Trump signs Iran deal in Versailles
Morton Klein, national president of the Zionist Organisation of America, told JNS that the memorandum of understanding is a “disaster” that “stabs Israel in the back”.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum of understanding with the Iranian regime at the French palace of Versailles, where he dined with French President Emmanuel Macron after the G7 summit, the White House said.
A meeting table in the Blue Salon of the Palais Coburg Hotel in Vienna, Austria, awaits U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif before their meeting on Jan. 16, 2016, about the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action outlining the shape of Iran’s nuclear program. (Photo: U.S. State Department/Public Domain).
“There have been have so many memorable days and proud accomplishments for the president and his team. The G7 was a huge success and an opportunity to make sure the members and other participates see ‘America First’ in action. Not America only, America first,” stated Susie Wiles, chief-of-staff to the U.S. president.
“The trip was capped off with a beautiful dinner and birthday celebration for President Trump at Versailles. This was truly spectacular, particularly after his blistering schedule of bilateral and other meetings and working sessions. Nobody works harder,” she stated. “President Trump signed the memorandum of understanding with Iranians while he was at dinner.”
“While the next 60 days will present challenges as important details are worked out, signing was a great step forward for America and, indeed, the world,” Wiles said.
Shehbaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan, stated that he was “honored to announce that the historic ‘Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding’ has been electronically signed today between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
“The memorandum has been signed by honourable presidents of both the countries and also endorsed by me as the mediator,” he stated. “The signing of this agreement at the highest level of the respective governments demonstrates the commitment of both sides to a diplomatic resolution of the conflict.” He added that the agreement “shall enter into force with immediate effect, and as a first step, Islamic Republic of Iran will instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States of America will immediately lift the naval blockade.”
Macron stated in French that the “agreement paves the way for lasting peace and allows the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz”.
“It is an important step in the right direction for our compatriots that will soon enable a decrease in energy prices,” he stated.
JNS sought comment about the agreement earlier in the day from more than a dozen major Jewish organisations, almost all of which either didn’t respond or said that they were still trying to understand the implications of the memorandum of understanding.
Morton Klein, national president of the Zionist Organisation of America, told JNS that the deal is a “disaster” that “benefits almost exclusively Iran” and “stabs Israel in the back”.
“The most horrifying thing—more than anything—is to tell Israel, who’s not a party to the negotiations, they have to leave Lebanon and stop fighting Hezbollah,” he said. “How on earth can a strong ally like America say to an extraordinary ally like Israel, who fought with them against Iran, that they have to leave Lebanon when Israel said we can’t?”
Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel Defense Forces soldiers on Wednesday, according to the IDF. The Israeli Air Force intercepted the rockets and struck the launcher.
“Iran arms and funds Hezbollah,” Klein told JNS. “They arm and fund Hamas and the Houthis, and it’s dangerous for Israel to allow Hezbollah to remain there or to leave the buffer zone.”
“You don’t negotiate with Islamist Nazis,” he added. “Trump has given up his leverage. This is not have you negotiate. This is the kind of deal that you expect of Obama, not of Donald Trump.”
Brian Romick, president and CEO of Democratic Majority for Israel, told JNS that Trump “prolonged this war with an erratic strategy, and this deal does nothing to ensure long-term stability in the region”.
“To do that, we must permanently close off Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon, constrain its missile and drone capabilities, keep financial relief away from its weapons programs and terrorist proxies, ensure Israel’s right to defend itself from Hezbollah’s attacks and get real oversight from Congress,” he said.
“This deal accomplishes none of those goals and as such, won’t lead to the lasting peace we all want to see,” Romick told JNS.
The leaders of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organisations, an umbrella group, stated that they are “encouraged by President Trump’s repeated and unequivocal commitment that Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon.”
“At the same time, many important questions remain unanswered,” they said. “We look forward to learning more about the memorandum, including its enforcement and verification provisions, consequences for non-compliance and how it addresses Iran’s ballistic missile and drone programs, support for terrorist proxies and other destabilising regional activities and the security concerns of U.S. allies and partners.”
The leaders of B’nai B’rith International stated that the organisation “remains justifiably skeptical that Iran, the largest and most active state sponsor of terror around the world, will adhere to any of the provisions outlined in the memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 between the United States and Iran.”
“Any chance for the agreement to succeed hinges on stringent verification that Tehran is following the terms. Anything short of that would invite the Iranians to exploit this agreement to their own nefarious strategic advantage,” they stated. “We cannot ever forget Iran’s penchant for dissembling and obfuscation of international inspections, which certainly suggests difficulty ahead.”
The Iranian regime has “spent decades deceiving the world about its nuclear program and about its global proxy terror attacks,” the B’nai B’rith leaders said. “It has also spent this nearly half-century proclaiming, ‘death to America’ and ‘death to Israel.’ With history as our guide, we know any agreement with Iran must be actively and intensely monitored.”
The B’nai B’rith leaders also questioned where the agreement protects Israel’s “vital security interests”.
“We are concerned the 60 days of negotiations outlined in this initial agreement will merely serve to embolden Iran to re-arm and plan new attacks via its Hezbollah proxy against Israel,” they stated. “Israel must always have the right to defend itself. Full stop.”
By Jessica Russak-Hoffman/JNS
