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The hard-right Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) on Sunday held its annual dinner—and its featured guest was none other than newly minted House Speaker Mike Johnson, who received the organization’s Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Defender of Israel Award.
The crowd, markedly smaller than in previous years, was notably subdued and somber. A mixture of anger, fear, and defiance filled the room. Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack reverberated, just as its repercussions continue to play out in Israel, Gaza, and the broader Middle East.
Those gathered were decidedly pro-Trump. The Biden administration was taken to task for its Iran policy, and former President Barack Obama (who left office almost seven years ago) was scorned. Yet at the same time, the unstated hope was that the current U.S. administration would embrace ZOA’s agenda—which is essentially complete deference to Israel’s right-wing government. It was as if pummeling your adversaries would be taken as welcomed persuasion by those on the receiving end. (Usually, things don’t work that way.)