March 5, 2015

Over the last few weeks, Just Foreign Policy supporters sent over 32,000 emails, made nearly 1700 calls, and delivered petitions to 20 local offices calling on Members of Congress to skip Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech attacking the ongoing talks with Iran. 

 

Our efforts paid off. When Netanyahu gave his speech to Congress Tuesday, at least 58 Members of Congress were absent [1] — and leading Democrats present were very unhappy with what they heard.  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called the speech “insulting to the intelligence of the United States.” [2] Sen. Dianne Feinstein called Netanyahu “arrogant” for claiming to speak for all Jews, summarizing his speech as “he simply said, there's nothing that we agree with here.” [3] [4] President Obama also rebutted Netanyahu, saying “there was nothing new” in the speech, and that Netanyahu offered no "viable alternatives.” [5] 

 

But Senate Republicans are trying to do Netanyahu's bidding and sabotage the Iran talks. Tell your Members of Congress to oppose these efforts TODAY: 

 

http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/iran-deal-sabotage

 

Netanyahu’s effort to sabotage diplomacy didn’t just backfire with Democratic leaders. The New York Times wrote in an editorial that Netanyahu “clearly doesn’t want negotiations.” [6] The editorial ends by addressing Congress:

 

"Congress must not forget that its responsibility is to make choices that advance American security interests, and that would include a strict and achievable agreement with Iran. If it sabotages the deal as Mr. Netanyahu has demanded, it would bear the blame."

 

 

The sabotage being planned in Congress comes in the form of two bills. The Kirk-Menendez bill would impose new sanctions on Iran — a measure President Obama has vowed to veto. [7] The Corker-Graham bill would throw impossible-to-meet procedural hurdles in the way of successfully completing an agreement. [8]   

 

The passage of either the Kirk-Menendez or the Corker-Graham bill would blow up the talks.

 

Urge your Members of Congress to oppose these diplomacy-killing bills by signing our petition at MoveOn:   

 

http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/iran-deal-sabotage

 

Thanks for all you do to defend diplomacy,  

 

Megan Iorio and Robert Naiman

Just Foreign Policy

 

References:

1. http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/26/politics/democrats-missing-netanyahu-whip-list/

2. http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/nancy-pelosi-benjamin-netanyahu-speech-react-115701.html

3. http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/fesinstein-netanyahu-speech

4. http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/01/politics/dianne-feinstein-netanyahu-arrogant/

5. http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/03/03/obama-netanyahu-offers-no-viable-alternative-to-iran-talks

6. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/04/opinion/netanyahu-israel-unconvincing-iran-speech-to-congress.html

7. https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/269


8. https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/615