Re the Washington Post article on July 14: “Israel blasts Iran deal as ‘one of the darkest days in history‘”
William Booth and Ruth Eglash assert, “Opposition leaders [in Israel] were united in condemning the Iran deal…” This is false.
The Joint List, representing the vast majority of Palestinian citizens of Israel, who comprise approximately 20 percent of the population, supports the deal. The Meretz party does too.
We love our lives and families every bit as much as those who oppose the deal, but have concluded this deal makes the region safer for us while offering the added benefit of making it safer for millions of Iranians as well, provided Prime Minister Netanyahu does not take rash action in seeking to bomb Iran.
The Joint List wants weapons of mass destruction out of the Middle East altogether, including from Israel.
Booth and Eglash quote Israel’s deputy foreign minister Tzipi Hotovely as saying, “The State of Israel will employ all diplomatic means to prevent confirmation of the agreement.” We do not support this position to undermine the President of the United States and the popular support of the American public for this deal. More war is not what the American public and the region need, though it certainly would distract the world from Israel’s ongoing subjugation of Palestinians — a reality Netanyahu does not want to address.
We are also concerned that men such as Sheldon Adelson and Haim Saban — two of the principal American opponents of the nonviolent movement for Palestinian freedom and equality — will contribute millions to candidates bucking the agreement. Adelson, in 2013, called for hitting Iran with atomic weapons and Saban stated in November 2014 that were he Netanyahu and a deal signed that he didn’t like he would “bomb the living daylights out of these sons of bitches.” Such rhetoric is irresponsible and grotesque and not in the interests of regional peace.
Editor’s note. Dr. Ahmad Tibi submitted this as piece as a letter to The Washington Post, to correct the record. The Post has not run it, despite its obvious news value. Readers should note that the Post did lately run a letter from the Islamophobe Steven Emerson responding to a piece that mentioned him. Tibi is a far more respectable figure.
“Readers should note that the Post did lately run a letter from the Islamophobe Steven Emerson responding to a piece that mentioned him. Tibi is a far more respectable figure.”
Wow, it is very telling that a obvious nutjob like Emerson has more sway than Dr. Tibi who is at least an elected official. It just shows how mainstream Islam haters are.
I thought I would go and look at the letter the article linked to. Here’s what Emerson said about someone questioning his knowledge of Islamic extremism:
“Don’t take my word for it. In my 2012 documentary, “The Grand Deception,” federal prosecutor Nathan Garrett stated that these internal Brotherhood documents “absolutely blew the doors open on our understanding of the Muslim Brotherhood movement in the United States.”
He quotes HIMSELF to justify his own opinions.
Why does anyone listen to this idiot.
Most Israelis and Americans strongly oppose this horrible deal.
Let us begin by noting that the empire is using a bogus concern over the Iranian nuclear program as a pretext in order to secure geostrategic objectives, one of which is to increase the US ability to influence/control Iran. With this in mind, there is a must read analysis by Ismael Hossein-Zadeh over at CounterPunch which puts all of this in strategic perspective. I provide a quote followed by a link.
“It also helps explain why the deal, if ratified by the U.S. congress, may do more damage to Iran than stinting its scientific research and development, or holding back its technological progress. Perhaps more importantly, it would undermine Iran’s sovereignty as it would find it difficult to resist or oppose to U.S. (and its allies’) geopolitical designs in the region lest that should trigger a “snap-back” of economic sanctions.
Indeed, in the event of any future geopolitical disagreement or dispute with the U.S. and its allies Iran would be facing a situation akin to a plea bargaining scenario: take what it is offered, or face “crippling” economic sanctions.
Viewed in this light, the post-nuclear deal Iran would not be in a position to resist, let alone influence, the U.S. (and its allies’) geopolitical designs in the region. And this is why, contrary to popular perceptions, the deal represents a victory not for Iran (and its allies) but for U.S. allies such as Israel and Saudi Arabia—Benjamin Netanyahu’s screaming and breast-beating notwithstanding.” (Ismael Hossein-Zadeh) http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/07/24/making-sense-of-the-iran-nuclear-deal-geopolitical-implications/
how frustrating the NYT refused to publish this. maybe they don’t know who the opposition is. it’s such an honor to publish Dr. Ahmad Tibi on mondoweiss. such an honor.
absolutely! and thank you Dr. Tibi