This week, tens of thousands of Americans tuned into to the 2020 Virtual
Summit. We were thrilled to hear from a host of top leaders including
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo,
ambassadors David Friedman, Ron Dermer and Nikki Haley, and more than a
half-dozen Members of Congress representing both parties.

The event was a resounding success, and as we write this, we are seeing
CUFI activists inundate elected officials with emails, tweets and phone
calls in support of the CUFI legislative agenda discussed in today's
update.

**The Focus and the Fringe**

The CUFI 2020 Virtual Summit legislative agenda is focused on core
elements of support for the US-Israel relationship. As we've noted
previously
,
fringe voices in Congress are seeking to upend the decades-old
bipartisan consensus in support of the US investment in Israel's
security. Any rollback would be a direct threat to the safety and
security of the Israeli people.

In fact, just this week, a handful of members of the House led by none
other than Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez circulated a venomous letter to
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that relies upon outlandish slanders of
the Jewish state to further their personal project of undermining the
US-Israel relationship.

The

**Washington Free Beacon**recently reported that Ocasio-Cortez was
"tout[ing]support from anti-Semitic groups" in support of her
letter, and that some of these supporters have ties to terrorist groups
and back the anti-Semitic movement to boycott, divest from and sanction
(BDS) Israel.

Congress has a long tradition of reasonable disagreement and debate, but
this letter does not fall into that category. The scorched earth
campaign against Israel being waged by fringe Democrats does their party
and our country a great disservice.

Make no mistake, Israel-haters in Congress will fail. But we cannot
leave a pro-Israel vacuum in the discussion. As such, the three bills
included in the CUFI Virtual Summit legislative agenda are as timely as
ever.

**The Legislation**

Following this year's Summit, CUFI activists are seeking congressional
support for these three bipartisan pieces of legislation:

* The

**United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act** (S.3176):
This legislation codifies the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding signed by
President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu. The ten-year military
assistance agreement between the two nations is aimed at securing Israel
against regional enemies and maintains Israel as a cornerstone of U.S.
national security in the Middle East. The legislation also enhances
cooperation in key technological areas and extends both war reserve
stockpile authority and loan guarantees to Israel through 2025.

While this legislation previously passed the House, it now includes an
authorization for $12 million that seeks "to enhance partnerships
between companies in the United States and Israel to develop innovative
medical projects aimed at detecting, treating, and curing COVID-19."
As such, it will return to the House where we are hoping it moves
forward swiftly.

* The

**2021 House and Senate State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill**:
This annual legislation appropriates $3.3 billion in American military
aid to Israel. This assistance ensures Israel's ability to defend
itself and directly benefits the US as well. 75 percent of this aid must
be spent in the United States, thereby supporting American jobs and
ensuring America maintains our quantitative and qualitative military
manufacturing superiority in an uncertain world.

Such support, which accounts for less than one percent of the federal
budget also, ensures Israel is best positioned to provide the US with
vital intelligence, exceptional military related technological
advancements which help protect American troops, and a true safe-zone
for American servicemen and woman in the Middle East.

* The

**US-Israel Military Capability Act** (S.3775 & H.R.7148): This
legislation would establish a permanent and dedicated working group for
U.S. national security officials and their counterparts in the Israeli
government to collaborate on the research and development of technology
used for national defense.

**In Other News**

Elsewhere, CUFI Action Fund is extremely grateful to Senators Jacky
Rosen and Marsha Blackburn for leading a bipartisan, bicameral letter
calling upon European Union (EU) member states to designate Hezbollah
- in its entirety - as a terrorist organization. 

"Hezbollah has increasingly used Europe as a launching pad for its
criminal and terrorist activities, including money laundering, drug
smuggling, recruitment, and training. In particular, Hezbollah's
fundraising and illicit business activities have generated additional
annual revenue which the organization uses to support its global
terrorism, including a 2012 Hezbollah terror attack in Bulgaria that
killed 5 Israeli tourists and 1 Bulgarian citizen," the lawmakers note
in the letter.

The case for proscribing Hezbollah is clear. It's own leadership does
not believe there are separate 'wings' of the organization. And we
are grateful to allies in Berlin and London for taking affirmative steps
in the right direction. We hope policymakers in other European capitals
will summon the courage to fully and legally declare Hezbollah what it
plainly is: a terrorist organization.

Thanks to all of you who tuned in to this year's CUFI Virtual Summit.
We hope to see you next year in Washington when the annual CUFI Summit
returns to our nation's capital. 

Sincerely,CUFI Action Fund Team

SUPPORT CUFI ACTION FUND
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