I was deeply disappointed by two recent actions of our Congressman Tom Souzzi.
First, this newspaper reported that Congressman Souzzi demanded that a Jewish pro-Israel White House official, Stephen Miller should be fired, in a speech condemning “white nationalism, racism and anti-semitism.”
The context implied that Stephen Miller is an antisemitic white nationalist. Interestingly, the newspaper article reporting on Congressman Souzzi’s speech never mentioned that Stephen Miller is Jewish! The article instead cited a Southern Poverty Law Center report about emails. In fact, Mr. Miller’s emails do not support such a defamatory conclusion about Stephen Miller.
Moreover, the SPLC has no credibility for determining who is or isn’t an antisemite or other label. The SPLC defends real anti-Semites such as Linda Sarsour (who calls for violence and boycotts against Jews) and Ilhan Omar (who called Jews “evil” and is sponsoring legislation to promote antisemitic anti-Israel boycotts).
SPLC hurls the “white nationalist” and “antisemitic” and “anti-Muslim extremist” epithets at those who disagree with SPLC’s open borders and radical leftwing policies. SPLC also lost credibility when it labeled as “anti-Muslim extremists” a Muslim reform group that condemns Islamic extremists; the reform group sued SPLC and won a $3.4 million settlement.
Second, Congressman Souzzi voted for dangerous anti-Israel House Resolution 326. H. Res. 326 wrongly insists that creating a Palestinian-Arab state on lands to which Israel has the historic and sovereign legal right is the “only” solution.
Such a Palestinian-Arab state would be a Hamas-Fatah-Hezbollah Iranian-proxy terror state, would place Israel’s entire population and airport within close rocket range, and would endanger Israel’s continuing existence. Yet, H. Res. 326 asserts that such a disastrous state must be the pre-determined “only” outcome of negotiations. H. Res. 326 doesn’t even mention that the Palestinian Authority refuses to negotiate.
Res. 326 also demands that Israel may not “unilaterally annex territory” – meaning that Israel may not exercise sovereignty over her own lawful sovereign land in Judea-Samaria, which is the home of some 450,000 Jews, and essential for Israel’s defense.
Notably, H. Res. 326 violates international law, including U.S. treaty obligations – e.g., the Anglo-American Treaty of 1924, the San Remo Resolution, and the Mandate whose rights granted to the Jewish people were continued by the UN Charter.
These binding international agreements guarantee the Jewish people’s rights to “closely settle” and reestablish the Jewish homeland on the very same lands that H. Res. 326 insists must be given to terrorists.
Res. 326 moreover failed to demand that the Palestinian Authority must stop inciting and paying terrorists hundreds of millions of dollars each year to murder Jews. H. Res. 326 thus ignored the real steps needed for peace.
Res. 326 narrowly passed the House on a party-line vote. Almost every Republican voted against it.
Prior to the vote on H. Res. 326, the Zionist Organization of America issued a press release and action alert opposing this harmful resolution.
I accordingly call on Congressman Souzzi to: (1) reverse his demand to oust Jewish Stephen Miller and any implication that Miller is an anti-Semite or white nationalist, (2) to apologize for his vote for anti-Israel H. Res. 326, and (3) to publicly assure our community that he will oppose resolutions calling for a Palestinian-Arab terror state in the future.
This letter is not an endorsement or non-endorsement of any political candidate or party.
Elizabeth Berney
Great Neck. Ms. Berney is ZOA’s director of special projects.
