Stephen Bannon's Inclusion at ZOA Dinner Opens Rift Among American Jewish Groups
Stephen Bannon鈥檚聽presence in the White House聽as President-elect Donald Trump鈥檚 chief political adviser appears to be driving a wedge among some American Jewish organizations.
First, the Anti-Defamation League Trump鈥檚 decision to name Bannon 鈥� who this summer described his Breitbart News operation as 鈥渢he platform of the alt-right" 聽鈥� as his chief strategist and senior counselor, an appointment聽that聽delighted聽white nationalists.聽ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said: "It is a sad day when a man who presided over the premier website of the Alt Right, a loose-knit group of white nationalists and unabashed anti-Semites and racists, is slated to be a senior staff member in the 'people's house.'鈥�
Then, the right-wing Zionist Organization for America issued of the ADL:
It is painful to see Anti-Defamation League (ADL) president Jonathan Greenblatt engaging in character assassination against President-elect Trump鈥檚 appointee Stephen Bannon and Mr. Bannon鈥檚 company, Breitbart media.聽ADL/Greenblatt essentially accused Mr. Bannon and his media company of 鈥渁nti-Semitism鈥� and Israel hatred, when Jonathan Greenblatt/ADL tweeted that Bannon 鈥減resided over the premier website of the 鈥榓lt right鈥� 鈥� a loose-knit group of white nationalists and anti-Semites.鈥澛犅犅�
In fact, as pro-Israel writer (and orthodox Jew) Joel B. Pollak wrote, Mr. Bannon is 鈥渁n American patriot who defends Israel & has deep empathy for the Jewish people.鈥�
ZOA鈥檚 own experience and analysis of Breitbart articles confirms Mr. Bannon鈥檚 and Breitbart鈥檚 friendship and fair-mindedness towards Israel and the Jewish people.聽 To accuse Mr. Bannon and Breitbart of anti-Semitism is Orwellian.聽In fact, Breitbart bravely fights against anti-Semitism.
The ZOA鈥檚 ardent defense of Bannon was shortly followed by that Bannon would be a featured speaker at the organization鈥檚 annual in New York City. According to , Bannon鈥檚 presence resulted in the ADL鈥檚 former president, Abraham Foxman, announcing that he would no longer be attending the dinner.
鈥淶OA manipulated and abused my trust when they announced my decision to attend without my permission because they have politicized this event,鈥� Foxman said. 鈥淢y intention was solely to be in attendance to honor Bernie Marcus, and not to make any political statement.鈥�
ZOA President Morton Klein went on Fox News to denounce the ADL鈥檚 anti-Bannon statement. According to an interview Klein gave to , arrangements were made sometime after he made the televised defense of him.聽鈥淚 think Bannon was grateful that I defended him against this ludicrous charge of anti-Semitism,鈥� Klein said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why he is coming, I guess.鈥�
Originally founded as a purely Zionist organization focused on the defense and support of Israel, ZOA has in recent years come under increasing scrutiny, both for its finances and for its far-rightward lurch politically, as .
After ZOA in 2012 due to late filing of its returns, controversy erupted within the organization鈥檚 ranks over how its finances were being handled, especially after that Klein received a 38 percent pay hike even as the ZOA鈥檚 revenues were in sharp decline. Klein鈥檚 presidency was challenged in a 2014 by attorney Steven Goldberg, who made an issue out of the ZOA鈥檚 finances, but Klein wound up winning re-election under circumstances that left that the organization had surrendered its credibility.
Much of its activism in recent years has leaned heavily toward聽anti-Muslim extremism. Klein was one of the speakers at the annual convention of the anti-Muslim hate group ACT! for America earlier this year, joining a who鈥檚 who roster聽of the anti-Muslim movement. He also spoke聽at聽the rabidly anti-Muslim American Freedom Alliance鈥檚 gathering in Los Angeles this summer.
On Dec. 13, Klein is also scheduled to be among the speakers at the annual organizational dinner of Frank Gaffney鈥檚 anti-Muslim hate group, the Center for Security Policy, at the same time that it is planning to present its annual 鈥淔reedom Flame Award鈥� to Israel鈥檚 ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer.
Sunday鈥檚 ZOA dinner in New York is already being billed as 鈥渇lashpoint鈥� for the growing rift within the pro-Israel Jewish community. noted that the event would be protested outside by If Not Now, a leftist Jewish group that opposed Israel鈥檚 treatment of Palestinians.
On its , the group issued a statement explaining its protest: 鈥淭he leadership of some of the Jewish community鈥檚 largest institutions refuse to speak up against Trump, Bannon and their dangerous policies.鈥�
