Israel Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz welcomed a bill agreed this week by US Congress and the White House which gives Congress a say in approving the nascent nuclear deal with Iran.
The bill was authored by Senators Bob Corker (Republican from Tennessee) and Robert Menendez (Democrat from New Jersey).
After a compromise, the Obama administration suggested it will not veto bill to give Congress say on final agreement.
Iran and the P5+1 world powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany) agreed earlier this month a framework to a comprehensive deal, paving the way for negotiations to begin towards a long-term accord, which must be agreed by June 30.
The emerging deal has been greeted with great scepticism by some members of the US Congress, who believe it will not effectively thwart Iran’s nuclear armament.
They have threatened to refuse to drop Congressional-approved sanctions on Iran, which would hugely undermine any deal.
A compromise bill was therefore agreed which requires President Barack Obama to send Congress the text of a final deal as soon as it is completed, allowing Congress 30 days to review and respond. The bill also mandates that the White House send Congress regular reports on issues including Iran’s support for terrorism, ballistic missiles and nuclear program.
Obama has been in a standoff for months with lawmakers who say Congress should have a chance to weigh in and remain skeptical that Iran will honor any agreement.
Steinitz said, “We are certainly happy this morning. This is an achievement for Israeli policy.” He explained, “This is more pressure and another barrier in the face of a bad agreement,” arguing that it will mean negotiators are more likely to push for a deal acceptable to Congress. Steinitz concluded that the bill is “a very important element in preventing a bad deal” or at least improving what is already on the table.
The main pro-Israel group in the US, the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) issued a statement applauding the unanimous vote for the bill, which was one of the cornerstones of its lobbying agenda this year.
“AIPAC believes that it is imperative for Congress to assert its historic foreign policy role,” the organization wrote. “Congress should review any agreement to ensure it meets US objectives and object if it fails to do so. Serious concerns have been raised over the framework understanding. A final deal, with its immense national security implications, must be subjected to the constitutional system of checks and balances that is the bedrock of our democracy.”