An Update from CUFI Action Fund
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This week saw two events so highly significant to Israel's security
and the future of the US-Israel relationship that we're deviating from
our usual approach of addressing three topics and diving a bit more
deeply into these two items. So, without further ado, let's get into
it.

Congressional Israel Haters Abandon Any Pretense

Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system has never killed or hurt
anyone. It is purely defensive. Developed in partnership with the United
States, this technological wonder tracks the trajectory of incoming
missiles and rockets, makes a decision as to whether or not such
projectiles pose a threat to human life, and if so, fire off a missile
that knocks the incoming rocket out of the sky.

Without Iron Dome, Israel's only recourse for stopping terrorist
rockets would be to destroy the projectiles on the ground. Logical an
approach as this may be, given that Hamas and its ilk like to fire
rockets from Palestinian civilian population centers, destroying the
rockets on the ground would invariably lead to loss of Palestinian life.
Put simply: Iron Dome saves countless Israeli and Palestinian lives.

One might then be surprised to learn that on Tuesday allegedly
pro-peace, pro-Palestinian Members of the House of Representatives held
a critical US budget bill hostage until Democratic leadership acquiesced
to removing an appropriation that would have replenished Israel's
stockpile of Iron Dome missiles. But that's exactly what happened.

Democrats and Republicans in Congress roundly condemned this abominable
move. What exactly are The Squad - who made the last-minute demand -
hoping to achieve? Would they prefer Hamas rockets have a higher success
rate? Do they long for a higher body count?

We at the Action Fund swiftly issued a statement

condemning The Squad's anti-peace, anti-Palestinian and anti-Israel
move, and likewise criticized the House Democratic leadership for
capitulating to The Squad's unmasked hatred of the Jewish State.

"There is no spin, no Washingtonian explanation, no excuse whatsoever
that merits opposition to Israel's missile defense system. The
simplest explanation is the accurate one: there are fringe members of
Congress who despise Israel's existence, and today, their party's
Congressional leadership buckled to their blatant, vile hatred," said
CUFI Action Fund Chairwoman Sandra Parker.

The adults in the room have promised that an independent vote on US
support for the Iron Dome system is forthcoming. And we welcome that
decision, led by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. We likewise welcome
statements from elected officials including Rep. Ted Deutch and Rep.
Ritchie Torres for standing up to the fringe elements of their party and
condemning The Squad's abhorrent action.

We look forward to the vote on support for the Iron Dome system. It will
be one of those rare clear-cut moments where one will easily be able to
discern whether or not an elected official has a disagreement with this
or that Israeli policy, or in reality hopes for the destruction of the
Jewish state.  
President Biden at the United Nations

Also on Tuesday, President Biden addressed the United Nations General
Assembly. Standing there on the world's stage, the leader of the free
world declared, "We are working with the P5+1 to engage Iran
diplomatically and to seek a return to JCPOA. We're prepared to return
to full compliance if Iran does the same."

The President's comment indicates that his administration's earlier
statements expressing a desire for a "longer and stronger" agreement
are not reliable. Moreover, as the relevant CUFI Action Alert

issued on Wednesday notes, "The Biden administration either does not
fully understand our adversaries in Tehran or is blatantly ignoring the
perils associated with continuing such an approach, all in an effort to
achieve a hollow and dangerous political victory. The President and his
team still cling to the fantastical idea that any deal with Iran that
follows the same weak, unverifiable and noncomprehensive approach of
President Obama's now defunct Iran nuclear accord will bear any fruit.
All evidence points to the contrary."

We must and we can do better than a return to a nuclear agreement that
enabled Iran to surreptitiously maintain its nuclear program, openly
support terror, develop more capable long-range missiles, buy weapons on
the open market and subjugate its own people.

This noted, President Biden did say in his remarks, "our support for
an independent Jewish state is unequivocal." We welcome such
statements, but actions speak louder than words. Support for Israel
includes not breaking bread with a tyrannical state - Iran - openly
and resolutely committed to the Jewish state's destruction. Likewise,
unequivocal support for Israel demands the President stand up to those
in Congress who are bent on denying Israel the right and ability to keep
her citizens safe from terror.

In the aforementioned statement yesterday, our Chairwoman cited
President Biden's remark concerning "unequivocal" support for
Israel and noted, "Speaker Pelosi must decide who leads her party, the
President of the United States or the fringe Democrats who held the CR
hostage to block a lifesaving tool simply because they hate Israel."

It may be easier to capitulate to demagogues and adversaries, but in the
long run it is a recipe for disaster. On Iron Dome, the ball, therefore,
is in the court of the Democratic House Leadership. On Iran, the
President should head the voice of the American people and take a firmer
line. In both cases, strength is required. We'll see very soon if
those in power are up to the challenge.

Sincerely,

CUFI Action Fund Team

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