Arab states worry over Senate's 'Jewish State' debate
An Iran bill amendment could create an uncomfortable precedent for Arab allies of the United States.
America's Arab allies are holding their breath as the Senate leadership ponders whether to cast aside a demand that Iran recognize the "Jewish State" of Israel as a precondition for a nuclear deal.
The amendment to the pending Iran legislation from Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is widely seen as an unacceptable "poison pill" gambit to kill the talks while boosting the presidential hopeful's pro-Israel bona fides. Lost in the partisan squabbling, however, is any real debate on the impact such a precedent could set for US relations with Arab nations, the vast majority of which won't recognize Israel until its conflict with the Palestinians is resolved.
"The criticism of that is that there are a bunch of countries in the Middle East that don’t recognize Israel’s right to exist," Rubio acknowledged Friday in a speech at the conservative National Review's semi-annual Ideas Summit. "Which is true. But none of them are trying to build a nuclear weapon."
Democrats are pushing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to dispense with that amendment and others and vote on the underlying legislation to create a congressional review process for a final Iran deal. A vote on the bipartisan measure is expected this week.
