Israel | Key Issues
IRAN
NEW: Statement from U.S. Congressman Gary Peters read at Sept. 24 community protest rally:
"I am outraged that Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is proud of the controversy he has sparked by denying the Holocaust and I am deeply concerned that he used the U.N. General Assembly as his platform this week. How can the United Nations, the body that gave birth to Israel nearly 62 years ago, now give voice to a tyrant who has stated his ambition is to wipe Israel off the map?
I am proud to tell my colleagues in Congress that my district is home to the first freestanding Holocaust museum in the United States. It stands as testimony to the destruction and murder executed by baseless hatred, it reminds us to never forget, and it refutes the lies of those like Ahmadinejad who would deny the Holocaust.
With the threat from Iran growing every day, it is clear that Israel needs the support of the United States today more than ever. The U.S. needs to take swift action to reduce the Iranian threat and that is why I have cosponsored multiple approaches to increase sanctions on Iran and they should be passed as soon as possible."
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The threat of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons is a grave threat to Israel, the Middle East, the United States and the entire international community.
Iran poses what is increasingly recognized as the greatest military threat in the Middle East. The current Iranian regime promotes sectarian conflict throughout the region, sponsors terrorism globally, and is committed to developing nuclear weapons despite growing global opposition, threats and sanctions. The prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran is especially alarming because President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continues to threaten to “wipe Israel from the face of the earth.”
WHERE WE STAND
The Jewish Community Relations Council:
• Calls upon the United States, the leadership of the United Nations and
particularly the permanent members of the UN Security Council, as well
as other relevant governmental and non-governmental institutions, to
utilize all diplomatic and economic measures necessary to deter Iran
from continuing its quest for nuclear weapons, while respecting the
humanitarian needs of the Iranian people.
• Supports the use of economic measures including sanctions such as
targeted divestment from individual companies that directly do business
with the Iranian regime.
• Encourages institutional and individual investors in the Detroit
metropolitan area and particularly Jewish community institutions and
organizations to participate in efforts to apply economic pressure on the
Iranian government.
• Seeks political, civic, ethnic and religious partners in the general
community to join Council in a collective effort to stop Iran from acquiring
nuclear weapons.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Keep the Pressure on Iran. Please Contact Your Congressman.
As Iran continues to defy the international community in its pursuit of nuclear weapons capability, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the national umbrella for Jewish community relations councils, reports that it is imperative that we maintain economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on the regime in Tehran to meet the demands of the IAEA and the UN Security Council to halt its enrichment of uranium. In an effort to show leadership on this critical issue, Congress is considering a concurrent resolution expressing concern over "the threat posed to international peace, stability in the Middle East, and the vital national security interests of the United States by Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons and regional hegemony, and for other purposes." On May 22, 2008, Representative Gary Ackerman introduced H.CON.RES.362, and it is currently in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. This resolution urges the President to "initiate an international effort to immediately and dramatically increase the economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on Iran to verifiably suspend its nuclear enrichment activities." Additionally, it calls for sanctions on banks and energy companies, and for restrictions of movement of all Iranian officials not involved in negotiating the suspension of Iran's nuclear program.
Talking Points:
• Time is running out to stop Iran-the leading state sponsor of terrorism-from going
nuclear. If Iran's nuclear program is not stopped, by the end of the year the regime
may be able to produce enough highly enriched uranium on an industrial scale for
atomic weapons.
• To change Iran's course, the United States and the international community must
exhaust every economic, diplomatic, and political tool to persuade the
government to end its nuclear program.
• Passage of this legislation will make a definitive statement about the American's
people's desire to ensure that our country is doing everything possible-through
non-military means-to end activities by those countries and entities that are helping
Iran pursue nuclear weapons.
SHARED CONCERNS
BRING GILAD SHALIT HOME!
HOW YOU CAN HELP FREE GILAD SHALIT:
PRAY FOR GILAD SHALIT
HAMAS AND THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
HEZBOLLAH AND LEBANON
THE U.S. – ISRAEL RELATIONSHIP
ARAB AND MUSLIM EXTREMISM
DIVEST-FROM-ISRAEL INITIATIVES
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