Israel enjoys widespread bipartisan support both in Congress and across
the country. And in recent days, we’ve seen two high-level delegations
of American lawmakers travel to the Jewish state. But there’s a
problem on both sides of the aisle that all the trips and all the
speeches in the world won’t solve. So, let’s dive in.

**Messrs. McCarthy and Jeffries Go to Israel**

** **

Last week, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries led a Congressional
delegation of Democrats to the Jewish state. As we’ve been warning for
some time, and Jeffries was right to highlight, the stability of the
Palestinian Authority (PA) is in peril. PA President Mahmoud Abbas is
well past his prime and not in the best of health. We also agree with
Jeffries that ensuring the Palestinian people have basic services met by
a Palestinian civil authority is important. Where we differ from
Jeffries is on what to do about the PA’s dark side: their unabashed
support for terror.

From schools that glorify violence to financial incentives aimed at
inducing acts of terror, the PA suffers from systemic antisemitism that
manifests itself in support for violence. Under Abbas, the PA has done
nothing to expand human and civil rights for the Palestinian people or
root out the antisemitic cornerstone of the Palestinian national
narrative. Until the PA reverses course, discussing what the PA looks
like after Abbas’s invariable demise is, at best, a discussion about
the least bad option – the individual with the least blood on his/her
hands.

If Democrats are serious about helping the Palestinians, they need to
make concrete demands of the PA and ignore those who say that doing so
will lead to the PA’s downfall. At this rate, that’s a distinct
possibility anyway, so we may as well try to do right by the American,
Israeli, and Palestinian people by pushing the PA to get over its
revolutionary fantasies and provide basic support to its people.

Shortly after Jeffries’ trip to Israel, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy
visited the Jewish state with a bipartisan group of top lawmakers (and
bipartisan is a keyword here, but more on that in a minute).

During the visit, McCarthy delivered remarks before Israel’s Knesset
and struck all the right notes. He touched on everything from the
Abraham Accords and the 75th anniversary of Israel’s independence to
regional challenges including Iran.

Concerning the threat posed by Iran, McCarthy said, “…we cannot
ignore the threats to peace in our region. Those threats have one
primary cause, the rogue Iranian regime. Most of the turmoil in this
region of violence and instability can be traced back to that source
which continues to fund terrorism, arms its proxy militias, and pursues
nuclear weapons.”

We agree with McCarthy’s sentiment but are concerned that Congress
won’t be able to deliver common sense policies aimed at contending
with the Islamic Republic’s belligerence.

**Actions, Words, and Bipartisanship**

** **

Recently, Congress passed a resolution commending Israel on her 75th
year as an independent nation. The resolution itself was all good and
well; it contained nothing controversial or out of the ordinary. With
rare exception, we don’t place a lot of emphasis on resolutions since
they don’t directly impact law or policy. But we do notice when
Members of Congress use a vote on a resolution to remind everyone of
their bigotry.

Eighteen Democrats and one Republican voted against the run-of-the-mill,
pro-Israel resolution. And this is a problem for both Jeffries and
McCarthy. The fact that nearly 10% of House Democrats voted against this
resolution is indicative of a party with a fundamental problem that
Jeffries must address. The best thing House Democratic leaders can do
for the U.S.-Israel relationship and their own party is sideline fringe
voices and ensure that this same group does not have the ability to
derail pro-Israel policies with widespread bipartisan support.

McCarthy’s problem is smaller than Jeffries’, but arguably more
complicated in the short-term. The lone Republican vote against the
resolution was Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). Massie regularly votes against
measures on a wide variety of topics that enjoy overwhelming support by
both parties. And he rarely, if ever, has a reasonable justification for
doing so. Yes, Massie is just one vote. But as part of the wheeling and
dealing in which McCarthy engaged to secure his Speakership, Massie
secured a seat on the most powerful committee in the House of
Representatives: The House Rules Committee.

Here's how the committee describes itself: “The Committee is commonly
known as ‘The Speaker’s Committee’ because it is the mechanism
that the Speaker uses to maintain control of the House Floor...”
Basically, not much can happen in the House without the Speaker’s and
the Rules Committee’s agreement.  And the most anti-Israel member of
the House GOP caucus has a seat at that table.

We at the Action Fund appreciate kind words, be they spoken or advanced
as a resolution for the record. But we care a lot more about action
(it’s right there in our name!). So, when Congress decides to focus on
impactful policy matters, such as Israel’s missile defense needs, the
Biden administration’s on-again-off-again dalliance with Iran, or the
rising tide of antisemitism sweeping across the country, we hope Messrs.
McCarthy and Jeffries have a plan to contain the crazies in their
caucuses and advance consensus, pro-Israel legislation.

Sincerely,

The CUFI Action Fund Team <https:[link removed]>

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