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Friend of Israel,
Today marks one year since the announcement of the Abraham Accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates—a historic milestone that ushered in a new era of peace, prosperity and progress in the Middle East.
This breakthrough paved the way for Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco to follow the UAE and normalize relations with the Jewish state.
Your work with AIPAC helped make the Abraham Accords possible.
A strong U.S.-Israel relationship helps keep Israel safe. And today, Israel has become a regional power that countries with shared interests and common enemies see as a vital partner for progress.
Our work to promote peace and progress—through engagement rather than boycotts—has helped pave the way for these burgeoning regional ties.
In the last year, these
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diplomatic achievements have fueled unprecedented people-to-people engagement, cooperation on shared security threats, and collaboration in countless areas that will help Israelis and Arabs address 21st century challenges together. This is a powerful model that the Palestinian leadership should follow to bring progress and opportunity to their people.
AIPAC is sharing many milestones from the past year across our social media channels. I encourage you to like and share them on
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Instagram ,
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Twitter and
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Facebook .
We also know that much work needs to be done to cement and build upon these historic agreements. We are asking Congress to support the Israel Relations Normalization Act to strengthen and expand the Abraham Accords. Please
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click here to urge your member of Congress to support this bipartisan legislation, and to thank members who have already done so.
I look forward to working with you to build upon this important progress in the many months ahead.
Brian Shankman
Chief Strategy Director for National Affairs
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HOW YOU CAN HELP
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It is through the generosity of our members that AIPAC works to help make Israel more secure by ensuring a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.
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SUPPORT AIPAC TODAY
Palestinians Reject Israeli Court Offer to Stay in Sheikh Jarrah Homes
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READ AN AIPAC MEMO
The latest: At the urging of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, Palestinians living in Sheikh Jarrah have refused a generous compromise offered by the Israeli Supreme Court.
Context: Palestinian residents face potential eviction through a court proceeding because they have refused to pay rent to the legal property owners.
What was the offer? The Court offered to place Palestinian residents in the status of "protected tenants" for three generations if they pay a token rent of about $40 per month, a small fraction of the market value.
The bottom line: By rejecting this compromise, the Palestinian residents have made clear that their primary concern is exacerbating the conflict for political purposes.
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Read an AIPAC memo.
Meet Iran’s New Leadership: Terrorists and Human Rights Violators
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READ AN AIPAC MEMO
The latest: Iran’s newly "elected" president Ebrahim Raisi revealed his cabinet this week.
So what? His choices include a number of officials sanctioned by the U.S. and EU for committing gross human rights violations or for their involvement in Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Who's who:
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President Ebrahim Raisi:
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Previous head of Iran’s judiciary, supervising an extraordinarily brutal judicial system.
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Sanctioned for his human rights abuses.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabollahian:
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A hard-line career diplomat with close ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
Interior Minister Gen. Ahmad Vahidi:
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Previous head of the IRGC’s Quds Force.
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Wanted for his role in the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people and wounded hundreds.
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Sanctioned for nuclear and weapons proliferation efforts.
Defense Minister Gen. Mohammad Reza Ashtiani:
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Former deputy chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces.
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Sanctioned by the U.S. for his role in advancing the regime’s destabilizing activities.
The bottom line: These appointments offer no prospect for moderation and cement Tehran’s extremist positions. America must witness a serious positive change in Iranian behavior before considering any significant sanctions relief.
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Share an AIPAC Facebook post.
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UAE Ambassador to Israel Mohamed Al Khaja: The Strength and Resilience of the UAE-Israel Relationship One Year On
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READ MORE
In an opinion piece, UAE Ambassador to Israel Mohamed Al Khaja reflects on the past year and the accomplishments that have taken place since the announcement of the Abraham Accords.
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"We have the same vision and that is to create sustainable peace and economic opportunities for our citizens. We all have a seat at the table, and we must pull up our individual chairs and do our part to help move this region forward."
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"We are all dedicated to creating this future for our children so that they grow up knowing that peace is the solution to fixing problems and creating opportunities."
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"Looking back on the last year, there have been many notable moments for our two nations [the UAE and Israel]. There have been many partnerships in business, healthcare, technology, education and culture."It's a new era of peace, prosperity and progress in the Middle East.
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Share an AIPAC Facebook post.
Hamas Puts 4,000 Children in Gaza in Danger
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Hamas has prevented 4,000 students in Gaza from going to school because it uses schools to hide terror tunnels.
What happened? The terrorist organization wouldn't allow a UN team to ensure the area was clear of unexploded munitions this week so that the school could begin its academic year safely.
The big picture: Hamas cares more about killing Israelis than protecting Palestinians, deliberately using children in Gaza as human shields.
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Share an AIPAC Facebook post.
CIA Director Travels to Israel for High-Level Meetings; Vice President Harris Calls Israeli President Herzog
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READ AN AIPAC MEMO
CIA Director William Burns traveled to Israel this week to meet with top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and Mossad Chief David Barnea.
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Office of the Prime Minister Naftali Bennett: "The two discussed tightening intelligence and security cooperation between Israel and the U.S., the situation in the Middle East, especially Iran, and possibilities for expanding and deepening regional cooperation."
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Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz: "We discussed intelligence cooperation as part of the unique bond between our countries. I presented my American partner with intel regarding Iranian aggression in the region and its nuclear program."
Also this week, Vice President Kamala Harris called Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
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Israeli President Isaac Herzog: "We discussed the importance of continuing to deepen the relationship between Israel and the U.S., our most important ally. The Vice President expressed her support for Israel and emphasized the United States' commitment to the security and resilience of the State of Israel."
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Share an AIPAC Facebook post.
American and Israeli Air Forces Complete Unprecedented Joint Drill
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This week marked the end of a first-of-its-kind aerial exercise—"Desert Eagle"—between the U.S. Air Force Central Command and the Israeli Air Force.
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The aircrews practiced various operational scenarios in the air, including joint exercises against ground, aerial, and combined threats while striking designated targets.Context: In January, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that Israel, which had been under the area of responsibility of the U.S. military’s European Command, was being moved to the Central Command, which operates in the Middle East.
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The move is meant to improve the cooperation between Israel and other countries as they work to confront the threat from Iran.
The big picture: America's partnership with Israel helps keep both countries stronger, safer and better prepared to address shared threats.
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Share an AIPAC Facebook post.
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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