A group of American Jewish leaders met on Tuesday at the White House with senior Administration officials to discuss efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
The meeting, arranged at the last minute, was described in a joint statement issued by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations as a “constructive and open exchange.” The sides agreed “to continue the consultation to enhance the prospect of achieving a transparent and effective diplomatic resolution,” the statement said.
There was nothing in the statement, however, to suggest that problems and disagreements between some of the groups and the administration had been resolved. AIPAC, for instance, has been lobbying hard for a new sanctions bill that is supposed to go to a vote in the Senate soon, and which the Obama administration has indicated it does not want to see advanced.
The Jewish leaders – from the Conference, the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, and AIPAC – said the Administration officials reaffirmed President Barack Obama’s “commitment to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear capability and that all options remain viable to assure that end.” Members of left-leaning organizations said that they had been excluded from the session by the White House.
One person present described the atmosphere as “congenial,” and said several aspects of US policy on Iran were discussed, including the new international negotiations and the pending Senate legislation.
Read more at Times of Israel.
{Matzav.com Newscenter}
