Israeli Security Officials Back Nuclear Deal

Israeli security officials back deal - “While Israel’s prime minister continues to fight the deal, a collection of former Israeli security figures have come forward to say that things could be much worse. ‘No agreement is ironclad, but the inspections provisions provide a high degree of confidence that Iran will not be able to renew the nuclear program without its being detected,’ Chuck Freilich, a former deputy National Security Adviser in Israel, wrote in a New York Times op-ed published on Sunday and entitled ‘A Good Deal for Israel’.”

--The former head of the Israeli Army’s Operations Directorate branch, Major-General (res.) Israel Ziv said he took a “realist’s approach to the deal.” “This agreement is the best among all other alternatives, and any military strike – as successful as it may be – would not have delayed even 20% of what the agreement will delay…The agreement is an established fact, and it’s not particularly bad as far as Israel is concerned.”

--“Shlomo Brom, a Visiting Fellow at the Center for American Progress and former Brigadier General in the Israeli Army told ThinkProgress last week that while there were flaws in the deal, it was “solved in a good way.”

--Ami Ayalon, former head of Israel’s internal security outfit Shin Bet and former chief of the Israeli Navy, told The Daily Beast that the issue “is not black and white.” “[W]hen it comes to Iran’s nuclear capability, this [deal] is the best option.” Yalon also named several other former ministers and high ranking security officers who shared this view. http://bit.ly/1Mwedi0

Tweet - @plough_shares: Happening now: @JohnKerry @ErnestMoniz and Lew testify before @HouseForeign on #IranDeal. Watch live: ow.ly/Qbhw1

Former Ambassadors to Israel Support Deal - “Former U.S. ambassadors to Israel strongly [support] the nuclear deal reached between Iran and world powers,” writes Joe Cirincione for the Huffington Post. “The ambassadors joined with former under secretaries of State in a letter to congressional leaders applauding the agreement to shrink, freeze and monitor Iran's nuclear program. They urged those against the deal to consider carefully the consequences of such an action.”

--“Our firm instructions in every administration we served, reflecting American national interests and values were to help assure Israel's well-being and safety…We are persuaded that this agreement will put in place a set of constraints and monitoring measures that will arrest Iran’s nuclear program for at least fifteen years and assure that this agreement will leave Iran no legitimate avenue to produce a nuclear weapon during the next ten to fifteen years. This landmark agreement removes the threat that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose to the region and to Israel specifically.” Read the post and letter here. http://huff.to/1D8DxYj

Americans back deal - A study released by Public Policy Polling earlier today finds that 54 percent of Americans favor the Iran Deal while 38 percent oppose it. “Democratic voters (75/17) are far more united in their favor for the agreement than Republicans (36/54) are in their opposition to it.” Full poll available here. http://bit.ly/1D5DpbO

Jewish Americans back deal - A poll released by the LA Jewish Journal finds that, “by a wide margin, American Jews support the recently concluded agreement with Iran to restrict its nuclear program, and a clear majority of Jews wants Congress to approve the deal... Almost half – 49 percent of American Jews – voiced support, and 31 percent opposed… Similarly, asked whether Congress should “vote to approve or oppose the deal,” Jews lean heavily toward approval, 53 percent for versus 35 percent against.” Full poll here. http://bit.ly/1IGg3w4

Give peace a chance- “The deal prevents a 10th country from joining the nuclear weapons club, while supplanting decades of armed intervention in the Middle East with peaceful diplomacy,” writes Clara Schneid. “The agreement offers a rare opportunity to take a significant and necessary step toward global zero, turning the risk of nuclear proliferation into progress toward nuclear weapons elimination.”

--“In denying the deal and refusing diplomacy, [Congress would send] the message that we prefer a nuclear arms race and potential war over peaceful negotiation and positive global relationships. When it comes to nuclear weapons, we cannot afford to turn a blind eye while our politicians jeopardize our collective security. Congress must support diplomacy and the deal with Iran.” Read full article at The Registered-Guard here. http://bit.ly/1I748ln

Tweet - @nukes_of-hazard: Missed #genprague? Check out our highlights, including a surprise visit by Wendy Sherman! http://ow.ly/Qb6TG

Events:

--“The Iran Nuclear Deal: The View from the Region,” featuring Jane Harman, Muath Al Warl, Deborah Amos, Shlomo Brom, Fahad Nazer and Henri J. Barkey. Wednesday, July 29th from 9:30 - 10:30 AM at Woodrow Wilson Center, Sixth Floor, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC. RSVP here. http://bit.ly/1OyMECl

--“Examining Regional Implications of the Iran Deal,” featuring Colin Kahl, Geneive Abdo, Adm. Kevin Cosgriff and Ellen Laipson. Wednesday, July 29th at 11:00 AM at Stimson Center, Eighth Floor, 1211 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC. RSVP here. http://bit.ly/1HWfVSu

--“Understanding the Iran Nuclear Deal,” featuring Brig. Gen. (ret.) Stephen Cheney, Adm. (ret.) William Fallon, Trita Parsi and Laura Rozen. Tuesday, August 4th from 12:00 - 1:30 PM at American Security Project, Seventh Floor, 1100 New York Ave, NW, West Tower, Washington, DC. http://bit.ly/1LPH3Ip

Dessert:

On Iran, listen to the Stones’ - “You can’t always get what you want,” says one of the Rolling Stones most famous songs. “But if you try sometime you find, you get what you need.” If the Iran nuclear deal had a theme song, there would be no better match than the Rolling Stones classic, writes Kingston Reif of the Arms Control Association for War On The Rocks.

--“The agreement is not perfect. Nor is it risk free… But the United States got what it needed — and then some... If successfully implemented, the agreement will be a net plus for nonproliferation and will enhance U.S. and regional security. It will not solve all of our problems with Iran in the region, but almost all of them would have been exacerbated if Iran had a quick path to nuclear weapons — and they would, had no agreement been inked.” Full story here. http://bit.ly/1OyOfYB