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Dear A.,
This week, the
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AIPAC PAC announced our first wave of endorsements for the 2024 election cycle, and we’ll be adding to this initial group as the cycle progresses.
The list includes 93 returning members of Congress—including pro-Israel champions, the leadership in both political parties, and leaders on key committees working across the aisle to advance policies that help keep Israel safe.
In an
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op-ed in The Times of Israel, Rabbi Jacob Herber makes the case for the importance of this bipartisan support:
“[Israel’s] survival can never be taken for granted…
AIPAC’s embrace of bipartisan leaders on this narrow and specific issue is a model for unity and community. And of course, it is the only practical path to advance policy in Washington.
Without bipartisan support, we wouldn’t see Iron Dome funding, we wouldn’t see bills promoting normalization between Israel and her Arab neighbors, and we wouldn’t see opposition to anti-Israel discrimination at the U.N.”
With your support, we sent a powerful message last year that being pro-Israel is good policy and good politics.
But our work is far from over. We surprised anti-Israel candidates and activists last cycle, but now they are mobilizing to thwart our mission to strengthen America’s support for Israel.
As a community, we must build upon our initial success by increasing our political support for pro-Israel allies in the 2024 election cycle.
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As a pro-Israel American I hope you will act now and donate to the AIPAC PAC to ensure we have the resources to stand by friends of Israel. With your help, we’ll keep Congress pro-Israel in 2024.
Thank you for your continued commitment to ensuring America always stand with Israel.
See below for more stories we are following from the week.
Rabbi's Op-ed: "AIPAC Does The Difficult Work For Us"
In a
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recent op-ed , Rabbi David-Seth Kirshner, Senior Rabbi of Temple Emanu-El in Closter, New Jersey, shared his perspective on the importance of AIPAC's critical work:
"As a lifelong Zionist and a proud advocate for Israel, I have long admired AIPAC’s disciplined and pragmatic approach: Keep the pro-Israel tent wide, build strong relationships on both sides of the aisle, and ensure the doors are always open to the decision-makers in government who have the power to determine policy.
Few other issue-based groups maintain this discipline, especially as bipartisanship has become an almost impossible task. Yet, it is the reason why AIPAC succeeds as the leading Israel advocacy organization in America and why my support for AIPAC is unwavering...
I don’t ever want to see America’s ties to Israel severed, no matter how I may feel about these politicians. I need AIPAC doing the work to keep them informed, engaged and ready to join their Democratic colleagues on pro-Israel legislation...
AIPAC doesn’t ask me to be bipartisan, but I need them to be, and I am deeply appreciative that they are – even when it may be unpopular."
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Click here to read Rabbi Kirshner's full op-ed.
AIPAC Board Meets with Israeli Leaders
The AIPAC Board of Directors was in Israel this week meeting with top Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid.
Key quotes:
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Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked the members of the AIPAC board, and said: "Great powers need allies, especially since a small country like Israel needs a strong ally with strong ties."
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Defense Minister Yoav Gallant : "AIPAC plays an important role in strengthening the ties between the U.S. and Israel."
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Benny Gantz affirmed, "in days like this the strength of the relationship between Israel and the U.S. is growing, and AIPAC has an important role in the mission. This is critical to maintaining our existence and security."
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Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana : "AIPAC has a significant part in the close, good and bilateral relations between Israel and the USA and the ability to deepen them even more."
The bottom line: AIPAC is committed to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship, a strategic alliance based on shared values and common interests.
Report: Hezbollah Carries Out Terror Attack in Israel
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) suspect Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese terror group, is behind
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the recent bombing attack in northern Israel .
The latest: On Monday, a bomb exploded on the side of Israel's Route 65 highway, around 37 miles from the Lebanese border, seriously wounding 21-year-old Shareef ad-Din.
Go deeper: Israeli security forces tracked down and killed the suspected terrorist, who was wearing an armed explosive belt at the time.
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According to the IDF’s assessment, “neutralizing the terrorist prevented another attack.”
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Although there are no other terrorists known to have infiltrated Israel, the IDF will remain on high alert for potential Hezbollah attacks.
Israel Approves Export License to Ukraine for Counter-Drone Technology
Israel recently approved export licenses for the possible sale of anti-drone jamming systems to Ukraine, Israeli and Ukrainian officials said.
Go deeper: These systems, if sent to Ukraine, could help them counter the Iranian drones being used by Russia during the war.
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Hundreds of Iranian drones have been used by Russia to attack Ukrainian infrastructure in recent months.
Context: Israel has already provided significant humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, including operating a field hospital in the country, donating armored ambulances and providing $200 million in loan guarantees.
Russia Agrees to Supply Iran with Advanced Fighter Jets
This week,
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Iranian state media announced that Iran had reached a deal with Russia to buy advanced fighter jets.
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This deal comes as Iran and Russia have significantly deepened their military partnership over the past year, coinciding with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Iran’s brutal repression of its own people.
Meanwhile: Just last week, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released its
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annual Worldwide Threat Assessment which identified Iran as a key threat to U.S. interests.
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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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