VOICE OF THE JEWISH NEWS: Iran’s red lines turn salmon pink
The Iran saga is not quite as dull as Greece’s financial woes, but after years of rhetoric and meetings and soundbites, it doesn’t feel quite like the existential threat that it is.
Nobody wants an Iranian bomb; everybody thinks military action may one day be needed; nobody knows whether that would work; everybody thinks a deal is preferable; and nobody can agree what that deal should look like. This is partly because the goalposts keep shifting. It is one thing drawing red lines, but if those red lines move, they become a kind of salmon pink.
Negotiations require flexibility. There is no point demanding full sanctions, full infrastructure dismantlement and full inspection access 24/7 – the Iranians would walk away, leaving warfare. And it would be warfare, too. Iran would hit back hard. It is capable.
Obama understands this better than Netanyahu, and knows the carrot needs to be just as tempting as the stick is daunting.
But Netanyahu understands better than Obama that only pressure will make Iran compromise. He knows better than Obama that the threat of military action must be credible. And he knows better than Obama that Iran is not to be trusted.
Both men want Iran to be their legacy, but both want very different outcomes. How it ends is anyone’s guess. A bit like Greece.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
