NEW YORK, May 17 (JTA) Longtime UPI White House reporter Helen Thomas “blackballed” New York Times columnist William Safire several years ago from a journalists’ club because of his pro-Israel views, according to the online magazine Slate.
Thomas, who is of Lebanese descent, responded to Slate’s report by telling the magazine that she wanted to “let bygones be bygones,” adding that she is pleased Safire, who is Jewish, is now a member of the club.
In addition, the Zionist Organization of America is claiming that Thomas, who helped to create the Ten Most Wanted List of Terrorists, ignored its letters calling on her to speak out against Palestinian terrorists who killed Americans abroad.
Thomas, who retired this week from her job at UPI, is scheduled to receive the Abram L. Sachar Silver Medallion at the annual conference of the Brandeis University national Women’s Committee on June 2.
The ZOA is calling on Thomas to use the award ceremony as a platform to speak out against the terrorists. The group is also asking Brandeis’ president to urge Thomas to speak out on the issue.
Efforts to reach Thomas were unsuccessful, and Brandeis University had no comment.
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