AIPAC's analysis of current issues, policy and legislation.
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August 04, 2008
Iran has failed to respond positively to a package of economic, security and political incentives offered by the United States and other world powers. Instead, Tehran once again has sought to exploit such overtures with delaying tactics, hoping to gain time to perfect its uranium enrichment capabilities and block the imposition of harsher sanctions. This continued defiance must be met with immediate and biting sanctions to persuade the regime to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
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July 18, 2008
The United States and other leading nations have offered Iran an incentives package in exchange for a cessation of its enrichment of uranium. Until Iran meets its U.N. Security Council requirements to suspend nuclear enrichment, the international community must continue to increase the economic and political sanctions on Tehran. With sanctions having an increasing impact on Iran, more severe economic and political penalties are key to persuading the regime to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
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July 17, 2008
Terrorist rocket fire from Gaza into Israel represents a serious violation of the Egyptian-mediated effort to reduce hostilities from and around Gaza. Israeli efforts to maintain calm depend upon Hamas halting all rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza—which have totaled more than 4,000 since Israel's withdrawal from the territory in 2005—and ending its weapons smuggling. Unless these conditions are met and captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit is released, Israel may be forced to take increased measures to defend its citizens.
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July 17, 2008
Hizballah's massive arms smuggling operation threatens to undermine the cease-fire along the Lebanese-Israeli border. With support from Iran and Syria, Hizballah has nearly tripled the rocket inventory it had before the 2006 war, directly violating numerous elements of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the war and called for Hizballah to be disarmed. The international community must provide U.N. troops in Lebanon with the legal mandate and political support to help the Lebanese government assert its authority.
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June 02, 2008
Iran poses a growing threat to the United States and our allies as it continues rapidly advancing toward a nuclear weapons capability. Sanctions are having an impact on Iran, but more needs to be done now to persuade Tehran to change course. The United States should fully utilize available economic, political, and diplomatic tools — including sanctioning Iran's Central Bank and foreign companies investing in Iran's oil sector. The United States should also lead an international effort to curtail Iran's ability to import refined petroleum products.
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June 02, 2008
Iran has made significant progress in its ability to enrich uranium—the critical component for nuclear weapons—in direct defiance of three U.N Security Council resolutions. As the latest International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report makes clear, Iran continues to advance its enrichment efforts while denying international inspectors access to key nuclear facilities and failing to address concerns that it conducted studies on building nuclear warheads. In response to Iran's nuclear pursuit, the United States has led international efforts to sanction Tehran as a way to press the regime to change course.
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June 02, 2008
Faced with unremitting rocket attacks from Gaza, the government of Israel has taken forceful action to defend its citizens, the prime obligation of any nation. Israel remains committed to talks with the Palestinian Authority (PA), despite Hamas' deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians on a daily basis. To improve the prospects for successful Israeli-Palestinian talks, the Arab states must increase essential political and financial support to the PA and begin to normalize relations with Israel.
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May 02, 2008
The administration's request for $2.55 billion in security assistance for Israel in 2009 represents the first year of a 10-year U.S.-Israel security agreement to help the Jewish state face increasing threats. Iran is continuing its uranium enrichment efforts in defiance of the international community, while Syria, Hizballah and Hamas are amassing arms at an unprecedented rate. U.S. assistance has long played an indispensable role in ensuring that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge over potential adversaries.
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May 02, 2008
Iran poses a major threat to the United States and our allies as it continues to advance its uranium enrichment capability in defiance of international law. Faced with the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran, the United States should move quickly to implement measures that could have a major impact on efforts to prevent such a dire scenario. The Unites States should use existing law to sanction foreign companies investing more than $20 million in Iran's oil and gas sector, sanction Iran's central bank and foreign companies doing business with sanctioned Iranian entities, and cut off the flow of sensitive technologies to Iran.
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May 02, 2008
Hamas and other terrorist groups are deliberately disrupting humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people. Hamas' attacks on critical infrastructure on Israel's borders complicate Israel's efforts to transfer goods and services to the very people that Hamas purportedly claims to represent. Hamas is cynically seeking to manipulate international opinion against Israel and undermine U.S.-backed Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Despite these cruel attacks, Israel continues to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian assistance.
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May 02, 2008
With the support of Iran and Syria, Hizballah has strengthened its military capabilities and can now strike deep within Israel's heartland. Despite an enhanced presence of UN peacekeeping forces, the terrorist army now possesses an arsenal of more than 40,000 rockets—nearly three times its stockpile prior to the 2006 war with Israel. As Hizballah rebuilds and steps up its calls for Israel's elimination, the U.N. forces in Lebanon and the larger international community should take further action to disarm Hizballah in order to prevent another outbreak of war and to help stabilize Lebanon.
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May 02, 2008
The administration's request for $2.55 billion in security assistance for Israel in 2009 represents the first year of a 10-year U.S.-Israel security agreement to help the Jewish state face increasing threats. Iran is continuing its uranium enrichment efforts in defiance of the international community, while Syria, Hizballah and Hamas are amassing arms at an unprecedented rate. U.S. assistance has long played an indispensable role in ensuring that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge over potential adversaries.
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April 29, 2008
Created in March 2006 to replace the discredited United Nations Commission on Human Rights, the new U.N. Human Rights Council has sadly continued the flawed practices of its predecessor. It has focused inordinate attention on Israel while ignoring severe human rights violations elsewhere. Unless the Council members introduce systemic changes in its leadership, activities, and topical focus, the UNHRC is unlikely to play any positive role in reducing the scourge of human rights violations across the world.
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April 29, 2008
While the United Nations played a crucial role in the creation of Israel, U.N. history has been marked by persistent antagonism toward the Jewish state. This has been true largely because of the automatic majority in the General Assembly garnered by the Arab states and their influence among the Non-Aligned movement. The U.N. has passed more resolutions aimed at isolating Israel than resolutions condemning genocide, warfare, and human rights violations throughout the world. While Israel has recently made strides in gaining acceptance in certain U.N. fora, the overall culture and structure of the organization remain deeply hostile to the Jewish state. The U.N. jeopardizes its reputation on an ongoing basis by devoting disproportionate time and resources to delegitimizing Israel.
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April 11, 2008
Despite attacks against its citizens, Israel continues to take steps to bolster Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and facilitate humanitarian assistance. Palestinian terrorists continue to launch rocket and other attacks from Gaza and are building up their military capabilities for a wider conflict with Israel. At the same time, the Palestinian Authority has failed to take effective action against the terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank. Accordingly, Israel has been required to take increased measures to defend its population.