In The News

The truth is a powerful weapon, but it is hard to find in a world where we are inundated with agenda-driven reporting. The CUFI Daily Briefing will help you understand current events so you can become a confident defender of Israel.

Sign up to receive our daily email news roundup – so you can fight the lies with truth.

SIGN UP NOW

In The News

Lawmakers Investigate State Department Over $1 Billion Ransom Payment to Iran

03/25/2021

Republican foreign policy leaders in Congress are pressing Secretary of State Antony Blinken to fully disclose the contents of secret talks with South Korea that are believed to have paved the way for that country to hand Iran $1 billion as part of a ransom payment.

Reps. Bryan Steil (R., Wis.), Jim Banks (R., Ind.), and Greg…

In The News

Iran fired missile at Israeli ship in Arabian Sea – report

03/25/2021

An Iranian missile was fired at an Israeli ship in the Persian Gulf, N12 reported Thursday.

The container ship is owned by an Israeli businessman and was making its way from Tanzania from India, N12 reported.

As the ship sailed between Indian and Oman, it was hit by a missile that damaged it, according to N12.

The incident…

In The News

The story of Passover

03/25/2021
CUFI Coffee Break

Being Jewish means much more than belonging to a religious group. In fact, you can be religious or secular and still be Jewish. Essentially, the Jewish people are made up of a group of individuals who share a common identity. That identity is made up of key aspects, including:…

In The News

The Biden administration must enforce the Taylor Force Act

03/25/2021

In May 2020, then-presidential candidate Joe Biden spoke clearly when he proclaimed that he would “fully support the Taylor Force Act, which prohibits aid to the PA based on payments they make to terrorists in Israeli jails.” While it’s not uncommon for a candidate’s promises to go unfulfilled once they take office, Biden was…

In The News

Israeli, Slovak defense ministries sign $175 million defense-export agreement

03/25/2021

Israel and Slovakia on Thursday signed a first-of-its-kind, $175 million agreement for the procurement of 17 sophisticated radar systems for the Slovak Air Force, according to a statement by Israel’s Defense Ministry.

The agreement, which was signed in a festive ceremony at the Slovak Ministry of Defense in Bratislava, includes…

In The News

Colin Kahl’s nomination will be a disaster for Israel and the region

03/23/2021

For many years, American and Israeli leaders were rightly proud of repeating the mantra that excellent relations between the two nations was a bipartisan issue in Washington. Obviously, for a variety of reasons, that truism has faltered in recent years even while remaining broadly accurate.

However, the nomination of Colin…

In The News

US air defense chief praises Iron Dome and close partnership with Israel

03/23/2021

In a recent conversation with Foundation for Defense of Democracies Brad Bowman the director of US Air and Missile Defense Brig. Gen. Brian Gibson praised the Iron Dome system. He said that the system should be ready by the end of the year. The US currently has two batteries of Iron Dome which was developed by Israel’s Rafael…

In The News

Palestinians Funneled Hundreds of Millions to Terrorists, State Dept Report Reveals

03/22/2021

The Biden administration privately confirmed to Congress last week that the Palestinian Authority has continued to use international aid money to reward terrorists but said the finding won’t impact its plans to restart funding.

In a non-public State Department report obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, the administration said…

In The News

Turkish Nazi sympathizer has park in Istanbul named after him

03/23/2021

The Istanbul metropolitan municipality’s naming of a park after a writer who showed great sympathy for the Nazi movement’s lethal antisemitism, has largely been ignored in the media outside of the Republic of Turkey.

In November, the Istanbul city government named a park after Hüseyin Nihal Atsız (1905–1975) who is considered by…

In The News

Israel, Bahrain enter their first medical cooperation initiative

03/22/2021

Israel and Bahrain will be entering their first medical cooperation initiative, Sheba Medical Center and Salmaniya Medical Complex announced on Monday. 

After a formal meeting was held Monday between Prof. Yitshak Kreiss, Director-General of Sheba Medical Center, and Dr. Ahmed Al Ansari, Director of Salmaniya Medical Complex, the…

In The News

US, Belgium, France, Japan Hold Middle East Naval Drills Amid Iran Tensions

03/21/2021

The US, Belgium, France, and Japan are set to hold joint naval maneuvers in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman, the US military said in a statement on Sunday.

In a press release, the US Fifth Fleet announced that the drill, dubbed Group Arabian Sea Warfare Exercise 21, will include the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, as…

In The News

IDF arrests two Palestinians armed with knives who crossed Gaza border fence

03/21/2021
On northern front, Israeli military apprehends 3 suspects who crossed from Lebanon into Israel

Israeli troops on Sunday arrested two Palestinians who crossed the security fence separating the Gaza Strip from Israel, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman said in a statement.
The individuals were armed with knives. Security…

In The News

Czech prime minister opens embassy office in Jerusalem

03/11/2021

The Czech Republic opened the Jerusalem office of its embassy Thursday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi.

“We keep our promise,” said Babis, standing in the shadow of the historic YMCA building in the Talbieh neighborhood of Jerusalem. “The…

In The News

Incendiary kites, balloons found in Israel near Gaza border

03/21/2021

Incendiary kites and balloons were found in southern Israel near the border of the Gaza Strip over the weekend, Ynet reporter Matan Tzuri reported on Sunday morning.

The incendiary devices are some of the first to be reported in months after a relatively long break in balloon launches from the Strip.

Read More: Jerusalem…

In The News

Iraq’s last Jewish doctor, known for offering medical services for free, dies at 61

03/19/2021

Iraq’s last Jewish doctor and one of Baghdad’s last Iraqi Jews died at the age of 61, according to reports on Tuesday.

Dr. Thafer Eliyahu, an orthopedist at Al-Wasiti Hospital in Baghdad, was nicknamed “the doctor of the poor” because he treated patients who could not afford health care for free, Israel’s public…

In The News

Veterans in Congress Speak Out Against Biden Defense Pick Colin Kahl

03/19/2021

Military veterans serving on the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees are urging their colleagues in the Senate to oppose President Joe Biden’s Pentagon nominee Colin Kahl, telling the Washington Free Beacon that Kahl is a pro-Iran “ideologue” and that “the only policy shop he’s qualified to run is in Tehran.”

The…

In The News

Iran, Russia and Turkey signal growing alliance

03/20/2021

Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was all smiles during a trip to Turkey on Friday. He said it was productive and smiled alongside his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu. He said it was a “wonderful” trip where he spoke with his “brother Cavusoglu.” The trip signals the growing alliance that Turkey and Iran have in the region.  …

In The News

Israeli and UAE companies sign deal to bring innovation to region

03/19/2021

In the footsteps of the Abraham Accords, a recently signed partnership between two Israeli and Emirati entities aims to bring greentech innovation to the Gulf region and to Israel.

The deal between Gulf-Israel Green Ventures (GIGV) and the UAE’s United Stars Group aims to expand people-to-people, business and economic cooperation…