This week, we saw the latest example of how close U.S.-Israel cooperation helps keep Americans and Israelis safe.
In a training exercise named Juniper Falcon, American and Israeli soldiers spent the week learning from each other, simulating various attacks, and enhancing their security capabilities.
Why it matters: America’s partnership with Israel is essential to keeping both countries safe against common threats. As Iran continues arming terrorist groups across the region with sophisticated weapons like ballistic missiles, our work together to ensure close U.S.-Israel cooperation and full security funding each year is all the more vital.
Through AIPAC: You helped ensure Congress allocated $3.8 billion in security assistance to Israel last year. These resources help ensure Israel is strong and able to defend itself. America benefits by having a capable ally whose front-line experiences help better prepare our forces fighting a common threat.
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Below are additional news items from the week related to our work.
Sincerely,
Brian Shankman
Director of Regional Affairs and Development
Iran continued its campaign of aggression across the Middle East this week while also taking steps toward a nuclear weapons capability.
Iran's intelligence minister raised the possibility on Tuesday that Tehran would seek nuclear arms if the U.S. does not remove its sanctions.
Go deeper:While pursuing diplomacy, Washington should maintain pressure on Iran to end its regional aggression and its illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities.
The regime began producing uranium metal—a material that is banned under the 2015 nuclear accords, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed on Wednesday. When done with weapons grade uranium, the metal is the key component for the core of nuclear weapons.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps received 340 new vessels this week, mostly small fast boats it uses in the Persian Gulf to harass U.S. ships.
Go deeper:While the U.S. and Iran were in the JCPOA, there were at least 50 incidents of Iranian military boats harassing U.S. Navy vessels in the Gulf.
Iran and North Koreacooperated on long-range missile development projects last year, a United Nations report said this week.
The way forward:America needs a comprehensive policy—closely coordinated with our regional allies—to permanently prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and address the regime’s ballistic missile program, terrorism, and regional aggression.
The latest: Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas recently issued a decree calling for the first presidential and parliamentary elections in over 15 years.
The big picture:The United States and the international community must make clear that they will not accept the participation of an unreformed Hamas.
Transparent and free elections are a key element of any democratic society, and good Palestinian governance is crucial for the Palestinian people.
The world can only accept as legitimate a Palestinian government that renounces violence, accepts Israel, and abides by previous agreements.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) ruled last week that the Court has jurisdiction to prosecute Israel for alleged crimes in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, despite the fact that Israel is not party to the Court and that the Palestinians do not qualify as a sovereign state.
This ruling proves two facts: International bodies will undermine their own credibility to attack Israel, and the Palestinians care more about prosecuting Israel than negotiating peace with Israel.
We fear this ruling will have consequences for the ICC’s investigation into the United States.
What Congress has done: Last year, AIPAC members lobbied Congress to oppose the ICC’s hostile actions. 69 Senators and 262 House members called on the ICC to stop its discriminatory campaign.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announcedMonday that the United States will re-engage with the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Reengaging with an unreformed UNHRC lends credibility to a body with a reprehensible history of discrimination against Israel.
The Biden administration must oppose UNHRC efforts to promote boycotts of Israel, and demand reforms—including removing Israel as a permanent agenda item.
