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

Iranian cyber group targets Israel, Saudis, Africans

New revelations have been uncovered about the Iran-based Lyceum cyber-attack group targeting Israel, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Tunisia and others in Africa in a report by two cyber intelligence firms on Tuesday.

The two firms, Accenture, which has a major Israeli branch, and US-based Prevalion, released research tracing cyberattacks between July...

In The News

Iran claims to scare off US drones near its war games in Gulf

Iran fended off two American drones trying to approach the site of a major Iranian military drill in the Gulf, local media claimed Tuesday.

“These aircraft (RQ-4 and MQ-9 US drones) changed their route after approaching the borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran following the air defense’s interception and decisive warning,” state broadcaster...

In The News

Hamas: If Israel doesn’t meet our demands, its captives won’t see the light of day

Deputy Hamas chief in Gaza Khalil al-Hayya told Al-Jazeera on Monday that if Israel doesn’t pay the price of an alleged prisoner-exchange deal in the making, “its captives won’t see the light of day.”

Al-Hayya’s interview with the Qatar-owned satellite news network came on the heels of a report on Sunday that Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas...

In The News

Israel sends COVID-19 assistance to hard-hit Romania

The fourth wave of COVID-19 has hit Romania hard. The country is confronting its worst wave of infections since the pandemic started nearly two years ago, with 500 deaths a day and over 10,000 new infections every 24 hours. Romania’s health system is starting to collapse.

Israel is coming to Romania’s rescue, offering both human and technical...

In The News

Synagogues destroyed on Kristallnacht to be digitally ‘reconstructed’

To mark Kristallnacht this year, 18 synagogues which were destroyed during the prewar Nazi-era pogrom in Germany will be digitally recreated and projected onto present-day buildings on November 9.

Video will be projected on buildings and screens at their original sites at 13 locations across Germany, including Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt...

In The News

Colombian President Iván Duque kicks off state visit to Israel

Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed President of Colombia Iván Duque to Israel on Monday with an official ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.

Duque and Herzog reviewed an Israeli Navy honor guard before sitting down for a working meeting, according to an official statement. The two leaders discussed opportunities for...

In The News

Mossad thwarts Iranian attacks on Israelis in Africa – report

The Mossad has thwarted multiple attacks by Iran against Israeli tourists and businessmen in at least three African countries, Channel 12 reported on Sunday night.

According to the report, the targets were Israelis visiting Tanzania, Senegal and Ghana.

Five suspects, all with African passports, have reportedly been arrested.

Iran has...

In The News

Iran-backed militia behind attack on Iraqi PM -security officials, sources

A drone attack that targeted the Iraqi prime minister on Sunday was carried out by at leastone Iranian-backed militia group, Iraqi security officials and sources close to the militias said.

The sources, who spoke to Reuters on Monday on condition of anonymity, said the drones and explosives used in the assault were Iranian-made.

A...

In The News

Iron Dome shoots down Hamas drone flown out to sea

The Iron Dome missile defense system shot down a Hamas drone that was flown out to sea from the Gaza Strip on Monday, the Israel Defense Forces said.

The interception appeared to be the second time that the Iron Dome has shot down an enemy unmanned aerial vehicle following upgrades to the air defense system,  which was initially designed only...

In The News

Iran bans newspaper blaming Supreme Leader for poverty

Iran's judicial authorities allegedly banned a newspaper for publishing a graphic that appeared to show Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei drawing the poverty line.
The daily newspaper Kelid was shut down after it published a front-page article titled "Millions of Iranians Living under Poverty Line," according to the semi official Mehr news...

In The News

Senate urged to appoint Deborah Lipstadt as antisemitism monitor without delay

Three major Jewish organizations are calling on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to convene a hearing on President Joe Biden’s nominee to be the State Department’s antisemitism monitor, Holocaust scholar Deborah Lipstadt.

“We are compelled to urge you to hold the Committee’s hearing on Prof. Lipstadt’s nomination without further delay,”...

In The News

Palestinian schools mark 104 years of Balfour Declaration with displays of hate

Schools in the Palestinian Authority and the Gaza Strip marked 104 years since the Balfour Declaration with displays of hatred for Israel’s existence, Kan news reported on Wednesday.

The educational institutions took the opportunity to demonize Israel and deny its existence, the report said, using a range of activities to drive home such...

In The News

What was the point of Iran’s ‘fake news’ IRGC ship raid?

Iran claimed this week that it would release momentous news about a great military operation. Iran’s state media said Wednesday that “in the next few hours” news would be released that would make regime supporters proud of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps power. Iran observers waited patiently. What could it be, they asked. Hacking of the US....

In The News

Iran’s Raisi vows not to back down ‘in any way’ in nuclear talks

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi vowed on Thursday not to compromise regarding Iran’s interests, a day after the resumption of nuclear talks between Tehran and world powers on Nov. 29 was announced.

“The negotiations we are considering are result-oriented ones. We will not leave the negotiating table … but we will not retreat from the interests...

In The News

Iran says it has nearly doubled its stockpile of highly enriched uranium

Iran said Thursday it has significantly increased its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, weeks before talks resume to return to the 2015 deal that limited its nuclear program.
Tehran has gradually abandoned its main commitments made in this agreement one year after the unilateral withdrawal of the United States in 2018 from this pact followed...

In The News

Israel participates in Cyprus oil rig drills amid Turkey tensions

Israel on Wednesday took part in annual drills off the southern coast of Cyprus to increase the security and safety of oil rigs and vessels amid continuing tensions with Turkey over competing claims to hydrocarbon reserves.
The United States, France, Italy, Britain and Egypt also participated in the "Nemesis" exercise in the waters around the...

In The News

US ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides confirmed by Senate

The US Senate on Wednesday confirmed Thomas R. Nides to serve as the next Ambassador to Israel. He was confirmed by a voice vote. He previously served as deputy secretary of state for management and resources under Hillary Clinton from 2011 to 2013.

He was also awarded the secretary of state’s Distinguished Service Award in January 2013. Nides...

In The News

American, Israeli flags burned as Iran marks 1979 takeover of US Embassy

Thousands of Iranians gathered on Tehran streets Thursday for the anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the US Embassy, chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” and burning American and Israeli flags. The embassy takeover triggered a 444-day hostage crisis and break in diplomatic relations that continues to this day.

The...

In The News

Negotiations around a return to the Iran nuclear deal to resume on Nov. 29

Talks on reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, will resume on Nov. 29 in Vienna, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator said on Wednesday, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

“We agreed to start the negotiations aiming at removal of unlawful & inhumane sanctions on 29 November in...

In The News

Saudi rift with Lebanon growing amid discontent over Hezbollah’s dominance

If Lebanon, mired in a financial and political crisis, didn’t have enough problems, it has angered Saudi Arabia, an important economic patron. The Saudis have taken umbrage at comments made by Lebanon’s information minister. Some analysts, however, tell JNS that the comments were just a pretext—a way for the Saudis to express their long-simmering...