Netanyahu to Address American Jewish Groups Over Iran Deal

August 2, 2015  

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will next week redouble efforts to scupper the international nuclear deal with Iran, making a personal appeal to Jewish groups across the United States.

Netanyahu, a strident opponent of the agreement, will make a web address Tuesday that will be available on computers, on mobile phones and in synagogues across America, according to organizers representing more than 100 Jewish groups.

The Israeli premier is also expected to take questions, in an address hosted by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and the Jewish Federations of North America.

“The issues involved with the Iran nuclear agreement are complex and of great consequence to the North American Jewish population,” said Stephen Greenberg, chairman of the Presidents’ Conference.

“We welcome this unique opportunity to present the prime minister, who has helped bring these vital issues to public attention.”

PR war?

Netanyahu’s intervention comes amid a fierce battle with President Barack Obama over the agreement.

Netanyahu says the deal, which would curb Iran’s nuclear program in return for international sanctions relief, is a “stunning, historic mistake.”

Meanwhile, amid fervent opposition from the American people itself, Obama has deployed chief lieutenants to make the diplomatic, military and technical case for the deal, ahead of a crunch vote in Congress.

The White House hopes to garner enough votes to prevent the Republican controlled legislative branch from voting against the agreement.

A “no” vote would not automatically kill the deal, but it would force Obama to issue a veto and rally enough Democratic votes to uphold it.

That has prompted a ferocious battle for public opinion, including within the Jewish community.

Groups like right-leaning AIPAC and left-leaning J-Street have engaged in a multi-million-dollar public relations faceoff.

Meanwhile federations, individual organizations, Rabbis and Rabbinical assemblies are being pressed to take a stance.

Obama has tasked Secretary of State John Kerry with talking to the same groups organizing Netanyahu’s address, which incidentally comes on the president’s 54th birthday.
 

AFP contributed to this report.


Protect and Support Israel by Sharing our Articles

Similar posts

Leave a Reply




© 2007-2023 Solve Israel's Problems. All Rights Reserved