Special to WorldTribune.com

Many U.S. Jewish organizations and individuals have remained silent on the Iran nuclear deal out of fear of alienating the White House and losing influence, an Israeli envoy said.

Yaron Sideman, the Israeli consul general in Philadelphia, said there is a lack of unity among U.S. Jews on the recently completed agreement.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee and at least eight regional federations have come out against the deal and in support of the Israeli government’s stance.

Still, Sideman said, a large number of U.S. Jewish groups have yet to pronounce on the deal one way or the other.

The U.S. Congress is currently examining the deal and has until mid-September to decide whether or not to accept it.

“At this crucial point of the Iranian issue — which for years has been at the core of Israeli foreign policy and was described countless times by the Israeli leadership as an existential threat — the Jewish community in the United States is not standing as a united front behind Israel and important parts of it are on the fence,” Sideman wrote in a memo to Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Haaretz reported on July 30.

Sideman quoted a Jewish regional federation CEO as saying that U.S. Jewish organizations could take a hit to their influence should they campaign against the deal.

The organizations also fear repercussions from the White House and Democrats if they come out against the agreement, the CEO added.

  American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Key U.S. Jews said to fear repercussions from White House if they voice opposition to Iran deal, WorldTribune.com, Yaron Sideman