Perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Iran nuclear deal was signed when it was. We find ourselves, after all, in the midst of a three-week period during which a host of calamitous events have befallen the Jewish People over the course of its history. The destruction of both Temples, the smashing of the original Sinai tablets by Moses, the final expulsion of Jews from Spain, the outbreak of World War I, the bombing of the Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires – all occurred in the 21 days bookended by the 17th of Tammuz and the Ninth of Av. Now, we have a new entry.
Make no mistake: this deal belongs on that list. Just like so many previous disasters visited upon the Jews, the Iran agreement poses an existential threat to us and our homeland. In 15 years, when the deal expires, Iran may very well be no further away from developing a nuclear arsenal capable of causing mass destruction to Israel. It could even be much closer to achieving that goal, given that inspections of its nuclear plants mandated under the accord are sorely lacking. And if that weren’t enough, in the interim Iran – the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism against Israel – will have reaped massive financial rewards from the lifting of sanctions, money it might use to further fund Hezbollah and Hamas.
This deal, in short, offers far more to Iran than it asks for in return. The benefits to Tehran are readily apparent, and we have little more than the ayatollahs’ word that Iran will abide by the agreed upon terms. But words aren’t enough – indeed, given the unceasing anti-Israel, anti-West bombast of its clerics in the days since the agreement was signed, words would seem to mean little to Iran’s leaders. What we need is proof that Iran is serious about not developing nuclear weapons, and, given the incomplete specifications of this pact, no one can be sure of that.
In the immediate aftermath of the deal’s signing, the Canadian government, to its credit, seized on the alarming discrepancy between Iran’s words and deeds. In a statement released just after the P5+1 countries and Iran made it official, Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson insisted Canada “will continue to judge Iran by its actions, not its words.” To that end, Canada’s sanctions related to Iran, including an arms embargo, assets freeze and export and import restrictions, remain in place. This could change, depending on the results of the upcoming federal election, but for now, Canadian Jews have reason to be proud of a government that believes more should be demanded of Tehran.
To be sure, that isn’t much good news. But at least it’s something, and during these three weeks, a little can go a long way. In the end, hope – for a better world, for peace, for a time when the Jewish People are free of tragedy and hardship – is the ultimate tonic to the history of misery embodied by the Three Weeks. Whatever happens next, we must never allow that hope to be extinguished. Without it, the battle is surely lost. — YONI
