WJC president: Iran economic sanctions won't work without world unity

By ETGAR LEFKOVITS
The international community needs to be united if economic sanctions against Iran are to work, the President of the New York-based World Jewish Congress said Wednesday. "We believe in economic sanctions, however these sanctions will be effective only if countries whose representatives have applauded [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad [at the UN] will not go around those sanctions," Lauder said at the opening of the WJC governing board meeting in Ashkelon. Lauder added that it is "disturbing" for the Jewish world - which he said is united against the Iranian leader - to see representatives of countries around the world applauding Ahmadinejad at the UN even as he continues to spew anti-Semitic and anti-Israel tirades.