Republican Jewish Coalition

The RJC Weekly Newsletter

March 04, 2021

Your weekly look at the latest news, analysis, and RJC activities around the country.

View in Browser

- Featured -

Take Action

The Fight Against Rejoining the JCPOA

President Joe Biden ran for the White House on a promise to bring the US back into the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The Republican Jewish Coalition strongly opposes Biden’s plan and supports the efforts by Republicans in Congress to stop the Biden administration from reentering the JCPOA.

Adam Kredo reports at the Washington Free Beacon on the GOP efforts in Congress:

[T]he Republican Study Committee—Congress’s largest caucus of GOP lawmakers—unveiled on Tuesday the most detailed plan yet to counter the Biden administration’s overtures toward Tehran and block it from unraveling former president Donald Trump’s "maximum pressure" campaign on the country, which included crippling sanctions.

The caucus vowed to "fight against and work to reverse any and all sanctions relief for Iran" until the country halts its nuclear program, releases all US hostages, halts its missile program, and ends its global support for terrorism…

While Republicans are in the minority and will have a tough time passing any Iran-related legislation, they are united across the board in their opposition to rejoining the nuclear deal—a message that they intend to deliver to the Biden administration.

Beyond legislation, Republicans plan to hold open hearings on the administration's diplomacy and will pressure US-Iran envoy Robert Malley and other State Department officials to keep them apprised of any new deals with Tehran. For instance, after Malley quietly held talks with China last month about rejoining the deal, GOP lawmakers quickly pressed the State Department to provide them with a full readout of Malley's conversation. This type of oversight is likely to become a hallmark of the GOP's response to diplomacy with Iran.

Keep reading here.

Now is the time to encourage President Biden to show some backbone by standing up to Iran and members of his own party who want the US to once again surrender to Iran.

Take action! Join other RJC members and stand up to Biden on his Iran surrender.

Click here to contact President Biden today.

You’ll understand more about what’s going on behind the scenes of Biden’s Iran policy after reading two articles by Jewish Policy Center Senior Director Shoshana Bryen. In the first, she explains how the Biden administration is making gestures against the Iranian regime on one hand, while handing over concessions with the other:

So on the one hand, the US bombs Iranian-sponsored militias ("don't mess with us"), while on the other hand it frees up at least a billion dollars for the regime ("see what we can do for you"). Sort of like denouncing the terrorist-like behavior of Iran's Houthi proxy in Yemen while removing its "terror organization" designation. Iran benefited nicely from both—but what did it pay in return? In the case of the Houthis—who have since been attacking civilians and civilian assets in Saudi Arabia—nothing. In the case of Syria, a few buildings and some militia members who weren't Iranian in any event.

In another article this week, Shoshana Bryen and her husband Stephen Bryen, a leading expert in security strategy, examine the report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Their conclusion: the report contains no evidence at all and is a political attack on Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman to benefit Iran. The report is simply a “payment” in advance to Iran for future negotiations, just like several other actions the Biden administration has already taken.

Keep reading here.

Make your voice heard! Click here to contact President Biden and express your opposition to his Iran policy.

US Capitol

Eye on Washington

• Yesterday, the House passed HR 1 with a 220-210 vote. The bill is described as an election reform and voting rights bill but will, if enacted, federalize the election process and implement nationwide the worst changes in election rules that we saw in the 2020 election, as the Heritage Foundation’s report on HR 1 makes clear. This bill will face opposition from Republicans in the Senate, and it is vital that it be defeated there.

• Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) was a leading spokesperson against the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, which passed the House on a mostly party-line vote on Saturday. (Two Democrats joined with Republicans against the bill.) The bill is heavy on pork and light on actual COVID relief. Rep. Malliotakis will be the featured speaker at the upcoming RJC virtual event on March 16. Click here for details and to RSVP.

Adam Kredo reports that “the Biden administration will resume US taxpayer aid to the Palestinians, even though the Palestinian government continues to use this money to pay convicted terrorists and their families.”

- Short Takes -

When Israel hits Iran, politicians and the media will hit Israel’s supporters

Eric Rozenman warns that Israel’s supporters should prepare for the psychological war that will accompany any outbreak of violence between Israel and Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah.

How to vaccinate a Bedouin village in Israel: A case study in overcoming

Dr. Mohammed Al-Nabari, former mayor of the Bedouin town of Hura in Israel’s Negev Desert, describes how Israel, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector worked together to resolve difficulties in providing COVID-19 vaccines to Israel’s Bedouin community.

- Tweets -

Tweet
Tweet
Tweet

- Events -

VIRTUAL MEET AND GREET WITH CONGRESSWOMAN NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS

Zoom Webinar - March 16, 2021

RSVP

RJC National Leadership Meeting Announcement

We're received many inquiries about when the next RJC Annual Leadership Meeting will take place. We are still evaluating our options for a national leadership meeting in Las Vegas in 2021, but with the continued threat of Covid, our usual timelines of March or April for that event are not possible. Currently, we are looking at dates in the late fall and we will keep you up to date as developments arise.


While RJC offices are closed and our staff are teleworking, you can reach us by email or by phone (please leave a voicemail message and your call will be returned). Contact information for our offices can be found on our web site. Please visit us online for the latest RJC news, to see details of upcoming events, and to donate to the RJC.

— Connect —

Join the RJC Community

If you like the work we’re doing, consider joining us on Facebook and Twitter, and renew or upgrade your RJC membership. Ensure that your voice is heard in our party and our community!

We want to hear from you!
Share your comments and ideas with us here.

Republican Jewish Coalition | 50 F Street, N.W., Suite 100 | Washington, DC 20001
202.638.6688 | [email protected]