Doug Chandler’s article about the ZOA gala (“Bannon Crosses Up Klein With ‘Political Speech,’” Nov. 17) one-sidedly quoted two protestors’ antagonism toward Steve Bannon but didn’t mention, as I told Chandler, about Bannon establishing Breitbart Jerusalem to provide pro-Israel reporting; or his helping ZOA combat campus anti-Semitism; advocating moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem; stating how proud he is to be a Christian Zionist; and even publishing my pro-Israel articles.
Would [Rev. Louis] Farrakhan or David Duke have this record? Chandler didn’t mention my telling him that on “60 Minutes,” Bannon said, “There is no room in American politics” … for “neo-Nazis and neo-Confederates and the Klan.” He has written he has “zero tolerance” for anti-Semitism. Further, Bannon clarified that when he stated Breitbart is the platform for the alt-right, he merely meant the “anti-establishment.” Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer told me Bannon is “a great friend of Israel and the Jewish people.” Even the liberal ADL wrote “we’re not aware of any anti-Semitic statements from Bannon.”
In these difficult times, Jews and Israel need more friends. Let’s not slander those friends we have as enemies.
President, Zionist Organization of America
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