The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has strongly protested a statement by the State Department that while terrorists attacking America are trying to destroy it, terrorists attacking Israel are merely trying to \"resolve political issues.\" State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said at his daily press briefing on September 27, 2001: \"Essentially, there are, on some planes, two different things. One is that there are violent people trying to destroy societies, ours, many others in the world. The world recognizes that and we are going to stop those people. On the other hand, there are issues and violence and political issues that need to be resolved in the Middle East, Israelis and Palestinians.\"



The ZOA noted that just hours after Boucher\'s statement, another round of intensive Palestinian Arab terrorism wounded six Israelis in 12 separate attacks, including ten shootings. In a telegram to President Bush, ZOA National President Morton A. Klein wrote:

\"It is outrageous for your State Department to suggest that Palestinian Arab terrorists are not seeking to destroy Israel, but are merely trying to resolve \'political issues\'. The terrorists who are murdering Israelis seek to destroy Israel just as the terrorists who have murdered Americans seek to destroy America. We urge you to make it clear to the State Department that the United States does not regard Palestinian Arab terrorism against Israel any less seriously than any other terrorism.\"