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Friend of Israel,

Following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan over the weekend, Palestinian terrorist organizations rejoiced while Iran celebrated what Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi characterized as a U.S. "military defeat."

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Hamas, whose leaders have been
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recently photographed with Taliban leadership, said:

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"We congratulate the Muslim Afghan people for the defeat of the American occupation on all Afghan lands, and we congratulate the Taliban movement and its brave leadership on this victory, which culminated its long struggle over the past 20 years."


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Hamas "stresses that the demise of the American occupation and its allies proves that the resistance of the peoples, foremost of which is our struggling Palestinian people, will achieve victory."


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"The Taliban are victorious today after being accused of backwardness and terrorism. They emerge today as a smarter and more realistic movement. They confronted America and its agents, and refused to compromise with them. They were not deceived by bright headlines about 'democracy' and 'elections.'"

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Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) quickly followed suit:

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PIJ congratulates the Taliban on "the liberation of [Afghani] land from the Western and American occupation."


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"It has been the Muslim people which has performed the greatest jihadist heroics against all invaders over the course of their honorable history."While America and Israel stand together against terrorism, Hamas, PIJ and the Taliban continue to prioritize terror and destruction over the well-being of innocent civilians.

What's next: In the weeks and months ahead, we will be watching closely to see how the situation in Afghanistan unfolds and how it impacts Israel, Iran and the broader region.


Below are more key news items from the week.


Sincerely,

Brian Shankman

Chief Strategy Director for National Affairs


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President Biden and Prime Minister Bennett to Meet
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Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will meet with President Joe Biden at the White House next Thursday.

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Statement by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki:
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"Prime Minister Bennett’s visit will strengthen the enduring partnership between the United States and Israel, reflect the deep ties between our governments and our people, and underscore the United States’ unwavering commitment to Israel’s security."


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The leaders will "discuss efforts to advance peace, security, and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians and the importance of working towards a more peaceful and secure future for the region."
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Statement by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office:
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The visit will "strengthen the close partnership between the U.S. and Israel and reflect the deep ties between the two countries."


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The two leaders "will discuss a series of diplomatic, economic and security issues, especially the Iranian nuclear issue."America’s partnership with Israel helps keep both countries stronger, safer and better prepared to overcome shared threats.

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Iran Escalates Regional and Nuclear Aggression
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Iran is attempting to escalate hostilities on all fronts in order to increase its negotiating leverage and secure significant sanctions relief.

The latest: Iran has
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accelerated its enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade.

Meanwhile: The U.S. Treasury Department
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sanctioned an alleged oil smuggler and companies providing support to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force last week.

Why this matters: Iran’s oil exports enrich the
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terrorists and human rights violators who control the country .

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These sanctions are a step to cut the flow of resources to the regime.
The way forward: While pursuing diplomacy, the U.S. should maintain pressure on Iran to end its regional aggression and illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities.

The U.S. must continue to make clear: Iran cannot receive sanctions relief through threats and escalations.

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Israeli-Arab Cooperation Continues to Expand
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It's a new era for Israeli-Arab peace, prosperity and progress.

The latest: Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate chair Abbas Kamel visited Israel this week and met with top Israeli officials.
While there, he
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invited Israeli Prime Minister Bennett to visit Egypt in the coming weeks.
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Office of the Prime Minister of Israel: "The two discussed diplomatic, security and economic aspects of Israel-Egypt relations, as well as the Egyptian mediation in the security situation vis-a-vis the Gaza Strip."


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Foreign Minister Yair Lapid: "We discussed the relations between our countries and the need to expand our relations on economic-civilian issues...The strategic partnership between the two countries, which is based on the historic Israel-Egypt peace agreement, is essential for the security and stability of the region."


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Defense Minister Benny Gantz: "We discussed various topics including the need to maintain regional stability and counterterrorism efforts. I thanked him for Egypt’s positive role in the region and asked that my gratitude be expressed to President Al-Sisi."Also this week, Israel and Jordan
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signed an agricultural cooperation agreement.
- Israeli Agriculture Minister Oded Forer and his Jordanian counterpart agreedthat Israel would import Jordanian produce in the coming years and also discussed ways to partner on innovation, technological advances in agriculture, fighting diseases in plants and fighting fires in both countries.


- Spokesperson for Minister Forer: The meeting "emphasizes the importance of the ties between Israel and Jordan to strengthen neighborly relations and promote cooperation, and the importance of the agricultural field as a way to advance relations between the countries and the nations."
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This is Israel: Humanitarian Team Rushes to Haiti to Assist with Disaster Relief
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The Israeli NGO IsraAID has sent assistance to Haiti in the wake of a catastrophic earthquake and tropical storm.

IsraAID's emergency team will distribute relief items such as water, sanitation and hygiene equipment, as well as assess the needs at the site and provide first aid health and mental care.

- IsraAID CEO Yotam Polizer: "Haitian communities are made up of some of the most resilient people we have worked with and we will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them for as long as we are needed to build back better."When disasters strike and people need healthcare and humanitarian support, our partner Israel is there.

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