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ISRAEL NEWS
Loudermilk: Iran Deal Terrifying for Israel Visiting congressman finds even Palestinians oppose nuclear pact By Michael Jacobs mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com
Muslim worshippers on the Temple Mount (Loudermilk was in a different tour ep. Barry Loudermilk is return- group from the one pushed ing from Israel with a renewed around), and stood above determination to defeat the Iran Syria and heard explosions nuclear deal in Congress. from the civil war there. “We have to stop this or our chil“It’s important that we dren and grandchildren will pay the get to know the only true price,” the Cassville Republican said democracy in the Middle in a phone interview Thursday, Aug. East,” Loudermilk said 13, from Israel, where he joined other about the value of the two freshman members of Congress on a trips to his constituents trip financed by AIPAC’s charitable af- in Bartow, Cherokee, Cobb filiate, the American Israel Education and Fulton counties. Foundation. He emphasized the It’s his second trip to Israel this common heritage of the Rep. Barry Loudermilk visits with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Tuesday, Aug. 11. year. He spent three days there in May United States and Israel, as part of larger trip through the Mid- citing the influence of Jedle East and Europe with a congressio- thro’s governance recommendations British in other colonies during the nal task force on foreign fighters. to Moses on the representative democ- American Revolution and the Lone “When you’re here, you see Israel racy embedded in the U.S. Constitution Soldiers who join the Israel Defense is surrounded by nations that would and noting the Jerusalem intersection Forces to defend the Jewish homeland. The latest connection is the shared love to see Israel wiped off the face of King David and George Washington threat of the Iran deal. The under-negoof the earth,” Loudermilk said. This streets. week’s delegation looked into Gaza, He also sees similarities between tiation deal was a recurring topic durfaced a rough reception from some militiamen who left home to fight the ing the May visit, he said. Now, “everywhere we’ve gone, everyone we’ve met with, the focus has been how bad the “ Iran deal is.” Those meetings have included OUT OF THE ASHES OF SUMMER MOVIEGOING Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, .” Labor Party and opposition leader -JAKE COYLE, ASSOCIATED PRESS Isaac Herzog, retired IDF Gen. Amos ‘‘ Yadlin, and farmers in the Negev along the Gaza border. ’’ . “As diverse as the Israeli popula-A.O. SCOTT, THE NEW YORK TIMES tion is, and it has amazing diversity, ‘‘ . they’re all unifying around this one GETS UNDER OUR SKIN issue,” Loudermilk said. “The Iran deal AND CHILLS US TO THE BONE.’’ -KENNETH TURAN, LOS ANGELES TIMES is bad for us, but it’s terrifying for the state of Israel.” ‘‘ He echoed Netanyahu in saying that Iran’s intercontinental ballistic . So beautifully made it comes close to perfect.” missile program, which will be clear -STEPHANIE ZACHAREK, THE VILLAGE VOICE of international restrictions in eight ‘‘ ’ years under the deal, targets the United States, not Israel, which Iran can reach .
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without ICBMs. The greatest threat to Israel under the deal, Loudermilk said, is the $150 billion windfall Iran will receive in unfrozen oil revenues, which the congressmen expects to result in increased spending on the likes of Hezbollah and Hamas. “We’re putting in the hands of madmen the means to build a conventional arsenal within a short amount of time,” he said. That likely spending also makes the Palestinian Authority worry about the Iran deal, Loudermilk said. The congressional delegation visited with PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah. “It was an interesting meeting,” Loudermilk said. “You could tell there were concerns over the Iran deal because they are having issues with Hamas.” Because Hamas’ control of Gaza is one of the obstacles PA President Mahmoud Abbas must overcome to make any peace deal with Israel, the Iran deal also damages prospects for a twostate solution, the congressman said. “It’s difficult to come up with any kind of agreement as long as terror acts are going on.” Otherwise, he thinks the prospects for peace are brighter because “Abbas is playing a little better than he has in the past.” He also said he is gaining confidence daily that Congress will have enough votes to overturn President Barack Obama’s promised veto of a rejection of the Iran deal. He said most members of Congress know it’s a bad deal for the United States and for Israel; the key is to get them to vote their consciences. ■
Rabbis Urge Deal’s OK
Three Georgia Reform rabbis, including two retired from Atlanta-area pulpits, are among 340 American rabbis who declared their support for the Iran nuclear deal by signing on to a letter Zionist organization Ameinu released Aug. 17. “We are deeply concerned with the impression that the leadership of the American Jewish community is united in opposition to the agreement. We, along with many Jewish leaders, fully support this historic accord,” the letter reads. Signing the Ameinu letter from Georgia were Rabbi Ronald Bluming of Grayson, former spiritual leader of Temple Beth David; Rabbi Philip Kranz of Atlanta, the rabbi emeritus of Temple Sinai; and Rabbi Beth Schwartz, who leads Temple Israel in Columbus. The letter acknowledges the deal does not address Iran’s support for terrorism and other international aggression but argues that resolving the nuclear threat will allow the U.S. and its allies to focus more on those other problems. ■