayed other Americans as “fascists.” Sarsour stated on the DNC Muslim Allies livestream: “The Democratic Party is not perfect, but it is absolutely our party in this moment. I am here to say that I’m not looking for perfection. I’m looking to defeat fascism and I hope our Muslim American community understands how important this election is.”

Sarsour was also one of the antisemites who spoke alongside VP Joe Biden at the July Million Muslim Votes Summit, where Sarsour demanded ending the “occupation of the Palestinian people,” (by which Sarsour meant ending Israel) and urged: “If you want to see an end to the military occupation of the Palestinian people, then I need you on the streets all the time.”

• Radical Tamika Malloryinfamously posted a photo, smiling with Jew-hater Louis Farrakhan’s arm around Mallory, and called Farrakhan “the GOAT – Greatest of all Time.” Mallory has continued to refuse to retract or apologize for her praise of Farrakhan. Mallory spoke at the DNC’s Black Caucus meeting this week. Mallory and Linda Sarsour were both Women’s March leaders who had to resign in 2019 due to the controversies resulting from Mallory’s involvement with antisemite Farrakhan and Sarsour’s long history of antisemitism. Yet, the Daily Beast explained that the DNC has now welcomed Sarsour and Mallory back into the DNC’s good graces.

• Radical Imam Noman Hussainteaches at the extremist Qalam [training] Institute, whose officials have advocated using female sex slaves, killing adulterers, and inciting hatred against Jews and other non-Muslims, according to the Middle East Forum. One of the Qalam Institute’s courses, “The Prophetic Code,” which is online here, quotes Prophet Muhammed (in English) telling Muslims to strive for “cleanliness,” “purity,” “generosity,” and “hospitality,” so that they “do not resemble the Jews.” Imam Noman Hussain recently retweeted Israel-hater “iFalasteen” (Abbas Sarsour)’s tweet calling for “#FreePalestine” (meaning Israel’s destruction).  The tweet showed a chanting mob pouring in to the Al Aqsa mosque “after the lockdown of more than 70 days,” which failed to mention that the closure was due to the coronavirus. Yet, extremist Imam Hussain was one of the speakers at the livestreamed DNC “Interfaith Welcome Service.”

• Radical J Street Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaumalso spoke at the DNC Interfaith Welcome Service. Kleinbaum’s hostility towards Israel is so concerning that dozens of her congregants, including a prominent board member, left her synagogue in protest. Kleinbaum reportedly named and said Kaddish from the pulpit for Gazan casualties, which necessarily included Hamas terrorists (since they were a large proportion of the casualties); raised funds for Gazans but not for suffering Jews in southern Israel; hosted a pro-BDS advocacy event at her synagogue; and participated in an anti-Israel “Queer Mission to Palestine.” (See “Saying It’s Anti-Israel, Some Members Quit NY Gay Shul,” Times of Israel, Aug. 2014; and pro-Israel advocate Michael Lucas’ Facebook post about issues with Kleinbaum, including the letter from the synagogue board member who resigned in protest regarding Kleinbaum’s activities.) Kleinbaum is also a board member of the radical New Israel Fund (NIF), which funds organizations that demonize Israel, promotes anti-Israel boycotts, defends jew-killing terrorists, and engages in lawfare against Israel.  

• Radical Pastor Frederick Haynes III has repeatedly praisedvirulent antisemite and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who called Hitler a “great man”, called Jews termites and Jewish houses of worship “synagogues of Satan.” Pastor Haynes tweeted a smiling picture with himself and Farrakhan in 2017, in which Haynes called Farrakhan “a wonderful and great man”; tweeted that it was a “great honor to be in the presence of The Minister [Farrakhan]”; and in 2015 called Farrakhan “a prophetic leader of our time.” 

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Yet hater and radical Pastor Haynes was the featured speaker at the DNC “Our Values” Black caucus event on Monday. 

• Radical Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC)is notorious, among other things, for advocating for, legitimizing, and mainstreaming attacks against and the murder of Jews, antisemitism and Israel-hatred by declaring on the radio that Palestinian-Arabs “have no choice but to riot” against Jews in the Jewish State. During the same radio appearance, AOC perpetrated the antisemitic blood libel that Palestinian-Arabs don’t have access to clean water – which AOC used to foment potentially deadly anti-Jewish riots. AOC’s blood libel was reminiscent of the medieval blood libels that Jews poisoned the wells, which were used to foment deadly anti-Jewish pogroms. AOC also made false accusations about “marginalizing Palestinians,” and “absolutely” agreed with the radio show host’s depiction of “white supremacist Jews,” and the host’s statements calling Israel “very, very unjust” and “very, very, criminal.” She also praised notorious antisemitic, Hamas-supporting Jeremy Corbyn, head of England’s labor party. And the previous week, AOC contended that condemning anti-Jewish boycotts “forces” people to commit anti-Jewish violence. (See “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Justified Violence Against Jews Twice in 7 Days,” by Daniel Greenfield, Jewish Press/FrontPage Mag., Aug. 1, 2019.)

Yet, AOC was given the key role of nominating Bernie Sanders at the DNC. During her DNC appearance, among other things, AOC praised a movement to repair “colonization” – a concept often falsely used to malign Jews, Israel, and American patriots. AOC also called for “reimagined foreign policy” – apparent code that promotes turning against Israel and America’s current democratic allies.

Especially, in light of the troubling fact that a new poll (YouGov published by The Economist) showed that only 24% of Biden supporters and only 18% of Blacks view Israel as an ally, ZOA strongly states that it is imperative that the DNC and VP Biden publicly and unequivocally apologize for these Jew-hating, Israel-bashers’ appearances, and to condemn and disassociate from these antisemites, in no uncertain terms. Their appearances may only lessen support for Israel and increase hostility toward Jews. ZOA urges other Jewish leaders, rabbis, pastors, editorial writers, Christian Zionists, political leaders, and other people of goodwill to also demand a strong apology from former VP Joe Biden. 

Giving these radical haters a prominent podium only legitimizes and mainstreams their Israelophobic antisemitism and is more dangerous in an era of rising antisemitism and attacks on the Jewish State. There must be a public outcry against giving these radicals the respectability they don’t deserve.