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Dear A.,
IDF troops in Gaza have
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received another hostage body, which is being identified this evening in Tel Aviv. Six families are praying for the return of their loved ones for a proper burial.
Of the 251 hostages taken on October 7, 245 have now been returned.
Hamas continues to violate the ceasefire deal by refusing to release all of the hostages, disarm, and leave power in Gaza.
Meanwhile, while Israel's remarkable achievements over the last two years have transformed the Middle East, there are new signs that Iran is working to rebuild its terror proxies, its ballistic missile program, and its nuclear project.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah is working to reconstitute itself with help from Iran, prompting Israel to
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escalate strikes against the Iran-backed terror group. The Lebanese government is failing to carry out its pledge to fully disarm Hezbollah.
In Syria, the situation is in flux, with Iran working to reestablish its land bridge to Lebanon through the country, while Turkey and Qatar's presence in Syria poses another challenge to Israel.
In Israel's south, more and more weapons-laden drones are being
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intercepted , with the IDF declaring a closed military zone along the Egyptian border.
In Iran, the regime is already rebuilding its ballistic missile program to again threaten Israel. Earlier this week, Iran's president committed to rebuilding its nuclear program.
Around the world, Iran and its proxies are plotting attacks against Israelis and Jewish targets. A plot by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to
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assassinate Israel's ambassador to Mexico was foiled last summer. Earlier this week, police seized weapons and
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arrested a man connected to Hamas who was helping plot attacks on Jewish targets in Europe.
We must continue to ensure the United States provides our ally the resources and support needed to counter these threats.
The past two years have demonstrated that Israeli determination and American support are a powerful combination. Together, the two allies devastated their shared enemies and laid the foundation for a brighter future for all the region's inhabitants.
It's on us to ensure that the U.S.-Israel relationship remains strong, to build on this momentum and transform the successes of the past two years into enduring peace and prosperity.
Below are more key stories and links to share AIPAC social media content. We'll continue to provide the latest updates on
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our social media channels .
Shabbat Shalom,
Jake Braunstein
Director of Policy Communications
MUST WATCH
CENTCOM Commander speaks at funeral of Omer Neutra
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U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Admiral Brad Cooper speaks at the funeral of Omer Neutra. Omer's body was held hostage by Hamas for over two years.
Admiral Cooper said, "I join an entire nation here in Israel and across the Atlantic in the United States - in grief, in pride, and in purpose. May Omer's memory further strengthen the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel."
Sen. Ted Cruz calls out extremism, urges Republicans to speak out
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) called on his Republican colleagues to
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speak out against Tucker Carlson in a speech today, reiterating the importance of firmly rejecting antisemitism.
"Now I can tell you, my colleagues, almost to a person, think what is happening is horrifying. But a great many of them are frightened, because [Tucker Carlson] has one hell of a big megaphone," Cruz said.
"There is a real and cognizable pro-Hamas wing of the Democrat Party," Cruz added. "When that happened on the left, those of us on the right were quite comfortable standing up and denouncing it. In some ways, that’s easy. But now it’s happening on the right. In the last six months, I’ve seen more antisemitism on the right than I have at any time in my life. It is growing. It is metastasizing."
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Watch Senator Cruz's full speech here.
PICTURE OF THE DAY
Kazakhstan joins Abraham Accords
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President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev poses with President Trump and leaders of other central Asian countries after announcing his country would join the Abraham Accords.
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UNRWA activities in Gaza resume despite ties to Hamas
The United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinians has begun
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operating schools again in Gaza.
UNRWA employed more than 1,000 terrorists in Gaza and its employees participated in the October 7 attack.
UNRWA "textbooks are antisemitic and incite to violence," Marcus Sheff, CEO of curriculum watchdog IMPACT-SE
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said . "As we have said many times, UNRWA abrogated its duty of care to the students it teaches and to the international community."
"As Congress and the Trump administration have made abundantly clear: UNWRA has no future in Gaza given this failure. As we look to the future, we must work to set up an alternative system of distribution that ensures stringent vetting of all U.N. employees and subcontractors and demand accountability for those that aided and abetted Hamas," House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast
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posted .
UNRWA is an obstacle to peace and should have no role in Gaza’s future. It is a fundamentally broken organization that is beyond reform.
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Qatar targets ICC prosecutor’s alleged victim
New reporting shows that the
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Qatari government targeted a woman who accused International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan of sexually assaulting her.
Qatar hired two private investigative firms to go after the victim, including by seeking her passport details and information about her child.
The goal of the operation was to find evidence against the victim to undermine her testimony against Khan.
The ICC at Khan's request issued baseless and illegitimate arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
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🎥 Hamas is once again looting and attacking aid trucks in Gaza, undermining efforts to deliver aid to civilians.
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Hamas currently holds 6 hostages. It must fully implement the peace plan and free them all!
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When major disasters strike, Israel is there to answer the call.
Now, Israeli teams are in Jamaica in the aftermath of the devastating hurricane.
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The Republic of Kazakhstan is joining the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan as a member of the Abraham Accords!
The mission of AIPAC is to encourage and persuade the U.S. government to enact specific policies that create a strong, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship with our ally Israel.
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