Writing in Jewish Journal, Sarah Levin of JIMENA finds that Iranian Jews have good reason not to trust Iran to keep to the nuclear deal negotiated with the Obama administration +5.
Karmel Melamed, an Iranian-born JIMENA speaker and award-winning international journalist, seems to sum up the sentiments of many Iranian American Jews. “The nuclear agreement between the P5+1 and Iran is very disturbing for Iranian American Jews like myself,” he wrote, “because our families experienced first hand the sheer evil as well as random terror of anti-Semitism carried out by this Iranian regime for more than 35 years.”
Deeply concerned that the lifting of sanctions will have grave consequences, he continued: “We [Iranian American Jews] shudder at the thought of what chaos and destruction this regime will unleash on Jews, Christians and others worldwide who they consider ‘infidels,’ through their terror proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, once the regime is infused with $150 billion of their frozen assets after this deal is approved by Congress.”
The mistrust, anger and extremely negative sentiments of Iranian American Jews toward the regime, in the context of the nuclear agreement and beyond, are justified. Iranian Jews compose an ancient, culturally rich community that was subjected to severe human rights abuses by a regime that continues to treat them as second-class citizens. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, 90 percent of Iran’s Jews fled, often under duress with just the shirts on their backs. JIMENA has interviewed Iranian American Jews who risked their lives by illegally escaping through treacherous deserts to become homeless refugees in Pakistan.
This story is not uncommon. We’ve interviewed individuals whose family members were executed by the Revolutionary Guards simply for asserting their Jewishness and their right to their property. Despite the regime’s publicity-minded efforts to showcase themselves as a government that is tolerant of its Jewish citizens, JIMENA’s Iranian members continue to share stories of the discrimination, dispossession, torture and murder of Jews simply because of their faith.
George Haroonian, an prominent Iranian Jewish activist and friend of JIMENA, told me: “This regime, no matter how the personalities are branded as conservative or moderate or radical, has hegemonic plans for the Middle East and the world. … All agreements are only steps in achieving their long-term goal.”
Some of JIMENA’s Iranian members take a nuanced view of the nuclear agreement, but remain critical of the regime’s dismal human rights record. However, Elliott Benjamin, JIMENA advisory board member and Iranian American Jewish communal leader, expresses the opinion that seems to be shared by the majority of our membership: “The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, otherwise known as the Iran deal, is a catastrophic mistake of historic proportions.
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Iranian Jews in US 'against Obama deal'
August 25, 2015
ReplyDeleteThere's no form of pernicious nostalgia, more debilitating to our morale and mental health,than the waste of time & energy;that takes the form of verbose indignation futilely directed at the normal behavioural patterns of most Muslims whenever they know just how weak and effete their host societies really are. Not to mention their well greased lib-left dhimmis.
No-holds-barred, locally focused action, is the only path we must follow. But why is it just Iran that "Jews don't trust" ? After all, by the day to day standards of the Muslim Orient's people,Iran is just middle of the road dysfunctional. The abbatoir known as "pakistan" is even worse. And it already has an estimated 100 nukes for sale to the highest bidder. Just consult "Norman L. Roth,Jewish Issues Watchdog, going back to 2009, for the practical details. Not to mention its repetition on this web-site. I'm hardly the only one who understands what has to be done. Are we Jews in the Diaspora destined to become the laughing stock of future generations because we were paralyzed by own lack of will to go after our most vulnerable enemies in generations ? When we finally have the "right stuff" and the means at hand.
Google: {1} Norman L. Roth {2} Norman L. Roth, Technological Time {3}Norman L. Roth, Origins of Markets {4}Norman L. Roth, Current Conception of the Standard of Life
February 15, 2016
ReplyDeletePlease read second paragraph of August 25, 2015 above.
There's no worse feeling than predicting something that you didn't want to happen.
But after simmering on the pot for years the inevitable has finally been confirmed.
The rapidly disintegrating nightmare called "Pakistan" has been shopping their nukes.
Oh, what a big "surprise" Even the American Secretary of State, John "Kerry" has delivered an Obamanesque "line in the sand" warning to cease and desist from such nefarious trade. It seems that Saudi Arabia is high on the list of deep-pocketed buyers. Not to mention Iran. Maybe Iran doesn't have to "roll their own" nukes after all, Just run 'em in over their border with Pakistan or Afghanistan.
If they haven't done so already.
The consequences for Pakistan will be inevitable. But they won't come from
President Obama or Secretary of state "Kerry".
"If it were to be done well, It would be well that it be done quickly".. .Hint: It's the 400 year anniversary of his immortality. He was a lot smarter guy than the two aforementioned gentlemen to say the least.
Vae Victus ...Whoever they may be.
Norman L. Roth, Toronto, Canada
To-day is August 07, 2019. Please read the second paragraph of August 25, 2015 above.
ReplyDeleteAbout three days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India ended the quasi autonomous status of Kashmir. It should have been done more than forty years ago. Why on earth did the resurrected Indian nation give the Muslims of Kashmir 72 years of "grace" when their brethren who created "Pakistan" {Land of the pure ??} drove millions of Hindus and Sikhs out of what has turned out to be just another failed Muslim nation state? Not to mention India's questionable indulgence in allowing more than 140 million Muslims to remain full citizens of India ? They are the heirs of the Moghul invaders, who, on a protracted body count basis, during five decades of the 1500s,perpetrated the worst genocide of all time on their conquered Hindu victims...Estimated to be in excess of 50 million people. Is the argument that Kashmir's demography is majority Muslim, sufficient context to condemn India
for scrapping article 370,when we consider Pakistan's bestial history toward not only Hindus, but even toward her co-religionists in Bangladesh during the "rape of East Bengal" in 1971 ? And their treatment of both Ahmadi & Ismaili sects who originated in Pakistan, but are not permitted to even call themselves Muslims: A decree written right into what passes for a "constitution" in Pakistan. In September of this year, India and Israel will reach the beginning of the 25th year of a developing relationship that began in 1995.It will be interesting to see how Pakistan responds to India's long overdue action in fully absorbing Kashmir into the body of the land of Ganga Ma. India is also has developed into a world class Scientific and technological power.