Morton Klein
Morton KleinYoni Kempinski

The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) voiced its deep concern with this week’s revelation that President Joe Biden “pressured Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett during an August meeting to show ‘restraint’ regarding building in Judea and Samaria.”

Highlighting that the reports “revealed that the Biden administration has similarly pressured Israel every week ever since the August summit,” ZOA President Morton A. Klein called the White House’s strategy “uncalled-for bullying and pressure on our ally Israel” and charged that it serve to drive a “wedge” between both countries.

In a statement Klein said the pattern of behavior by the White House also undermines both nation’s security, hinders peace, interfers with Israeli sovereignty, and “and impedes Israel’s ability to house the thousands of Jews who are fleeing to Israel from sky-rocketing worldwide anti-Semitism” along with those making aliyah.

Klein called the pressure on further building “blatant anti-Jewish discrimination.”

“Unfortunately, the Biden administration’s wrong-headed demands are not surprising, in light of the long list of major Biden appointees who are enormously hostile towards Jews and Israel,” he said.

Klein added: “It is also extremely concerning that Israeli Prime Minister Bennett appears to be appeasing the Biden Administration’s demands, including by offering to limit building in Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria, etc. to ‘natural growth’ and by delaying meetings to complete approval processes for building 2,000 Jewish homes (along with 1,000 Palestinian Arab homes).”

Noting that Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked “condemned former Prime Minister Netanyahu for appearing to bow to similar pressure from the Obama-Biden administration, as a ‘disgrace,’” Klein called on Bennett and his government to “stand strong against harmful pressures, and to move forward with building much-needed Jewish homes.”