Policy Agenda

Support for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship

Founded upon the two nations’ shared values, the alliance between the U.S. and Israel is in the vital national security interests of both countries. Israel is the West’s sole outpost of freedom and democracy in the Middle East; therefore CUFI supports American aid to Israel and the maintenance of the Jewish state’s qualitative military edge in the region.

Opposition to international pressure on Israel

Like any other sovereign democratic nation, Israel has the right to defend itself from terrorism and other violent threats. In addition, the Israeli military has time and again shown itself to take great risks to minimize civilian casualties, whereas Israel’s enemies use civilians as human shields. CUFI opposes international condemnation of Israel’s legitimate acts of self-defense and international pressure on Israel to make concessions to its adversaries that the Jewish state does not wish to make.

Countering Iran’s malevolence

Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terror and the preeminent force for evil in the Middle East and has attacked Israel directly. Tehran remains committed to developing a nuclear weapons capability and supporting terrorists around the globe. CUFI is committed to countering Iran’s malevolence through sanctions on the Islamic Republic and efforts to disrupt military and financial support of Hezbollah.

Opposition to antisemitism

In recent years, and especially since the barbaric 10/7 Hamas Massacre, there has been a dramatic increase in antisemitism in the United States. The fringes of American politics have become increasingly mainstreamed, and with them has come far-right and far-left antisemitism. Often, antisemites hide behind various fig leaves. They will claim they are simply expressing their hatred for Israel, not all Jews. One cannot defeat that which they are unwilling to define. As such, mainstream American leaders have sought a way to explicitly define antisemitism.

To achieve this goal, CUFI supports adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, including its associated examples, when leaders seek guidance on understanding the world’s oldest hatred. The IHRA definition’s application was made policy under President Donald Trump and has been endorsed by President Biden. The bipartisan consensus is that the IHRA definition is an appropriate way to define antisemitism. Having worked to see the definition adopted at the federal level, CUFI is presently seeking to see the definition acknowledged in state capitols across the country.

Countering Palestinian terrorism and intransigence

Despite repeated Israeli efforts to make peace with the Palestinians, their leaders have remained committed to Israel’s destruction. As we saw on 10/7 Gaza-based terrorists led by Hamas, raped, brutalized and murdered their way through sourthern Israel. We support efforts to end Hamas’s existence.

Likewise, Palestinian Authority remains unwilling to abandon its incitement of violence against the Jewish state and its “pay-to-slay” program for terrorists. At this stage, CUFI does not believe the Palestinian Authority is a true partner for peace and opposes U.S. taxpayer aid to the PA until it changes its behavior.

Opposition to the BDS movement

According to their own leaders, the BDS movement’s goal is to destroy Israel through economic warfare. The BDS movement is inherently antisemitic as it targets the world’s only Jewish state with lies and demonization and aims to deny the Jewish people their God-given right to self-determination. CUFI supports legislation aimed at ensuring U.S. taxpayer dollars do not end up in the hands of antisemites who support this movement, and with CUFI support, 37 states have advanced such anti-BDS measures dealing a significant blow to the anti-Israel movement. CUFI was also integrally involved in reversing AirBNB’s decision to boycott Israeli homes in Judea and Samaria and continues our efforts to address any acts of economic antisemitism, and end financial firm Morningstar’s institutionalized BDS impacting the retirement savings of millions.

To learn more about these issues, please visit the Fact Sheets section of CUFI’s website.