NEW YORK- The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) is urging President Bush to “respect and accept the landslide democratic decision by the overwhelming majority of members of Israel’s ruling party” in the Gaza referendum.

ZOA representatives will be meeting with Bush administration officials and Members of Congress in the coming days, to explain the reasons behind the landslide 60%-39% vote against unilateral surrender of Gaza to Palestinian Arab terrorists and the mass expulsion of over 8,000 Jewish residents of that region:

• Israelis reject the concept of rewarding terrorists.
  
  
  
• Israelis have learned that giving up land only increases terrorism. Since 1993, Israel has surrendered substantial sections of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza —including the areas where 98% of the Palestinian Arabs reside and yet it has been subjected to the worst terrorism in its history.
  
  
  
  
  
• Israelis realize that the Oslo policy of giving weapons and funds to the Palestinian Authority was a grave error. Despite the over $1-billion that the U.S. has given, and the billions that European Union countries have given, the Palestinian Arabs continue their war to destroy Israel and murder Jews.
  
  
  
  
  
• Israelis recognize that a Palestinian Arab state will be a terrorist state that will endanger Israel.
  
  
  
  
  
• Israelis believe that it is immoral to forcibly expel 8,000 Jewish men, women, and children from their homes simply because they are Jews.
  
  
  
  
  
• Israelis understand that making concessions to the Arabs does not lead to international acceptance of Israel. Despite massive Israeli territorial concessions since 1993, anti-Israel hatred and anti-Semitism have increased dramatically throughout the world.

ZOA National President Morton A. Klein, Chairman of the Board Dr. Alan Mazurek, and National Executive Committee chairman Dr. Michael Goldblatt have sent a telegram to President Bush, stating:

“We urge you to respect and accept this democratic decision by the overwhelming majority of members of Israel’s ruling party. Your “Road Map” plan proposed the creation of a Palestinian Arab state that would inevitably be a terrorist state, and the mass expulsion of Jews from their homes and towns. These proposals are unacceptable, and should not be imposed upon Israel. [The time has come to reevaluate the flawed basic concept of the Road Map the idea that the Palestinian Arabs should be given a sovereign state next to Israel, even though it will be a terrorist state that will endanger Israel’s existence and help promote terrorism throughout the world].”