Date: Tuesday, November 19, 2019To: Friends & SupportersFrom: Gary L. Bauer, Director Settlements Are Not The ObstacleSecretary of State Mike Pompeo ( [link removed](?x-mi:(?%3C=href=)[%5Cs]*[ ) made a major announcement yesterday when he declared that the United States would no longer recognize a controversial legal opinion from the Carter Administration known as the Hansell Memorandum. The memorandum suggested that Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria were illegal. The Reagan Administration rejected the memorandum's findings, and every subsequent administration, Republican and Democrat alike, refused to act on it. Until December 23, 2016.That's when the Obama Administration, literally in its final month in office, betrayed Israel at the United Nations Security Council. When it came time to vote on a resolution that condemned Israeli settlements as a "a flagrant violation" of international law, then-U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power chose to abstain ( [link removed](?x-mi:(?%3C=href=)[%5Cs]*[ ), allowing the resolution to pass. Such resolutions had been repeatedly vetoed by the United States.In his statement yesterday, Secretary Pompeo said that the Trump Administration conducted a careful review of the legal issues at stake and determined that it agreed with the position adopted by the Reagan Administration. Secretary Pompeo declared:"The establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is not per se inconsistent with international law. . . calling the establishment of civilian settlements inconsistent with international law hasn't worked. It hasn't advanced the cause of peace. . . This is a complex political problem that can only be solved by negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians."Pastor John Hagee ( [link removed](?x-mi:(?%3C=href=)[%5Cs]*[ ), founder and chairman of Christians United for Israel, praised yesterday's announcement. Here are some excerpts of his remarks:"America's new position concerning Israel is a 180-degree reversal of the Obama administration's position on the settlements. If the U.S. is to be a loyal and true friend to Israel, we cannot seek to impose our will upon the Jewish state. We must honor the Jewish state's sovereign right to make decisions on matters of war and peace, free of international interference."The revocation of the Hansell memorandum is the latest in the Trump administration's consistent and considerable support for our ally Israel: from standing with Israel in her efforts to combat terrorists, to recognizing the fact that Jerusalem is the eternal and undivided capital of Israel, to moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. We are grateful to President Trump for treating Israel like an ally and respecting the will of the Israeli people as expressed by their elected government."God bless you Mr. President, and God bless you Secretary of State Pompeo. Thank you for this historic decision."There was also wide praise ( [link removed](?x-mi:(?%3C=href=)[%5Cs]*[ ) for the announcement in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said:"Today, the United States adopted an important policy that rights a historical wrong when the Trump administration clearly rejected the false claim that Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria are inherently illegal under international law. "This policy reflects an historical truth - that the Jewish people are not foreign colonialists in Judea and Samaria. In fact, we are called Jews because we are the people of Judea. . . "Israel's legal system, which has proven itself fully capable of addressing legal questions related to the settlements, is the appropriate place for these matters to be adjudicated -- not biased international forums that pay no attention to history or facts. . . "Israel is deeply grateful to President Trump, Secretary Pompeo and the entire U.S. administration for their steadfast position supporting truth and justice, and calls upon all responsible countries who hope to advance peace to adopt a similar position."Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz hailed the decision, tweeting:"The fate of the settlements and the residents of Judea and Samaria should be determined by agreements that meet security requirements and that can promote a peace that will serve both sides while reflecting the reality on the ground."Moshe Ya'alon, a former Israeli defense minister and member of Gantz's coalition, applauded the decision. In a series of tweets, Ya'alon wrote:"I salute the United States administration's historic stance and acknowledgment regarding the legality of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and their consistency with international law. "It is important to set the record straight and receive an endorsement of what we have known all along. . . An aboriginal people cannot be considered an illegal settler in its ancestral homeland." CUFI Action Fund expresses its appreciation for the Trump Administration's continued strong support for the state of Israel. Settlements, homes for Jews in Judea and Samaria, are not the primary obstacle to peace. Terrorism, whether promoted by the Palestinian Authority or financed by Iran, and the rejection of Israel's right to exist are the main obstacles to peace. Christians United for Israel Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization, donations are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes. To make a donation, please call 202-738-4714, or send a check to:CUFI Action Fund ( [link removed](?x-mi:(?%3C=href=)[%5Cs]*[ )300 Pennsylvania Avenue, SEWashington, D.C. 20001EMAIL GARY BAUER ( [link removed](?x-mi:(?%3C=href=)[%5Cs]*[ ) ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] ) CUFI Action Fund300 Pennsylvania Avenue, SEWashington, D.C. 20001 Update your Email Preferences ( [link removed] ) or Unsubscribe ( [link removed] )
