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J Street defends itself against charges it got paid to back Iran deal

By JPOST.COM STAFF, JTA

MAY 22, 2016 18:47

Responding to reports that it received hundreds of thousands of dollars in order to tout the Obama administration’s nuclear agreement with Iran, J Street, the dovish Jewish lobby, responded on Sunday that the deal improves Israel’s security.

“J Street worked to advance the nuclear agreement with Iran out of the belief that this is an important agreement which contributes mightily to Israel’s security,” J Street said in response.

“This is a belief that is shared with many officials in both the Obama administration as well as the Israeli defense establishment and among many in the American Jewish community, most of which supports the agreement,” the organization said.

“The nuclear agreement with Iran blocked Iran’s pathways to a nuclear weapon for years to come,” J Street said. “As of now, Iran has abided by the terms of the deal.”

J Street cited remarks by former IDF chiefs of staff Gabi Ashkenazi and Benny Gantz as well as by their successor, current army chief Gadi Eisenkot, who said they viewed the Iran deal as “an opportunity” that allows “freedom to maneuver.”

J Street was the single largest beneficiary last year of the Ploughshares Fund, a group that seeks to eliminate the world’s nuclear stockpiles, with over $575,000 in grants that funded advocacy for the Iran nuclear deal.

Ploughshares’ annual report, first reported last week by the Associated Press, emphasizes the foundation’s role in helping to bring about support for the sanctions relief for nuclear rollback deal last year.

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