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Writer-at-Large Jane Eisner November 16, 2016

Aaron Klein writes on Breitbart.com that the Forward intentionally smeared his former boss and senior Donald Trump advisor, Stephen Bannon, by explaining how he can support Israel and still be associated with anti-Semitism.

To quote the president-elect: Wrong.

We are journalists, with a proud history extending over nearly 120 years of independent reporting. We don’t smear. We don’t have a far left “socialist” agenda. As a not-for-profit, we publish a wide range of views, and we don’t endorse political candidates.

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Instead, we deal with facts. Unfortunately, many of Klein’s assertions are just plain wrong.

Fact: The experts we quote are highly regarded in their fields of study. They point out why ultra-nationalists in America can support ultra-nationalists in Israel, but still traffic in anti-Semitism back home.

Fact: Anti-Semitism in Poland — where there are very few Jews left — is stubbornly persistent even as its hard-right government maintains diplomatic ties with Israel.

Fact: The Forward’s editorial support of last year’s nuclear deal with Iran mirrors the opinion of a majority of American Jews, the United States Congress, and many top military and intelligence officials in Israel. Opposing the Netanyahu government on one issue does not make this news organization anti-Israel — or anti-Semitic.

Fact: The Forward did not support the “anti-Semitic Muslim Brotherhood regime” in Egypt. In fact, the most recent story we published from Egypt suggested that attitudes toward Jews were improving under the al-Sisi regime in Egypt, a sworn enemy of the Brotherhood.

Klein also wrote that the Forward “has featured numerous articles alleging Trump’s presidential campaign has evidenced racist, white supremacist and anti-Semitic undertones.” That, at least, is correct. We have also featured numerous pieces by Jews who support Trump. That’s what real journalists do.

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