![Israel must continue to be able to deter Hezbollah, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stressed on Wednesday, speaking amid efforts to reach a ceasefire with Iran's Lebanese terrorist proxy. "We need to keep the freedom to act if there will be violations. And we will have to act in time, before the problem will grow," the minister told a gathering of nearly 100 foreign ambassadors in Jerusalem, the Times of Israel reported. A deal to end more than a year of fighting on the northern border must be durable, Sa'ar said, saying Jerusalem “would like to reach an agreement that will stand the test of time." He added that a ceasefire would be an "opportunity" for Lebanon to regain its sovereignty after the Israeli military severely degraded the Iranian-backed group in recent months. He called for the Lebanese Armed Forces to be strengthened and urged the international community to invest more in the economically devastated country, which is drowning in debt following years of mismanagement and corruption. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also emphasized on Wednesday the necessity for Jerusalem to be able to act against any Hezbollah threats that may arise after a ceasefire deal is implemented. “The condition for any political settlement in Lebanon is the preservation of the intelligence capability and the preservation of the [IDF’s] right to act and protect the citizens of Israel from Hezbollah,” Katz said. Meanwhile, U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein remained in Beirut for a second day on Wednesday to discuss "technical details" of an American ceasefire proposal with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who heads the Hezbollah-allied Amal movement. President Joe Biden's point man in the Land of the Cedars announced he would travel to Israel on Wednesday night, speaking after he made "additional progress" in a second meeting with Berri. Hochstein was scheduled to meet with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer shortly after his arrival, followed by a tête-à-tête with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the following day. “The meeting today built on the meeting yesterday, and made additional progress,” Hochstein said. “So I will travel from here in a couple hours to Israel to try to bring this to a close if we can.” The Biden envoy added that he will work with the incoming Trump administration on ceasefire efforts, saying that he has kept the president-elect's transition team informed of progress. Hochstein described as "very productive" his meetings with Lebanese officials on Tuesday. “We have a real opportunity to end the conflict, and now is the moment to decide. We are committed to doing everything we can to work with Lebanon and Israel to end this conflict,” Hochstein said at a press conference on Tuesday. Hochstein also met on Tuesday with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and he was scheduled to meet with Lebanese Armed Forces commander Gen. Joseph Aoun. Mikati emphasized that Lebanon’s primary objectives are achieving a ceasefire and safeguarding its sovereignty. He highlighted the need to implement international resolutions and bolster the Lebanese Armed Forces in the southern part of the country. Lebanon delivered its written response to the latest U.S. proposal on Monday. According to Ali Hassan Khalil, an aide to Berri, the response included “comments” that were “presented in a positive atmosphere.” He did not provide details on the nature of the comments, saying only that they “affirm the precise adherence to [U.N. Security Council] Resolution 1701 with all its provisions,” according to Reuters. Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said in a speech on Wednesday that the terrorist group had "read the ceasefire proposal. "We have our comments, and Nabih Berri has comments, and ours and the Lebanese government's comments are, Inshallah ['God willing'], identical," Qassem said. "We have decided not to discuss these ceasefire proposals or our comments in the media. All I will say is that Israeli is trying to obtain through negotiations what it couldn't through war." The terrorist leader vowed to “continue our efforts on the ground, whether the negotiations succeed or not. “We are confronting a savage enemy, and we will remain on the ground, no matter the cost, as we will also increase the cost for the enemy. We are facing Israeli human monsters supported by American human monsters,” threatened Qassem. Disarm and retreat Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War, stipulated that Hezbollah must disarm and retreat north of the Litani River, but was never enforced. The Litani lies some 20 miles from the Israel-Lebanon border. Its enforcement, along with Israeli freedom of operation in Lebanon should Hezbollah violate the terms of a ceasefire agreement, are the key sticking points in the current negotiations. Netanyahu emphasized during a speech in the Knesset plenum on Monday that Israel will not allow Hezbollah to “return to the state it was in on Oct. 6, 2023. “We will be required, in order to ensure our security in the north, to systematically carry out operations—not only against Hezbollah’s attacks, which could come. Even if there is a ceasefire, nobody can guarantee it will hold. So it’s not only our reaction, a preventive reaction, a reaction in the wake of attack but also the capacity to prevent Hezbollah from strengthening,” he said. Hezbollah has launched some 16,000 rockets, missiles and drones from Lebanon at Israel since joining the war in support of Hamas on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after the Gaza-based terrorist group’s massacre in southern Israel. More than 60,000 residents of northern Israel remain internally displaced due to the ongoing rocket and drone attacks from Lebanon. Seventy-six people in northern Israel have been killed by Hezbollah cross-border rocket, missile and drone attacks since the start of the war, including 31 soldiers and six foreign citizens, according to the latest data provided by the Prime Minister’s Office, updated on Sunday. In addition, 729 people have been wounded, including 497 civilians and 232 soldiers. Of these, 29 civilians and 37 soldiers were severely injured; 63 civilians and 38 soldiers were moderately injured and 405 civilians and 157 soldiers were lightly injured. Hezbollah’s leadership has been left in tatters following a series of targeted killings by Israel, including that of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut on Sept. 27. This was preceded by Israeli sabotage of Hezbollah communication devices that killed 39 people and wounded more than 3,400 members of the terrorist group. Israel has been waging a devastating aerial campaign against Hezbollah throughout Lebanon, including its stronghold of Dahieh south of Beirut. According to Israeli estimates, the terrorist group has lost most of its arsenal to the ongoing strikes. Then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in late October that Hezbollah had lost an estimated 80%-plus of its long-range rockets since the start of the war. Israel also continues to battle Hamas terrorists in Gaza. The terrorist group still holds 101 hostages in the Strip, 97 of whom were kidnapped on Oct. 7. Many of the captives are believed to be dead. Brazil summit Meanwhile, G20 leaders gathered in Rio de Janeiro for a summit put out a joint statement on Monday calling for “comprehensive” ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon. The leaders of the world’s biggest economies called for U.S. proposals to end fighting in Gaza and free the hostages, and one for Lebanon “that enables citizens to return safely to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line.” The 13-point U.S. proposal presented to Lebanese officials on Nov. 14 includes a 60-day truce, during which Lebanon would redeploy its troops along the border. The proposal also calls for Moscow to prevent Hezbollah from resupplying itself via Syrian land routes. Hezbollah would retreat north of the Litani River, with the border area then being under control of the Lebanese Armed Forces, overseen by the United States and Britain. Israeli officials are emphasizing, however, that the Israel Defense Forces must retain freedom of operation in Lebanon to thwart attempts by Hezbollah to violate the agreement and rearm and reestablish itself. A senior Israeli diplomatic official told Israel Hayom on Saturday that the IDF will retain operational freedom to respond to any security threats from across the northern border, regardless of any diplomatic arrangements. However, a source close to Hezbollah told The Washington Post that the group’s “condition for progress remains clear: Israel must be prohibited from conducting operations within Lebanese territory.” Berri emphasized at the time that any ceasefire agreement must not include the ability for Israel to attack by land, sea or air, Channel 12 reported. “Otherwise, what’s the purpose of an agreement?” he remarked. Another sticking point is Lebanon’s objection to the United Kingdom and Germany monitoring the implementation of U.N. Resolution 1701. Beirut reportedly favors the United States and France. If the ceasefire efforts fail, there are plans in the works to expand ground operations in Lebanon, an Israeli military official told the Post. Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer discussed the proposal with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump during a visit to his Florida estate earlier this month, as well as with senior Biden administration officials in Washington. Dermer also traveled to Russia to discuss the ceasefire proposal. Tehran is telling its Lebanese terrorist proxy Hezbollah that it supports ending the war against Israel, The New York Times reported over the weekend. Ali Larijani, senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, met with senior Lebanese officials in Beirut on Nov. 15 to discuss the matter. Two Iranians affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps told the Times that Larijani conveyed messages to Hezbollah from Khamenei that he supported the end of the war and that the regime would assist with rebuilding the terrorist group’s forces and recovering from the war.](https://jewishwebsite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Gideon-Saar-1320x880-2-218x150.jpg "Sa’ar: Israel must be free to act against Hezbollah truce violations")
With the U.S. presidential election just two months away and some states already mailing out ballots, Iranian-American activists and leaders told JNS that the expat Iranian community in the United States is paying close attention to the policies of both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump towards the Islamic regime in Tehran and the Middle East more broadly.
Communal leaders and activists told JNS that means many members of the community are leaning towards Trump in the upcoming election because they think that he has a stronger stance on curbing the spread of terror in the region being fueled and funded by Iran.
“The Biden-Harris administration has directly and indirectly enriched Iran by $150 billion in the last three and half years, which is funding turmoil and terrorism in the Middle East,” Dr. Sheila Nazarian, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon and activist of Iranian descent, told JNS.
Some activists say the Biden administration’s failure to take a stronger stance against the Iranian regime and its violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations two years ago—many of them led by women following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022—has turned off members of the Iranian-American community, who have traditionally voted Democrat.
“The general atmosphere of the Iranian Americans suggests that the community is against Harris and the current Democrat administration, knowing that the Biden administration not only did not support the 2022 uprising in Iran but continued to negotiate with and appease the Iranian people’s oppressors,” said Dr. Reza Behrouz, an Iranian-American activist and neurologist in San Antonio.
Many Iranian Americans are still angered by the Biden administration’s decision to hire Robert Malley, the suspended U.S. special envoy for Iran, who pushed for easing sanctions against the Islamic regime, according to Behrouz.
Malley is reportedly the subject of a federal investigation for allegedly mishandling classified information and was forced to take leave from his position in the Biden administration.
‘Her own policies’
Nick Nikbakht, an Iranian-American activist and businessman in Dallas, told JNS that the community is divided. “There will still be some in the Iranian community who don’t really care about the situation in Iran and will vote for Harris because they’re lifelong Democrats,” he said.
Cameron Khansarinia, vice president of the National Union for Democracy in Iran, a Washington nonprofit, told JNS that many Iranian-Americans who were previously unengaged in U.S. politics are being galvanized, according to Khansarinia.
“Their calculation will be simple: Which candidate will hold the criminal regime in Iran accountable for its crimes and terrorism and support the people of Iran fighting against it?” he said. “The community will support the candidate who prioritizes human rights and takes a firm stance against the Iranian regime.”
Ally Bolour, an Iranian-American activist and immigration attorney in Los Angeles, told JNS that he was “very disappointed with Biden providing billions to the regime in Iran and was not planning on voting for him.”
“But now that he’s dropped out, I’m excited to be voting for Harris because she’s not Biden and has her own policies,” he said. “As far as Harris and Iran policy is concerned, we Iranians need to be at the table to educate her and Democrats in Washington about the human-rights abuses going on in Iran today.”
“We can’t neglect elected officials, who don’t always agree with us,” Bolour said.
Simon Etehad, a former president of the Iranian Nessah Synagogue in Beverly Hills, Calif., told JNS that “there is still support for the Democrats” among Iranian-Americans and “if you drank the proverbial Kool-Aid, then there is no changing the mind of someone who will do anything but vote for President Trump.”
There is also an Iranian Americans for Harris Walz group, which states that “Iranian Americans from all corners of the nation are uniting to support the Harris-Walz ticket in this critical election.”
“The stakes couldn’t be higher, as the outcome will determine whether we continue to thrive in a democracy or fall under the grip of religious extremism,” the group states on its site. “As immigrants and children of immigrants who left their homeland in pursuit of liberty, we steadfastly stand for a secular democracy. We stand for freedom and a future where everyone belongs. Together, we choose a path that honors our values and secures a brighter tomorrow for all.”
‘Make their voices heard’
Many Iranian Americans are concerned for their safety, as some of those illegally entering the country have alleged ties to the Islamic regime, according to Khansarinia.
“The Islamic Republic is certainly taking advantage of America’s immigration problems to promote its agenda and even to conduct acts of terrorism,” he said. “The regime will continue doing this as long as it is in power.”
Iranian-American activists also told JNS that younger community members are becoming more involved in campaigning this cycle, including pushing for the Mahsa Amini Human Rights and Security Accountability Act, or the MAHSA Act, which became law earlier this year and imposes sanctions on leaders of the Iranian regime.
The legislation, which became law on April 24 as part of H.R.815— making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30—is named for Amini, who died on Sept. 16, 2022, after being beaten by the regime’s morality police for not wearing what authorities deemed a proper head covering. Her death sparked months-long violent street protests throughout Iran.
“Those of us who were involved with lobbying members of Congress and the Senate to pass the MAHSA Act were very unhappy with how the Biden-Harris administration appeased the regime in Iran at every turn, and we will be voting for Trump as a result,” Nikbakht told JNS.
On Sept. 3, a small group of Iranian Americans based in Washington., D.C., created the grassroots group “Iranians for Trump.”
“We came across so many Iranian Americans who were either Independents or Democrats who felt their voices had not been heard by the Biden-Harris administration when it came to Iran policy,” Sarah Raviani, a spokeswoman for the group, told JNS. “They were asking questions, seeking guidance on how to make their voices heard, so we decided to launch this group as a place to help them become politically active and make their vital voices heard.”
Raviani, whose group isn’t affiliated with the Trump campaign or the Republican Party, told JNS that it has received significant support from Iranian Americans who voted or campaigned actively for Democratic presidential candidates in the past.
“There is also a significant number of Iranian Americans living in Virginia who could really make a difference with their vote for President Trump because it’s a swing state,” she said. “We’re encouraging them to get out the vote for him.”
Iranians in the United States are increasingly becoming politically active because they realize their past painful experiences from Iran can be helpful in dealing with national security issues, according to Iranian-American Sharona Nazarian, the vice mayor of Beverly Hills and a clinical psychologist.
“It is crucial for the broader American society and elected officials to understand the experiences of Iranian-Americans, particularly regarding the impacts of radical Islam,” she told JNS. “Their voices provide valuable insights into the dangers of extremism and the importance of promoting tolerance and security. These experiences should inform U.S. policies to prevent similar issues domestically.”
Making peace happen
Some non-Muslim Iranian-Americans told JNS they were disappointed with Biden and other Democrats for failing to pressure the regime in Tehran, which is increasingly persecuting those of Baha’i and other minority faiths.
“People of Baha’i faith in Iran have no rights, and for 45 years, they have experienced horrible persecution by the Islamic Republic,” according to Iranian-American Baha’i activist Peyman Aghssa, who lives in Michigan.
“Most Iranians are disappointed that both Republicans and Democrats have negotiated with this regime in Iran over the years,” he told JNS. “But Trump has been the only one that has put the regime under a lot of financial pressure, and this regime may finally be toppled if he returns and continues that pressure.”
Aghssa, who works as an engineer near Dearborn, said a large segment of the city’s Muslim and Middle Eastern residents have told him that they support Trump.
“Many Muslims in Dearborn, who I know and work with, are very disappointed with Biden and Harris because of their administration’s support for Israel and giving Israel weapons for the war in Gaza,” he said. “Many of them are telling me they will likely vote for Trump, who made peace happen in the Middle East with the Abraham Accords and didn’t cause any wars.”
Iranian-American Jewish activists told JNS that many members of their community, which is largely based in southern California and New York, support Trump due to the rise in Jew-hatred in Democrat-controlled cities and states, which brings back painful memories of fleeing Iran after the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
“Many Iranian Jews who moved here after the revolution, what they are seeing happen by pro-Hamas protesters here in the United States, who are burning American flags and chanting ‘death to the Jews,’ it is triggering,” according to Rabbi Tarlan Rabizadeh, vice president of Jewish engagement at American Jewish University in Los Angeles.
“It takes them back to the ‘Death to America, Death to Israel!’ chants they witnessed in Iran accompanied by the same burning of flags,” said the rabbi, who is a Persian Jew. “The fact that Iran is backing a lot of the protests here in America is also a challenging thing to digest while the rest of the world is not aware of some of these facts.”
Matthew Nouriel, an Iranian Jewish activist in Los Angeles, told JNS that “many of us, myself included, feel politically homeless and very torn.”
“I’ve never heard so many people say they just aren’t going to vote, because the two options are terrible whichever way you slice it,” he said, “which is problematic in and of itself.”