Date: Thursday, December 12, 2019
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer, Director

Round Three

If you're frustrated by the degree of gridlock in Washington, just try to imagine how Israelis must feel about the gridlock in Jerusalem!

At the stroke of midnight, the final deadline for the Knesset to form a new government passed. As a result, Israeli voters will head back to the polls on March 2nd for a historic third election in less than a year.

Speaking of elections. . . British voters are casting ballots today in the second parliamentary election since the historic Brexit vote in 2016. The election was called by Prime Minister Boris Johnson because of the government's inability, after three years of wrangling, to approve an agreement formalizing the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union.

But among the many issues weighing on voters' minds is the anti-Semitism scandal that has engulfed the opposition Labour Party and its leader, Jeremy Corbyn.

Late last month, Ephraim Mirvis, Britain's chief rabbi, stunned many observers when he published a frank opinion piece warning against the rampant Jew-hatred that has become so prevalent within the Labour Party. In addition, his remarks were supported by Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the Church of England.

According to one recent survey, 17% of Britons said they would "consider leaving the country if Mr. Corbyn became prime minister."

More Sanctions

The Trump Administration announced additional sanctions yesterday against the Iranian regime. Three companies were targeted for violating U.N. resolutions prohibiting Iran's development of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles.

The sanctioned companies are: The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, ESAIL Shipping Company, based in Shanghai, and Mahan Air. In addition, sanctions were also imposed against a shipping network that smuggles weapons to Yemen for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Qods Force.

Commenting on the new sanctions, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said:

"The Iranian regime uses its aviation and shipping industries to supply its regional terrorist and militant groups with weapons, directly contributing to the devastating humanitarian crises in Syria and Yemen. Aviation and shipping industries should be vigilant and not allow their industries to be exploited by terrorists."

High Praise

As we noted in yesterday's report, President Trump signed an executive order giving the Department of Education real power to combat anti-Semitism on college campuses. Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz was among the many guests at yesterday's White House ceremony. Here's how he described the president's order:

"For 65 of my 81 years I have spent at universities all over the country and all over the world, there is no more important event in those 65 years to turn universities away from being bastions of hatred and discrimination than this executive order being signed today."