NEW YORK- In an appeal to Israeli Knesset Members in advance of next week’s vote on the Gaza retreat plan, the Zionist Organization of America has reminded them that there is no evidence the United States will stop supporting Israel if the Gaza retreat plan is rejected.

ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said:

“As an organization that is active on Capitol Hill and has close relationships with numerous members of the administration and Congress, it is our duty to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information on how U.S.-Israel relations could be affected by the Gaza retreat plan.

“Some supporters of unilateral retreat have attempted to frighten the Israeli public by claiming that the United States will abandon Israel if it fails to retreat from Gaza. There is no evidence that any such thing will happen. Your final decision on this issue dare not be based on misinformation.

“President Bush, the Congress, and the overwhelming majority of Americans — according to all polls — strongly support Israel, even when there is occasional disagreement about a specific policy. Some prominent members of the House and Senate have even said privately that they cannot understand how Israel could make major concessions to the enemy in the midst of a terrorist war. The Knesset does not need to endorse unilateral retreat from Gaza and transfer of its 8,300 Jewish residents in order to maintain American support.”

The ZOA pointed out that according to a new poll, only 15% of Israelis believe that the United States will “greatly reduce” its support for Israel if the retreat plan is not implemented.

The ZOA-commissioned poll was taken on October 18 and 19, 2004 by Israel’s leading pollster, Hanoch Smith of the Smith Research Institute, and questioned a scientific sample of 500 Israeli Jewish adults.