Pro-Israel Leader Warns Democrats of 'Vicious Jew Haters' in Congress

Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), has voiced strong criticism of the Democratic Party, asserting that its leaders are failing to adequately condemn individuals within the party whom he describes as antisemitic. Klein specifically cited Democratic figures like Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, and New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

"Ilhan Omar is one of the most vicious Jew haters in America," Klein stated in an interview. "And it is very painful to me that the leaders of the Democratic Party have not continuously and vigorously condemned her." He extended this criticism to other elected officials and candidates, asserting that their rhetoric goes beyond being merely pro-Palestinian and instead reflects an anti-Israel and, in his view, anti-Jewish sentiment.

Klein expressed disappointment that elected officials are not consistently condemning those he believes harbor hate. He argued that anti-Israel rhetoric has moved from the fringes into elected office and that Democrats have not forcefully pushed back against members accused of antisemitism. He suggested that if a politician were unequivocally anti-Black, the condemnation would be swift and strong, questioning why a similar standard is not applied to accusations of antisemitism.

During a Michigan Senate debate, Abdul El-Sayed was asked about Iran's threat to the U.S. compared to Israel. Klein noted that El-Sayed reportedly stated both are dangerous to America and that Israel is as evil as Hamas. Klein expressed dismay that Democratic leadership, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, has endorsed El-Sayed despite these remarks.

Mamdani, according to Klein, also drew criticism for declining to condemn the phrase "globalize the intifada," which Klein characterized as a call to violence against Jews. Klein described Mamdani as a "monster" and a "jihadist Jew-hater supporter of terrorism." Despite this, Mamdani has publicly pledged to protect Jewish neighbors and combat antisemitism.

Klein also touched on the recent Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, describing them as atrocities committed by terrorists specifically targeting Jews. He stated that Hamas leaders have vowed to repeat such attacks. He believes that any future Israeli government must respond with overwhelming force to terrorism and destroy Hamas, as he claims the people demand.

Looking ahead to Israeli elections, Klein expressed concern that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might need to form a coalition with left-of-center parties. He suggested this could potentially weaken Israel's response to threats, as some on the left may be more inclined toward "appeasement." Klein emphasized that the conflict, in his view, is not about land or a Palestinian state, but about the destruction of Israel and the killing of Jews. He argued that Israel should reject further concessions and project strength until its enemies accept the Jewish state's permanence. He believes that only when the futility of destroying Israel is understood might adversaries lay down their arms.