US-Israel Relationship

At CUFI, we believe a strong, secure, and sovereign Israel is key to a strong and secure United States. Israel needs America, and America needs Israel. We are two nations with shared values, defending the same principles, and thus engaged in the same fight against common enemies. On May 14, 1948, the US was the first country to recognize the nascent State of Israel just eleven minutes after Israel declared its independence. Since then, the US has been a friend to Israel, our most critical ally in the Middle East. One of CUFI’s core concerns is to shape and strengthen the US-Israel relationship to the safety and security of both our nations.

US-Israel Relationship

Pompeo: Trump ‘fully prepared’ to use military action against Turkey

Although the administration prefers “peace to war,” U.S. President Donald Trump is “fully prepared” to authorize military action against Turkey, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday.

In an interview with CNBC’s Wilfred Frost, Pompeo said the “world should know” that “where we see American interests at stake or fundamental norms…

US-Israel Relationship

Pompeo to ‘Post’: Israel has right to act in Syria, U.S. will stop Iran

Despite the withdrawal of US troops from Syria, Israel retains operational freedom to defend itself, and America remains committed to closely watching the Iraqi-Syrian border to help prevent the transfer of Iranian arms into the country, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told The Jerusalem Post on Friday in an exclusive interview.

“Our…

US-Israel Relationship

US Army chooses Israeli system to protect the lives of tank crews

(October 18, 2019 / JNS) In recent days, Israeli defense corporation Rafael made a dramatic announcement, stating that it delivered on time the first batch of Trophy Active Protection System to the U.S. Army.

Trophy, a system that was first deployed by the Israel Defense Forces in 2011 and which has intercepted many threats fired at Israeli…

US-Israel Relationship

Trump envoy Jared Kushner to lead US delegation to Israel

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner will lead a US delegation to Israel at the end of the month to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz, a senior administration official said on Thursday.

Kushner has been leading President Donald Trump’s effort to develop a peace plan for Israelis and Palestinians.

US-Israel Relationship

Pompeo arrives in Jerusalem, reiterates pledge to counter Iran

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo underscored US-Israeli efforts to counter Iran in talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, in an apparent attempt to ease concerns in Israel that Tehran could exploit a US military pullback in Syria.

Pompeo and Netanyahu met in Jerusalem hours after Turkey agreed with the United States to pause its…

US-Israel Relationship

Pompeo lands in Israel to meet Netanyahu, discuss regional security

(October 18, 2019 / JNS) U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Israel late Thursday night for a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss regional issues, including the current conflict in Syria.

Pompeo flew from Turkey, where he had joined U.S. Vice President Mike Pence in what was described as a cold meeting…

US-Israel Relationship

Pompeo to visit Israel Thursday for talks on Syria — report

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will reportedly visit Israel Thursday for talks on Syria following the pullout of American soldiers and Turkey’s launching of a military offensive against Kurdish fighters.

According to Channel 13 news, Pompeo will travel to Israel after visiting Turkey with Vice President Mike Pence. The report, which quoted…

US-Israel Relationship

Despite delays, US vice president still plans to visit Israel, Pence’s office says

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence’s office on Monday said he still plans on visiting Israel this month, despite an apparent delay in the schedule.

Pence had been scheduled to come during the week of Jan. 14. But Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that the visit was no longer on the schedule for January.

Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon gave…

US-Israel Relationship

Rafael delivers US army tank protection systems

The Israeli company’s first consignment of Trophy anti-missile protection systems is part of a $500 million deal with the US Army.

Israeli defense electronics company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. says that it has delivered a first consignment of Trophy anti-missile protection systems to the US Army for Abrams tanks and armored personnel…

US-Israel Relationship

U.S. imposes new sanctions on Turkey over Syria offensive

The sanctions come after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she and GOP Senator Lindsey Graham agreed Congress should pass a resolution to “overturn” Mr. Trump’s decision to pull troops. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also released a statement Monday saying he’s “gravely concerned” by what’s happening in Syria “and by our nation’s apparent…

US-Israel Relationship

Trump demands Turkey halt Syria incursion, authorizes new sanctions

(October 15, 2019 / JNS) U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday called on Turkey to immediately halt its offensive in northern Syria, and authorized new sanctions against the NATO member state. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the United States had imposed sanctions on Turkey’s ministers of defense, interior and energy, as well as their…

US-Israel Relationship

ZILBERMAN: The U.S. Is Enabling Turkey’s Adversarial Behavior

A statement attributed to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan goes like this: “Democracy is like a bus, when you arrive at your destination, you step off.” We know that Erdogan long ago stepped away from democratic norms, particularly after the failed coup of July 2016, which accelerated domestic repression and Ankara’s pivot to the East….

US-Israel Relationship

US Ambassador Friedman at Evangelical rally: ‘Jerusalem literally keeps us safe’

Shared values and a common history, not soldiers and weapons, guarantee a nation’s security, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said Sunday.

Addressing a rally of pro-Israel Evangelicals, Friedman hailed the recently inaugurated Pilgrimage Road, a new archaeological site in Jerusalem’s City of David, which lies underneath the Palestinian…

US-Israel Relationship

US Ambassador sings to Israel, Shana Tova

In a video released by the the American administration for public affairs ambassador David Friedman greeted the people of Israel to have a happy Jewish new year in the name of the Trump administration.

In the video, The ambassador goes to a bee hive in order to retrieve the freshest honey he is capable of – there he is told that bees produce…

US-Israel Relationship

On pre-holiday call, Trump highlights exiting Iran deal, backing Holocaust education, battling anti-Semitism

(September 27, 2019 / JNS) In the annual call on Friday ahead of the Rosh Hashanah holiday between Jewish communal leaders and the president of the United States, U.S. President Donald Trump recalled a friend telling him that neither moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem in May 2018 nor recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights last…

US-Israel Relationship

At UN, Trump calls on Mideast nations to fully normalize ties with Israel

NEW YORK — US President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged Middle Eastern nations to fully normalize diplomatic relations with Israel, while maintaining that crippling US sanctions imposed on Iran would continue until the Islamic Republic changed its behavior.

Speaking before the United Nations General Assembly, the US president accused Tehran of…

US-Israel Relationship

US official said to warn Lebanon future sanctions will hit Hezbollah benefactors

A US official warned Lebanese politicians on Monday that future US sanctions would target any party suspected of providing “material” support to the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group, a Lebanese source told AFP.

Treasury Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Marshall Billingslea met Prime Minister Saad Hariri and parliament Speaker…

US-Israel Relationship

Saudi Arabia joins US-led maritime coalition after attack on its oil production

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia said Wednesday it joined a US-led coalition to secure the Mideast’s waterways amid threats from Iran after an attack targeting its crucial oil industry.

The kingdom’s decision to enter the International Maritime Security Construct came ahead of a planned visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo….