Pro-Israeli group urges Congress to vote 'no' on Iran agreement
A pro-Israeli organization in the United States has urged Congress to reject the nuclear agreement reached with Iran last month.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), one of the American Jewish community's oldest and most influential advocacy groups, expressed its “deep reservations” about the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in a statement on Friday.
“The debate today is focused in Congress on ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the Iran deal," the statement read. “Given the outstanding questions and our deep reservations about the agreement, we believe Congress should vote no on the deal."
The Republican-dominated Congress has until September 17 to review and vote to either approve or disapprove of the agreement, announced by Iran and the P5+1 group of countries-- the US, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany-- on July 14.
According to the agreement, Iran will be recognized by the United Nations as a nuclear power and will continue with its uranium enrichment program.
“Until the administration acts in clear ways to address its deep concerns regarding the [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action], ADL has concluded that Congress should vote no on the deal,” the statement said.
The group also urged a tougher stance against Iran, including sanctions.
AIPAC, the most potent pro-Israel lobbying group in the US, is spending about $40 million to run TV advertisements in 35 states urging legislators to vote down the agreement.
Most Republicans oppose the nuclear agreement, but they need a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress to override a presidential veto, and to reach that threshold, Republicans need Democratic support.
In a major break with the White House, Jewish Senator Charles Schumer from New York announced on August 6 that he would vote against the agreement.
Moments after his announcement, Representative Eliot Engel, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also declared that he would join Obama’s rivals to oppose the nuclear accord.
A number of other Democrats have since broken ranks with the White House on the Iran agreement.
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