NEW YORK – Following reports that the Canadian government will not yet lift any sanctions against Iran and, according to a statement from Minister of Foreign Affairs Rob Nicholson, “will continue to judge Iran by its actions not its words,” the Rabbinical Assembly, the international association for Conservative/Masorti rabbis, released the following statement from its president, Rabbi William Gershon, and its vice president, Toronto-based Rabbi Philip S. Scheim:
“We applaud Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his government’s recognition that Iran still poses a great threat to international security, due to, as Foreign Minister Nicholson said, ‘the regime’s nuclear ambitions, its continuing support for terrorism, its repeated calls for the destruction of Israel, and its disregard for basic human rights.’ Israel, too, has made clear that it does not support the deal negotiated by the P5+1 and Iran announced last week, believing that it may embolden one of its most dangerous adversaries in the region. We must continue to stand with Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East, and work to make sure that Iran will be prevented from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon.”