Last week, Israel conducted Operation Shield and Arrow in response to
rocket fire and to preempt additional terrorist attacks from the
Gaza-based terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). In this
week’s installment of the Action Update, we’ll discuss what happened
during the flare-up. In addition, we’ll also bring you the latest on
the unresolved national elections in Turkey.

**The Data**

Israel launched Operation Shield and Arrow last Tuesday. The initial aim
of the military engagement was to deal a significant strategic blow to
PIJ. For those unfamiliar with the exceptionally radical, Iran-backed
terrorist group, please check out CUFI’s primer
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on the subject.

The initial stage of the operation was successful, with three top PIJ
leaders eliminated in surgical airstrikes. For the next five days,
Israel and PIJ slugged it out, until, finally, PIJ agreed to a
cease-fire with the Jewish state with Israel giving no concessions –
returning quiet for quiet as Israeli leaders said.

During the conflict, 1,469 rockets and mortars were fired at Israel with
1,139 breaching Israel’s airspace and the remainder failing in some
capacity – including many falling inside Gaza. Israel’s Missile
Defense System was more than 90% effective in destroying rockets that
were headed toward Israeli population centers, with Iron Dome and
David’s Sling destroying 439 projectiles.

Despite the objectively impressive successes of Israel’s missile
defense systems, tragically, not every rocket was destroyed en route to
its target. There were two fatalities in Israel: an elderly Israeli
woman and a Palestinian man, who had permission to work inside Israel,
were killed. Thirty-two Israelis were wounded and treated by Israel’s
emergency medical service, and some 45 others were treated for emotional
distress caused by the rocket barrages.

Both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were targeted by PIJ rocket attacks during
the conflict, but those rockets were destroyed before they could kill or
maim anyone.

**Operational Results**

By the end of the skirmish, Israel had launched 422 strikes against
Palestinian terrorist targets. Thirty-three Palestinians were killed in
the clash. The majority of these, 20, were PIJ terrorists including a
total of six senior commanders. Tragically, despite Israel taking every
effort – including calling off strikes at the last second when
civilians were visibly present – 13 Palestinian noncombatants were
killed. The blame for these deaths quite obviously lies with PIJ
terrorists who, like Hamas and Hezbollah, hide amongst the civilian
population using their neighbors and even loved ones as human shields.

Ultimately, in military terms, Israel’s operation was a success.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted, “The performance was
indeed perfect. With complete surprise and continuous initiative, we
eliminated Islamic Jihad’s entire top brass in Gaza, destroyed 17
Islamic Jihad command centers, eliminated dozens of terrorists, struck
missile storage sites, took out anti-tank squads and more.”

**Turkish Elections**

As Israel was dealing a hard-hitting blow to Palestinian terrorists, the
people of Turkey were headed to the polls with many of us hoping they
would strike a blow for democracy in their beleaguered nation. The
Turkish elections feature the incumbent, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
and opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

Erdogan, as Action Update readers are likely aware, is an authoritarian
antisemite, who harbors terrorists and antagonizes the West.
Kılıçdaroğlu, on the other hand, has promised to end his country’s
regression to an undemocratic, economically unstable international
pariah state that has occurred under Erdogan’s nearly twenty-year rule
(the first decade he was Prime Minister, and since then he’s served as
President).

Last week, CUFI Action Fund Director of Public Policy and Strategy Boris
Zilberman penned an op-ed for the Times of Israel
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discussing the importance of this election. He sums up his key point by
noting, “If Turkey is interested in freedom at home and being allied
with free nations abroad, Ankara must address all the issues undermining
its bilateral relationship with the United States and end its antagonism
towards Israel. It is unlikely this would happen under a newly
re-elected Erdogan.

“If free and fair elections are held, and Kılıçdaroğlu is
victorious, his work would be cut out for him if he indeed seeks to
resolve these issues. Still, in Washington, Jerusalem, and European
capitals, the new Turkish leader would be heard,” Zilberman goes on to
write.

As things stand, despite Erdogan’s hold over the country, including
its press, the race is officially headed to a runoff as neither of the
top two candidates received more than 50% of the vote. The question
remains whether the runoff elections will be free and fair. We’re not
holding our breath, but we’re not giving up either.

From continuing to contend with Palestinian terrorism to reacting
appropriately to the final results of the Turkish election, we will have
our work cut out for us in the coming months. Right now, we are awaiting
some answers to key questions. Will Israel need another resupply of its
missile defense systems? And if so, how will Congressional leaders avoid
a repeat of having American foreign policy in this context hijacked by
fringe Members of Congress (as we saw following the May 2021 conflict
with Hamas)? And who wins in Turkey will have an immediate, and
important impact not just on the region, but on the world at large given
that Turkey is both a NATO member but also a nation that, under Erdogan,
has often marched shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the world’s worst
actors including Russia and Hamas.

Whatever the answers to these questions, we’ll be ready, traveling the
Halls of Congress ensuring the millions of Christian Zionists across the
country are heard by our elected officials.

Sincerely,

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

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