Send Page to a Friend JCRC pushes Iran bill in Washington   By Ted Siefer The Jewish Advocate   Group advocates tougher policy on Iran Jewish Community Relations Council leaders from Boston joined 400 delegates around the country in Washington D.C. this week to encourage congressmen to support a bill that would strengthen sanctions against Iran and promote democracy in the country. The lobbying campaign was one of several priorities at the annual plenum of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, an umbrella organization for community relations councils nationwide. Gaining support for the Iran Freedom Support Act was important for Boston's JCRC leaders, as only four out of 10 members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation have signed on to the Iran bill, proportionally the smallest number of any state in New England. "We spoke to a number of congressmen, both those who have signed on, to thank them, and to those who have not signed on," JCRC deputy director Alan Ronkin told the Advocate on Tuesday from Washington. He explained that several of the lawmakers he spoke to had reservations about specific aspects of the bill, but not its overall spirit. "I think there's a real sense that Iran is probably the top foreign policy threat, not only to Israel but the United States and Western civilization. Things need to be done in a powerful way to rein in and make sure Iran doesn't develop weapons of mass destruction," he said. Congressmen Barney Frank, Richard Neal, Marty Meehan and Stephen Lynch have signed on the bill. Senators John Kerry and Ted Kennedy and Congressmen William Delahunt, Michael Capuano, Jim McGovern and John Olver are still weighing provisions of the bill. The bill would impose a range of sanctions on the Iranian regime until it provides proof that it is not developing weapons of mass destruction, as well as on countries that facilitate Iranian WMD programs. The bill would also authorize the president to support and fund "foreign and domestic individuals, organizations, and entities that support democracy and the promotion of democracy in Iran and that are opposed to the non-democratic Government of Iran." According to the bill, funding could also go toward pro-democracy radio and television organizations that broadcast into Iran. Congressman Frank told the Advocate that he agreed to support the bill only after language on "regime change" was removed. While noting that giving money to opposition groups would probably not be "productive," Frank said that something had to be done to counter the Iranian threat. "Iran is clearly the most dangerous regime in the world right now – more than North Korea – because of the lunacy of [Iranian President] Ahmadinejad and its support for Hamas." The issue of dealing with a Palestinian government led by the terrorist group Hamas was also a central concern of the JCPA plenum. "There was a consensus that there should be a rejection of any connections with Hamas or with a Hamas-led Palestinian Authority," said Ronkin. At the same time, Ronkin said, delegates raised serious questions about what effect isolating the Palestinian Authority would have on humanitarian conditions for everyday Palestinians, and how this would affect the overall cause of peace. "There are no good answers yet," he said. The JCRC delegation also included executive director Nancy Kaufman, lawyer Geoffrey Lewis and healthcare advisor Jane Matlaw.