Congress took an important step this week to expand Israeli-Arab peace and normalization agreements.
What happened? The House Foreign Affairs Committee passed the Israel Relations Normalization Act – bipartisan legislation which AIPAC has supported and which passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this summer.
What does the bill do?
Endorses the recent peace agreements.
Mandates a U.S. government-wide strategy to strengthen and expand these agreements.
Combats efforts by some Arab League countries to discourage and punish those who engage in people-to-people relations with Israelis.
The big picture: Engaging with Israel achieves peace. Boycotting Israel achieves nothing. AIPAC urges the full House and Senate to pass this important legislation.
I will keep you updated as the legislation moves through Congress. Below are more key news items from the week, including several other important milestones for Israeli-Arab relations.
Brian Shankman
Chief Strategy Director for National Affairs
Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced a standalone supplemental appropriations bill to fund Israel's lifesaving Iron Dome missile defense system.
Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduceda bipartisan resolution in the Senate urging the European Union to fully designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.
Reps. Ted Deutch (D-FL), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Kathy Manning (D-NC), and Peter Meijer (R-MI) introduced a bipartisan House companion resolution in July.
U.S.-Israel Military Technology Cooperation Act in the House
Reps. Joe Wilson (R-SC), Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) introduced the U.S.-Israel Military Technology Cooperation Act this week.
This bill would establish a new U.S.-Israel defense working group to streamline bilateral defense cooperation and innovation to better overcome shared threats.
House Bill to Create U.S.-Israel Artificial Intelligence R&D Center
Reps. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), Grace Meng (D-NY), Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Mike Waltz (R-FL) introduced legislation to create a U.S.-Israel Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research and Development Center.
This U.S.-based center would further bilateral cooperation in AI and serve as a hub for robust research and development across the public, private and education sectors in the two nations.
Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced companion legislation in the Senate in June.
It was another historic week for peace, prosperity and progress in the Middle East.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid traveled to Bahrain, becoming the first high-level Israeli to travel to Bahrain since the two countries normalized relations.
Israel opened its embassy in Manama.
The first direct commercial flight between Israel and Bahrain landed in Tel Aviv.
Hundreds of Iraqi leaders and activists publicly called for full peace with Israel.
The bottom line: Engaging with Israel, rather than boycotting Israel, creates remarkable opportunities for a brighter future.
Bennett Stresses Iranian Threat in U.N. Speech READ MORE
In his first address to the U.N. General Assembly on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett focused on the Iranian threat and thanked America for continuing to stand with the Jewish state.
"Iran’s nuclear program has hit a watershed moment, and so has our tolerance. Words do not stop centrifuges from spinning. We will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon."
"Israel is surrounded by Hezbollah, Shia militias, Islamic Jihad, and Hamas on our borders... What do they have in common? They all want to destroy my country, and they are all backed by Iran."
"Some friends have stood with us since our founding. The United States is a long time trusted friend and ally of Israel, as we saw yet again just a few days ago in Congress."
"Israel is a nation of great hope. A nation that’s brought the heritage of the Torah to life. A nation of an unbreakable spirit. A bit of light dispels much darkness.”
U.S. and Qatar Sanction Hezbollah Network READ MORE
The United States and Qatar sanctioned a Hezbollah financial network in the Arabian Peninsula this week.
Office of Foreign Assets Control Director Andrea M. Gacki: "Hezbollah seeks to abuse the international financial system by developing global networks of financiers to fill its coffers and support its terrorist activity."
AIPAC's view: We applaud the Biden administration's action to sanction Hezbollah.
This action, in coordination with Qatar, is an important step to further pressure the Iranian-backed terrorist group. The U.S. must continue to act to block terrorists from using the international financial system.
Anti-Israel activists attempt to dominate the conversation on social media. Now, it's easier to fight back.
Our new website, ProIsraelTweets.com, enables you to opt-in for us to tweet pro-Israel content on your behalf. The site also has recommended tweets to share and accounts to follow.
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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