Jul 17, 2015

A Statement from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and its Jewish Community Relations Council: A Nuclear Iran Is Everyone’s Concern

July 17, 2015

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation and its Jewish Community Relations Council are deeply disappointed with the details of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran’s Nuclear Program, signed on July 14, 2015. Regretfully, we have no choice but to oppose it and we urge others to join us.

Painful lessons of history have taught the Jewish people that reliance upon the good will of others for our well-being is not a plan. This agreement, the success of which is dependent on willing Iranian cooperation, puts Israel and others in harm’s way against a sworn and evil enemy in the world’s most volatile region. Therefore, the details truly matter.

While we sincerely respect the intent and effort of the United States Administration to prevent Iran, through negotiation, from obtaining a nuclear weapon, this agreement falls short in several key areas that we believe are critical to the safety and security of all people around the globe. There is simply too much at stake, not only for Israel, but also for the United States and indeed the entire world, to remain silent on any concerns.

We recognize that we are not nuclear experts, but we must heed the large, diverse and growing number of independent and nonpartisan experts and organizations who have raised serious concerns since the release of the text of the agreement.

In particular, critical issues have been raised relating to inspections and verification, weaponization activity, infrastructure dismantlement of nuclear facilities, and the duration of some of the most sensitive components in the agreement.

These issues, and the resulting vulnerabilities, are sufficient reasons to let our elected officials know that a nuclear Iran is of concern, and compromise on any of these areas is not an option. Therefore, it is critical that we urge their disapproval of this agreement.

Given the escalating instability in the Middle East and Iran’s long-standing commitment to encourage and fund violent terrorist groups sworn to the destruction of Israel and every democratic value we share as Americans, it is impossible to separate this deal from the context of life in this region or from Iran’s constant hateful rhetoric toward the United States.

Trust must be earned over time. With very little evidence of long-term compliance, the agreement allows for the release of up to $150 billion in funds to Iran, much of which will be coming in the earliest stages of implementation. This large influx of cash will serve to strengthen that country’s role in destabilizing the region. It will enable Iran to continue its proven record of supporting terrorism at anyone’s doorstep – a profound concern for all people of good will worldwide. Consequently, this deal impacts all of us – our children, our grandchildren, and generations yet to come.

We acknowledge that there are diverse views within our community, but ultimately this issue must remain above politics and reflect our collective determination to ensure moral clarity and absolute resolve in dealing with one of the world’s most dangerous regimes.

The full agreement may be found at www.documentcloud.org/documents/2165388-iran-deal-text.html.