ISSUES

At CUFI, we are focused on several key issues with the goal of defending Israel’s strength, security, and sovereignty.

If you want to keep up with all things Israel, sign up for CUFI’s Daily Briefing – our daily news roundup created exclusively for CUFI members. Every morning, Monday through Friday, receive an email with some of the top headlines in the news so you are always informed and ready to debunk lies with the truth.

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...

Iran

Iran threatens to infiltrate US Army base, kill senior general: report

03/21/2021
NSA intercepted chatter in January that suggested IRGC was planning USS Cole-style attacks against the base

Iran reportedly made threats against a United States Army base in the nation's capital and against the Army’s vice chief of staff, said two senior US intelligence officials according to The Associated Press (AP).
They...

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...

Iran

Western officials fear Iran hiding equipment it could use to build nuke — report

03/22/2021

Iran is hiding equipment from international officials that could enable it to build a nuclear bomb, according to a Monday report.

Unnamed Western intelligence officials told The Telegraph that they fear Iran is concealing essential parts and pumps for centrifuges that are used to enrich uranium to the weapons-grade level of 90...

Iran

Iran concealing elements of nuclear activities, officials fear

03/22/2021

Iran is deliberately concealing key components of its nuclear programme from UN inspectors that can be used for producing nuclear weapons, according to the latest reports received by Western intelligence officials.

The equipment being hidden from UN inspectors includes machinery, pumps and spare parts for centrifuges, the machines...

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...

Antisemitism

Pregnant Jewish woman violently assaulted in London

03/22/2021

A pregnant Jewish woman was assaulted last Thursday in London according to video footage posted on Twitter by the Shomrim neighborhood security organization.

It shows a man sneaking up from behind and attempting to cover her head with a paper bag. The woman resisted, and after the attacker failed to get the bag over her head, he...

US-Israel Relationship

Americans’ support for Israel increases – poll

03/22/2021

Support for Israel among the American public remains very strong, according to a Gallup poll released Friday.

Some 75% of respondents said they viewed Israel favorably, compared to 74% in 2020, 69% in 2019, and 75% in 2018.

Some 30% said they viewed the Palestinian Authority favorably, significantly higher than the 23% in 2020,...

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...

Iran

Iran threatens US Army base and top general

03/21/2021
Iran has made threats against Fort McNair, an Army base in the nation’s capital, and against the Army’s vice chief of staff, two senior U.S. intelligence officials said.
They said communications intercepted by the National Security Agency in January showed that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard discussed mounting “USS Cole-style attacks”...

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...

In The News

Israel announces almost 4.5 million fully vaccinated as positive test rate drops below 2%

03/19/2021

Israel’s coronavirus outbreak continued to rapidly diminish Friday amid the widespread vaccination campaign which has seen almost 4.5 million people receive two doses of the inoculation while the rate of positive test results fell below two percent.

According to Health Ministry data, 5,150,505 people have received at least the...