Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Jul 11, 2025

German Jewish leaders turn down US briefing on Iran danger

German Jewish leaders turn down US briefing on Iran danger

"We are deeply worried about the continued antisemitic belligerence and genocidal threats emanating from Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei."
The president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany ignored a proposed briefing from a top US government official about the dangers of the Iranian regime and American efforts to impose snapback sanctions on Tehran to stop the Islamic Republic from purchasing conventional weapons and building a nuclear military device.

The Jerusalem Post obtained a letter outlining a suggested briefing sent to Dr. Josef Schuster, the president of the nearly 100,000-member Jewish community, and other European Jewish community leaders.

The letter by Rabbi Abraham Cooper states a top US official could “be available to privately brief you on the situation and the timeline for these sanctions to hopefully go into effect. Key to this matter will be decisions of the UK, France, and Germany.”

Cooper, the associate dean of the human rights organization Simon Wiesenthal Center located in Los Angeles, who recently wrote an opinion article on snapback sanctions in Newsweek, contacted a number of European Jewish leaders suggesting a briefing from a senior US official.

“Like each of you and my colleagues, we are deeply worried about the continued antisemitic belligerence and genocidal threats emanating from Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei and his associates against Israel and Jewish people everywhere,” wrote Cooper. “Now, we face the possibility of an Iran that may soon be able to acquire advanced military hardware and systems.

To date, only the US has invoked the request to snap back sanctions against Iran because of its flagrant violations of the nuclear agreement.”

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s administration opposes a snapback of sanctions against Iran’s regime. In August, Merkel’s government did not vote to extend the UN weapons embargo against Tehran.

Cooper told the Post that the briefing from the US official “is exactly the kind of information that key European Jewish leaders would want to have in hand on an issue that will impact Jews in Europe and elsewhere in the future. It was disappointing.”

Post queries to Schuster and Gideon Joffe, the president of the Berlin local Jewish community, were not immediately returned. Both Schuster and Joffe were born in Israel. Israeli diplomats have expressed frustration to the Post over the years about apathy among some German Jewish leaders.

The Post has sent multiple queries to Schuster in August asking if Merkel should support the UN weapons embargo against Iran. He declined to answer.

Critics of the Central Council claim that because the organization is largely dependent on funding from the federal government, Schuster is reluctant to criticize Merkel’s policies that ostensibly favor Iran.

Dr. Nathan Warszawski, who knew Schuster from medical school, told the Post that “His organizations receive some money from the state to keep him silent.” Warszawski is a member of the Jewish community in the city of Aachen and writes extensively about antisemitism in Germany.

One community leader responded to the US briefing invitation. Michaela Fuhrmann, head of political affairs and communications for the Frankfurt Jewish community, wrote that “on behalf of Prof. Salomon Korn, I would like to thank you very much for your email and your kind offer.

Since we are just in the middle of our board elections and the preparations for the holidays according to the pandemic situation, Prof. Korn unfortunately will not be able to attend a common briefing.”

Korn is the president of the Frankfurt community. He and Fuhrmann did not respond to Post queries about why a deputy could not have participated in the briefing and whether Merkel should support the US snapback sanctions against Iran.

Uwe Becker, commissioner to combat antisemitism in the German state of Hesse, where Frankfurt is located, previously told the Post that German government should agree to extend the UN weapons embargo against Iran.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
×