The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) condemned the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, calling the agreement "a terrible case of appeasement."
Negotiators reached a deal Wednesday for a ceasefire in the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, after 15 months of conflict that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and inflamed the Middle East.
President Joe Biden announced the ceasefire and hostage deal that will end the fighting in Gaza and surge humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians.
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein issued a statement shortly after Biden's announcement.
"The Zionist organization of America ZOA strongly opposes this hostage deal even though we are thrilled that a few live Jews are being released," Klein said in the statement, which was provided to Newsmax. "This deal is a terrible case of appeasement. And appeasement always fails.
"This isn't 'peace through strength,' as envoy Steve Witkoff claims. It is heartbreaking and infuriating and frightening that Israel's government is agreeing to this deal — and that the U.S. pressured them to do so — in which initially an estimated 1,000 Palestinian Arab terrorists and later 2,000 more Arab terrorists-many who have murdered Jews — will be released, for only a tiny fraction of the hostages or dead hostage bodies — leaving the rest of the hostages behind, without even a Red Cross visit."
Klein added that "[p]ast history teaches that many of these released terrorists will return to killing Jews and will cause more future Jewish deaths than the number we're saving now!"
The ZOA president expressed dismay that President-elect Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would sign off on the ceasefire.
"What happened to President-elect Trump's insistence that 'there will be hell to pay' if ALL the hostages are not back before January 20th? What happened to Netanyahu's promise of 'total victory' and Hamas' destruction," Klein asked. "Is this what almost 1,000 young Jewish soldiers died for and lost limbs for in Gaza — as one soldier said to me in pain 'Is this why I lost both my legs.'
"To let Hamas survive and win and become heroes for releasing terrorists. To endanger all of Israel all over again? How can Israel agree to leave the Philadelphi corridor which is so necessary to stop Hamas from re-arming? Didn't Israel learn from having released 1,000 terrorists for Gilad Shalit and seeing dozens going back to terrorism and joining Hamas! This deal is a major appeasement mistake. Winston Churchill would not have approved."
Reuters contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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