Page 3 - CUFI Updte Autumn 2022

NEW ACTION:
The UK must refuse to sign a bad nuclear deal with Iran
Recent reports suggest Iran is close to securing a new deal with the West. Our latest action as part of Operation Mordecai urges the UK not to sign a weak deal that will bolster Iran’s nuclear ambitions and reward Iran’s terror activities.
Europe seems desperate to secure a deal with Iran, which it sees as a solution to being less dependent on Russia’s energy supplies. But the price is grave. A deal that sees sanctions lifted would result in over $100 billion a year being given to Iran. As Israel’s prime minister Yair Lapid pointed out, it will not be going to schools, hospitals and other civil needs - it will be going to spread terror. Israel isn’t opposed to an agreement per se, but it is opposed to a bad deal that would fund terror, strengthen Iran’s arm and put Israel at greater risk. Iran is already on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon and Israel has told the US that this prospective deal has even crossed the red lines that President Biden himself set. Meanwhile, former Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that it is even worse that the original failed deal.
Here are a number of concerns:
IRGC
Iran has been demanding a number of concessions, including the US declassifying of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terror organisation. The UK itself hasn’t yet banned the IRGC, despite the fact that it passes the tests set in the 2000 Terrorism Act.
FUNDING TERROR
The Iranian regime would likely funnel money into the IRGC and other terror activities. The past few months have provided further reminders of the long reach of Iran. Firstly, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a Gaza-based militant group directly funded by Iran, fired over 1,000 missiles into Israel during a short campaign that was successfully defended by the IDF. Iran’s proxies extend beyond Gaza – it has a foothold in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen and is also training militants in the West Bank.
There was also the attempted murder of British citizen Salman Rushdie in New York in August. The perpetrator reportedly had links to the IRGC and the attack may be related to the non-retractable fatwa issued by Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini 33 years ago, a reminder that Iran is patient to achieve its aims.
NUCLEAR BOMB
The chief of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, Mohammad Eslami, recently said that Iran now has the technical ability to build a nuclear bomb. Other independent experts confirm Iran has now enriched sufficient uranium. Iran has also developed long-range missiles with a reach that threatens the security of Israel and Europe. Significant parts of its nuclear programme remain undisclosed, with the regime refusing to switch on cameras in its nuclear facility until a deal is signed. Also the regime is constructing a large underground site south of Natanz, where it intends to operate up to a thousand advanced centrifuges. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is being placed under immense political pressure to close live cases into Iranian violations of nuclear non- proliferation regulations without completing thorough investigations.
We don’t yet know the outcome of the talks, which are being brokered by Russia. But Israel, which the Iranian regime threatens to annihilate, is right to be concerned. CUFI is calling for the UK government to refuse to sign an Iranian nuclear deal that fails to prevent Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. To write to the Prime Minister, with a copy to your MP, please go to
www.cufi.org.uk/operationmordecai
Next year marks 75 years since the re-establishment of the State of Israel. What better way to mark this important milestone, than the United Kingdom reversing decades of misguided foreign policy by moving the UK embassy to Jerusalem.
Since CUFI started in the UK, we’ve believed it is imperative for the UK to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the British embassy from Tel Aviv. Thousands of CUFI supporters have written to previous Foreign Secretaries and a separate CUFI petition that calls for Britain’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital has achieved over 50,000 signatures. We received strong opposition to our calls, whilst other voices dismissed our efforts as a waste of time. Despite this, we’ve continued to stand firm on the basis that Jerusalem is the eternal, undivided capital of Israel and we believe it is the right thing for Britain to recognise this historic fact.
The reasons for not moving the embassy have been based on weak foreign policy, discrimination and hypocrisy, with Britain locating embassies in other countries’ capitals, except Israel’s, whilst having a consulate in Jerusalem only for Palestinians and not Israelis. Whilst we understand the hurdles to overcome, we’ve attempted to persuade previous governments to take confidence that a move is viable and that it is right and just.
The United Kingdom is at the dawn of a new era. During her leadership campaign, Liz Truss pledged to review moving the British embassy to Jerusalem. We have a new Prime Minister in Number 10 whose recent comments have suddenly brought the UK’s recognition of Jerusalem into national conversation. During her leadership campaign, Liz Truss pledged to review moving the British embassy to Jerusalem. Her comments unsettled some, with a group of diplomats co-signing a letter against it. Our prayer is that the new Prime Minister will ignore the scaremongers and keep her word to seriously review Britain’s policy towards Jerusalem.
We now have an opportunity like never before to present our case and encourage Liz Truss to demonstrate her true friendship towards Israel and make history by doing something no predecessor has done before – move the embassy to Jerusalem!
Please join us by adding your name to CUFI’s newly launched ‘UK pledge to Jerusalem’ petition. CUFI is calling upon Liz Truss to make history by moving the UK embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
As we approach uncertain times in this nation, let us stand firm and pray that the UK will have boldness, assured that Britain will enter renewed blessing by honouring Israel with the recognition of its capital.
Could 2023 be the year Britain puts right an historic wrong? Now is the time.
Sign the petition at
www.cufi.org.uk/Jerusalem