The decisions and actions of some in Washington often leave Americans
scratching their heads. And this week, we're going to discuss one of
those moments in the context of senators' attitudes towards Iran.
However, before we get into the Potomac oddities, we'll first dive
into the troubling news out of Israel.

Brutal Terror Attacks Against Israelis

In recent days, a wave of terror attacks and attempted terror attacks
has gripped Israel. In an act of savage brutality reminiscent of the
Middle Ages, Palestinian terrorists used an axe and a knife to hack
three people to death in a park in Elad, Israel. Three other innocents
were severely injured. Within 60 hours, Israeli security forces found
and arrested the terrorists believed to be responsible for the gruesome
attack. The three men who were killed, Oren, Yonatan, and Boaz, were all
fathers, with 16 children between them. When eulogizing his father,
Oren's 5-year-old son asked, "Dad, when will you return?"

In recent days, other terror attacks have taken place as well. A police
officer was stabbed in the neck near the Damascus gate at the entrance
to Jerusalem's Old City - a location where just weeks ago, several
CUFI staffers traversed in order to cover the story of Palestinian
support for terrorism so often ignored by the media. Another terrorist
was shot and killed by a resident of Tekoa when the resident witnessed
the armed Palestinian attempting to infiltrate the Israeli town. 

Unless you're reading Israel-based publications, it's unlikely
you've heard of any of these events. The sad reality is that in the
U.S. (and Europe for that matter) so many celebrities and the members of
the media forgive every Palestinian act of brutality and seize every
opportunity to attack Israel for defending her citizens.

CUFI Action Fund Chairwoman put it best when she said, "The silence of
the international media in the face of Palestinian terrorism is
deafening, but it is made more appalling by the cacophony of hypocrisy
and feigned outrage we witness every time Israel does what is sadly
necessary to minimize bloodshed in the region. If you're pro-peace,
you're by definition pro-Israel. Any equivocation on this simple truth
effectively aids and abets terrorism in the Middle East."

On Iran, "Nothing to See Here,"

****Says One-Third of Senate

Last week we expressed support for Senator James Lankford's (R-OK)
Motion to Instruct (MTI) Senate conferees discussing the "China Bill" to
"address Chinese purchases of Iranian oil, along with Iran's nuclear
proliferation, ballistic missile development, and support for
terrorism." The MTI, we're pleased to report, passed by a vote of
62-33.

This vote served a very important purpose. It was in essence a
bipartisan vote of disapproval for the administration's continued weak
approach to Iran. The administration lobbied senators against the motion
but still managed to lose 15 Democrats and 1 Independent. Even those
that would like to see a return to the Iran deal see our "carrot only"
approach as feckless and unable to deliver even limited verifiable
concessions from the Iranians. The message to the administration is
clear: change course. There was a message for the Iranians as well: your
days of enjoying a free ride while endless talks go nowhere will expire
soon enough and when they do, a bipartisan majority is ready to address
the wide array of Iran's malign activities.

Support for the MTI enjoyed widespread bipartisan support with such
conservative stalwarts as Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Ted Cruz (R-TX)
supporting the measure alongside staunch progressives like Senators
Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Yet 33 Senators
voted against MTI including both Senators John Ossoff and Raphael
Warnock of Georgia - a state whose population is exceptionally
pro-Israel and unlikely to be pleased with weakness on Iran - and
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) who's entire foreign policy approach remains
fixated on weakening the U.S. and harming our allies.

We are grateful to Senator Lankford for leading on this issue and to the
62 other senators who joined him in supporting the measure.

The vote in the Senate brings into stark relief the importance of
Americans taking it upon ourselves to ensure our leaders know where they
stand. Would Senators Ossoff and Warnock have voted the way they did if
they knew their constituents were paying attention? We'll never know
when it comes to the MTI, but we know that communicating with elected
officials is vital to protecting the strong U.S.-Israel relationship.
And the most impactful way to communicate one's message is
face-to-face. So, if you haven't signed up to attend the CUFI Summit
in July but want to ensure that your voice is heard in Washington,
please consider joining us this summer in our nation's capital.

Sincerely,

The CUFI Action Fund Team

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