For the past two months, all eyes have been focused on the Iran nuclear agreement. Congress and the American people have debated the deal’s merits and weaknesses, with the conversation taking on increasingly acrimonious tones as the mid-September deadline for Congressional approval drew closer.
The argument within the Jewish community has been exceedingly sharp, complicated by the fact that the Israeli leadership came out strongly against the proposed deal, citing the extreme security danger it posed to the Jewish state, even as many American Jews wished to support their president.
In the spotlight were Jewish lawmakers, in particular the Democrats, whose often agonized decision-making played out in the public eye. One by one they issued their statements, yea or nay, sometimes accompanied by tears.
Last week, it was over. On Sept. 10, Senate Democrats blocked a vote on the agreement, effectively handing President Barack Obama the victory he sought. Forty-two senators, just one more than was needed, stood together to block Republican attempts to end the debate and bring that vote forward. The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly against the deal the following day, 269-162, but their opposition was at that point merely symbolic.
Implementation of the Iran nuclear deal, including the lifting of U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic, is expected to commence in the next few weeks.
These two months have been rough on the American Jewish community. Harsh words have been spoken, friendships badly damaged. In an article in J. this week, JTA reporter Ron Kampeas describes how a Democratic lawmaker tried to comfort a distraught AIPAC staffer right after the Senate vote.
The hand extended by that lawmaker to a lobbyist on the other side of the political divide is one that needs to be extended, and accepted, within the entire American Jewish community.
The Iran nuclear deal is going forward; now let’s focus on making sure the Iranian leadership adheres to it.
The White House has announced a series of security enhancements it is ready to offer Israel, not as a consolation prize but as a clear statement of the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be meeting with Obama in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 9, ending a lengthy standoff between the two leaders. Ron Dermer, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, signaled a new, more conciliatory tone last week, saying that despite “strong disagreement” over the Iran nuclear deal, “I am quite confident that America and Israel will deepen cooperation in the years ahead to address the enormous challenges we will continue to face together.”
That’s what we all need to remember.