Commentary: Tackling Tehran
We can't say we haven't been
warned. Speaking at a conference titled "The World Without Zionism," Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently called for Israel to be "wiped off the map."
While Iran has threatened Israel for almost three decades, it has never before been in a position to act on its clearly stated desire to eliminate the Jewish state. According to the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, though, Iran may now be within months of developing nuclear weapons.
When considered along with Ahmadinejad's rhetoric, it is clear that a nuclear Iran would pose a dire threat to Israel's existence.
But all is not lost. Israel has its steadfast ally America, and America has the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Since its founding in 1954, AIPAC has become the preeminent pro-Israel lobbying organization in this country.
Fortunately, AIPAC is standing at the forefront of efforts to stop Iran from attaining the ability to assemble atomic arms. Since the 1990s, AIPAC has worked with leading policy-makers in an effort to slow Iran's ability to master the nuclear fuel cycle. AIPAC staff and community members have educated and successfully lobbied lawmakers and presidents of both parties to enact economic and diplomatic sanctions that have been proven to slow Iran's nuclear program by inhibiting much needed foreign investment.
Today, AIPAC is pushing the administration to make good on its pledge to refer Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons to the United Nations Security Council, which could enact international sanctions in the hopes of stymieing Tehran's drive for the bomb.
While Republican and Democratic members of Congress have strongly endorsed AIPAC's call for continued efforts to isolate Iran, the pro-Israel community will need to make its voice heard for this effort to be successful.
Therefore, I encourage you to lend your support to AIPAC's push to help ensure Israel's security by keeping American pressure on Iran. There are two tangible ways you can make a difference. The first is by joining me for the community-wide briefing titled "The Point of No Return: Iran's Nuclear Ambition and What It Means to Israel" at Temple B'nai Abraham, Livingston, on Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Howard Kohr, AIPAC's executive director, and Benjamin Krasna, the deputy consul general of Israel in New York, will be the guest speakers. This program will allow you to gain a greater understanding of what our community can do to slow down Iran's nuclear weapons pursuit.
The second is by attending the annual AIPAC policy conference in Washington, DC, March 5-7. Each year, our community sends a sizable delegation to this important conference, and I hope this year will be no different.
The speakers who participate are drawn from a wide body of bipartisan groups. They frequently include the president, the secretary of state, the Republican and Democratic leaders of Congress, the Israeli prime minister, several Israeli cabinet ministers, and a wealth of foreign delegates representing the European Jewish community.
The conference culminates with nearly 4,000 pro-Israel activists ascending Capitol Hill to meet with their senators and representatives to discuss matters affecting the U.S.-Israel relationship. The energy emanating throughout the conference leaves you with a tremendous amount of pride in Israel and in America's support of this lone democracy in the Middle East.
I strongly encourage you to attend this year.
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