Zionist Organization of America National President Morton A. Klein released the following statement:
The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) proudly congratulates Dan Illouz, ZOA’s representative in Israel, on Dan’s high placement in the primary on the list of the Likud party. (ZOA remains a non-partisan organization.) Most polls project that Likud should win enough seats to elect Dan to the Knesset during the November 1st election. Dan Illouz is 36 years old and a graduate of McGill University Law School in Montreal, Canada. After making Aliyah thirteen years ago, Dan completed a master’s degree in public policy at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He was elected to the Jerusalem City Council in 2018. Following his City Council term, Dan began work with the ZOA in 2020.
Because of ZOA’s non-partisan principles, Dan took a leave of absence from his work with ZOA when he became a candidate for the Likud primary.
Dan is a great fighter for ZOA and Israel. ZOA and all of its members wish the best for Dan Illouz in the future, whatever the election outcome.
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said:
“On behalf of the entire ZOA as well as myself personally, we are all so proud of Dan Illouz and his accomplishment. ZOA does not get involved in partisan Israeli politics. But it is great to look forward to working with future members of the Knesset who understand ZOA’s priorities and Israel’s critical needs in a serious and substantial way.
“I have been friends for decades with Likud party leader, Benjamin Netanyahu (and his late father, eminent historian Professor Benzion Netanyahu) and many other Members of Knesset. Now it is possible that ZOA will have another close relationship with a new member of the Knesset after the election.
“Dan Illouz has been very effective in his work for ZOA in Israel, especially in advocating for sovereignty in Judea and Samaria; the rights of Jews to live in Judea Samaria; our opposition to a terrorist Palestinian Arab consulate in Jerusalem; explaining our opposition to a Palestinian Arab state, which would surely remain a terrorist dictatorship; helping to publicize the truth about the Shimon HaTzadik property dispute; and promoting ZOA’s efforts to hold the Palestinian Authority (PA) accountable for the PA’s continued violation of every agreement the PA ever signed. Dan Illouz also helped us make people aware of the horrific Nazi-like policy of Mahmoud Abbas and his PA regime, of paying lifetime pensions to Arabs to murder Jews. Dan’s network of contacts within the Israeli establishment, at both the national and local levels, has been a great help to ZOA in promoting our pro-Israel agenda.
“I look forward to working with Dan in the future.”
Dan Illouz said:
“I was honored to serve ZOA under the incredible leadership of Morton Klein. I hope to keep promoting the same values ZOA embraces from the Knesset. I learned a lot working with a fearless leader like Mort, who has become a dear friend, and plan to keep working very closely with ZOA.”