As a rule the Israeli government should not tell American Jews what to do with their government, nor should American Jews do the same to Israel’s government, but sometimes there are unique circumstances, said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman and CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, on Thursday.

Honelien, speaking to a delegation of Israeli diplomatic reporters, came against the background of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call on Tuesday for American Jewry to speak out against the Iran accord.

The situation with Iran is one that we haven’t seen in decades, Hoenlein said, adding, “you have to take the threats of dictators seriously.”

Hoenlein said that Israeli officials should make the case against the accord “on the content, on the substance, and we will do the job of translating it into activity.” He said that Netanyahu has an obligation to speak out on something he feels is an existential danger to Israel, and that Israelis should want them to do so.

At the same time, he said it would be better if the focus of the Iran threat in the US should be on the threat it poses to America.

Hoenlein deferred from predicting how Congress would vote on the issue, saying that things are still fluid, there is still a lot of time before Congress votes on it, and other information could come out impacting on the debate.

One of the challenges regarding the debate, he said, is the need “to keep the issue at the forefront for another eight weeks.” Honelien would not venture a guess on how New York Senator Chuck Schumer will vote, other than saying that his vote will be influential and could sway others.

Honelin, saying he has spoken to a number of Arab leaders, said that in private meetings they speak strongly against it. Likewise, he said, he has heard from some European officials -- including some in countries that comprise the P5+1 -- that the deal is flawed, that they feel uncomfortable with it but we're following the US lead on the matter.

Hoenlein said the Jewish community must now prepare for the day after the Iran debate ends, including considering what steps could be taken -- perhaps at the level of state legislatures not lifting their sanctions against Iran -- to blunt the blow of a deal.