Many �œextremist” lawmakers in the US Congress are dependent upon pro-Israel lobby organizations�™ money to get them reelected, says William Beeman, an American author and Middle East expert.
As part of the administration of President Barack Obama�™s efforts to convince Congress to hold off on passing new anti-Iran sanctions, White House officials are to appear on Capitol Hill this week for public testimonies.
Secretary of State John Kerry will receive a public grilling on Tuesday afternoon before the House Foreign Relations Committee while Treasury Department official David Cohen and State Department official Wendy Sherman, who led the US delegation in nuclear talks with Iran in Geneva, are to publicly testify before the Senate Banking Committee.
In a phone interview with Press TV on Monday, Beeman said that the Israeli regime tries to influence the nuclear talks between Iran and the six world powers by �œputting political pressure on various governments,” using individuals loyal to Tel Aviv.
�œIn the United States, that includes many, many members of Congress. Then, we have lobbying organizations in the United States that follow the hard-line Israeli position,” said Beeman.
�œThese individuals are dependent upon these Israeli supporters�™ money to get them re-elected.”
Two US lawmakers who handle intelligence matters, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and House Homeland Security Chairman Mike McCaul (R-Texas), said on CNN�™s State of the Union on Sunday that the Obama administration should not accept a long-term deal with Iran that would include uranium enrichment.
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) also said last week that the US should use �œtactical nuclear weapons” to destroy Iran�™s nuclear facilities if military action becomes necessary.
�œThis is a stupid statement on his [Hunter�™s] part but, nevertheless, he did say it. It probably will not be effective in any way but you can see that there are people in Congress who are extremists in that regard,” Beeman said.
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has already passed an anti-Iran sanctions bill by a 400-20 vote and the Senate version of the bill should originate in the Banking Committee before being considered on the full Senate floor.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister and top nuclear negotiator Mohammad Javad Zarif warned on Saturday that the interim deal inked last month between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany �œis dead” if Congress adopts further sanctions against Tehran.
ISH/ARA
Source: Press TV