Morton A. Klein addresses 130 attendees to ZOA-Sarasota's November meeting at Temple Beth Sholom

Morton A. Klein, national President of the Zionist Organization of America, addressed 130 enthusiastic supporters at ZOA-Sarasota's November meeting.  The following are ZOA member Jerry Sobel's notes from the event:

The Zionist Organization of America was founded in 1897 and is the oldest pro-Israel group in the United States. Mr. Klein is the National Director and also serves on the Executive Board of AIPAC as well as, the International Board of Governors of the College of Judea and Samaria in Ariel Israel. On behalf of Israel, he has a working and personal relationship, with the Executive, Congressional, and Judicial branches of our government and their counterparts in Israel. The National Jewish weekly, The Forward and the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent have named him one of the top Jewish activists of the last century.

Those attending the November 10th presentation, were treated to some insightful information that we never get to hear in the mainstream electronic or print media.  Mr. Klein began with a demographic presentation by showing a map of Israel and the surrounding Arab States:

• Israel is surrounded by 22 Arab Nations.
  
• Israel is the size of New Jersey.
  
• Arab lands are twice the size of the United States.
  
• Egypt alone is 40 times the size of Israel.
  
• (my note) As of 2007, Israel’s population; 5,600,000.
  
• (my note) As of 2008, Muslim population; 1,657,000,000,600,000

Klein went on to show the absurdity of “Land for Peace” as a legitimate component of a settlement with the Arabs. He stated that the real reason this conflict continues is:

• Racism
  
• Anti-Semitism
  
• The Muslim desire to rid the entire Middle East of Jewish sovereignty.
  
• He indicated that up to 1993 the population of Bethlehem was 80% Christian; 20% Muslim. In just 16 years, it stands now at 90% Muslim; 10% Christian.

He mentioned:

There never was a country called Palestine:

• For centuries it was controlled by the Ottoman Empire.
  
• The British during the early 20th century.
  
• Illegally annexed by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1948.
  
• Liberated by Israel following its defensive victory in the 6 Day War.

Yasser Arafat never abided to the Oslo Accords and neither does Abbas:

• Terrorism has continued since its signing in 1993.
  
• Incitement against Jews continues in Palestinian text books, media, and culture.
  
• Palestinian maps and official correspondence and documents show even the pre-1967 area as Palestinian with no trace of Israel.
  
• The number 1 pop song in Palestine is: “All Israel is Palestine.”
  
• Anti-Israel propaganda, incitement, and indoctrination of the population are the main reason peace is far off.
  
• Schools and babies are named after suicide bombers.
  
• Instead of baseball cards, suicide bomber cards are sold to children.
  
• Parents glorify “martyred” children and would be proud if their other children chose the same path.

The Palestinians libel Israel of committing genocide:

In regard to the ludicrous accusation that Israel is committing genocide, Klein joked that Israel is tops in medicine, science, and agriculture but since the Muslim population had more than tripled between 1948 until now, she’s not very good at genocide if that were her desire, which it is not.

Since Israel has been a U.N. member and a recognized nation since 1948, he feels it’s a denigration of Israel to speak of a “two state solution,” since Israel is already a bona fide state.

He derides the idea of an “occupation” because:

• Israel has totally abandoned Gaza.
  
• 42% of Judea and Samaria has been turned over to the PLO.
  
• Only 2% of the remaining 58% is involved in construction of Jewish neighborhoods.
  
• Why can Arabs live in Jewish neighborhoods but Jews are not to be permitted in Arab areas? Sounds familiar throughout history, doesn’t it?
  
• He’s unhappy that despite plans to do otherwise, the U.S. embassy still hasn’t been moved to Jerusalem.
  
• He’s happy that Obama has stopped calling for an end to settlement growth.

The program ended on a very positive note: He concluded that despite 6 major and minor wars, incessant terrorism, and diplomatic isolation, “Israel is a modern day miracle.”

• Has turned desert into cultivated productive land.
  
• She has more scientists per capita than any nation other than the U.S.
  
• More medical advances than any other country.
  
• Despite what many in the world incorrectly think of as a tumultuous place; 91% of Israelis are confident and think it is a good place to live.  He’s elated that after more than a millennia, the Jewish people have returned to their homeland.