Iran - American Jewish Congress

November 26, 2024 - PRESS RELEASE: American Jewish Congress Welcomes Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire, Urges Beirut Toward Permanent Peace

November 26, 2024, New York, NY – The American Jewish Congress welcomes the long-awaited ceasefire agreement announced between Israel and Lebanon, marking a crucial step forward in restoring stability to a region that has endured far too much suffering imposed by Iran and its proxies since October 7. This agreement should pave the way for thousands of Israeli families displaced from northern Israel to finally return home after the end of the monitoring period. Tragically, the pain endured by Israeli and Lebanese families could have been avoided had Lebanon heeded the yearlong calls by the United States and Israel to curb…

October 12, 2023 - PRESS RELEASE: Arab And Muslim Support For Israel | American Jewish Congress Activates Its International Support Network | A Message From Jack Rosen

New York, NY, October 12, 2023 - The world is coming together to support Israel’s firm and measured response to the massacre. Along with the major nations of the world that back Israel’s right to take a decisive action, we are also watching early signs of the Arab public opinion taking a second look at a Palestinian militant group that holds Gaza hostage and imposes an unprovoked war on Israel and the region. I am heartened to report to you that some of Israel’s new and potential friends and partners in the Arab and Muslim nations across the Middle East are…

June 9, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE: American Jewish Congress Applauds the Introduction of the Bipartisan, Bicameral DEFEND Act

New York, June 9, 2022 – Today, members of the Abraham Accords caucus in both the House and the Senate introduced the Deterring Enemy Forces and Enabling National Defenses (DEFEND) Act, a legislation that helps to safeguard Israel and other Middle Eastern allies against threats stemming from Iran. Providing authorization to the U.S. Secretary of Defense, the DEFEND Act will foster further cooperation with allies and partner states in the Middle East and develop integrated air and missile architecture to defend against Iranian threats. Furthermore, this legislation will require the Department of Defense to periodically report to Congress, highlighting the feasibility of…

April 29, 2022 - JACK ROSEN: Time to Rebuild the U.S. Relationship with Saudi Arabia

Published originally in The Hill. On April 13, a group of House members sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting an update on the Biden administration’s assessment of the U.S. relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The group, which includes senior members of House Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, Intelligence, and other key committees, takes a dim view of the relationship and urges a continued pullback of U.S. support. However, given the pace and scale of changes in the region and the world, this view may be shortsighted. Two years ago, the Biden administration would surely have agreed with the view of the letter’s authors. Mr. Biden came into office with a hostile view towards theKingdom, based on a number of…

March 25, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE: American Jewish Congress Condemns Iranian-backed Houthi Attack Against Oil Facility in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

New York, March 25th, 2022 - The American Jewish Congress condemns the violent terrorist attack perpetrated by the Yemeni Houthi Insurgency on an oil facility in Jeddah, located in the Kindom of Saudi Arabia. This dangerous display against peace and security is just the latest example of actions carried out by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels against Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region, including the United Arab Emirates, an Abraham Accords partner. This bombardment, which comes after multiple attacks over the past week, endangers key civilian infrastructure and risks affecting global energy security. This point rings even more true as…

March 21, 2022 - JERUSALEM POST: House members, Jewish orgs. urge security guarantees for Israel amid Iran talks

Published originally in the Jerusalem Post. WASHINGTON – As the US and Iran are on the verge of reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement, House members and Jewish organizations are urging the administration to provide Israel with security guarantees. On Friday, representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Brian Mast (R-FL) introduced the “bipartisan Bunker Buster Bill” that would authorize the president “to protect Israel with the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bomb capable of taking out Iran’s underground nuclear infrastructure.” The bill would “ensure the US will continue to support Israel’s security as Iran increases nuclear enrichment.” It would also require the US Department of Defense to consult…

March 15, 2022 - JACK ROSEN: Confront the other destabilizing dictator

Published originally in the New York Daily News. “Throughout our history we’ve learned this lesson — when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos.” President Biden was of course referring to Russia, and he was dead right. But he could well have been speaking of Iran, which has time and again defied the international community with its nuclear program, its sponsorship of terrorism including bloody attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and Jews worldwide, its threats to wipe Israel off the earth, and its continued repression and human rights violations at home. Iran was first…

October 2, 2021 - POLITICO: Iran Keeps Stalling

Published originally in POLITICO's National Security Daily Newsletter. Iran’s new regime keeps stalling for time, saying it wants to negotiate America’s reentry into the 2015 nuclear deal while keeping all parties at arm’s length. “In recent days, Iranian officials have held dozens of meetings with foreign officials to discuss the nuclear talks — but revealed few details about when they will return and what they want. And the regime continues to play a game of brinkmanship with the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog agency, striking deals to avoid censures, only to block access for inspectors days later,” POLITICO’s STEPHANIE LIECHTENSTEIN reported. The result? “The push-pull…

October 1, 2021 - JEWISH INSIDER: Menendez to bring Iron Dome request to the Senate floor on Monday

Published originally in the Jewish Insider. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) will bring the $1 billion Iron Dome replenishment bill to the Senate floor on Monday, the senator said Thursday night. Menendez said that he had planned to bring a unanimous consent request on the Iron Dome funding bill, which passed the House last week, to the Senate floor on Thursday night but ultimately delayed until Monday “as a courtesy” to Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) who is currently blocking the request and asking that it be amended. Paul’s amendment, obtained by Jewish Insider on Thursday morning, would rescind all unobligated reconstruction aid to Afghanistan, including aid to non-governmental…

September 30, 2021 - PRESS RELEASE: American Jewish Congress hosts Sen. Menendez in conversation on America’s Future Role in the Middle East

Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined the American Jewish Congress today for a Jewish Community Conversation. In his discussion with American Jewish Congress President Jack Rosen, and in response to questions from the audience, Sen. Menendez reiterated his strong support for Israel and its security. Sen. Menendez announced today that he would be proposing on the Senate floor, for Unanimous Consent consideration, legislation guaranteeing $1 billion in funding for the replenishment of Israel's Iron Dome defense system. Such legislation passed the House last week. In addition, Sen. Menendez was unequivocal about the need to address Iran's nuclear threat, stating:…