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

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...

In The News

Israel’s ahead-of-the-world vaccine rollout offers hope for countries lagging behind

02/28/2021

JERUSALEM — Israel's fastest-in-the world vaccine campaign, which reached half its citizens as of Sunday, is offering other countries the first real-life look at how mass inoculation can bend the trajectory of the coronavirus pandemic.

A rush of Israeli medical research — some emerging too fast for academic journals to keep up —...

In The News

Celebrating 3 years since the Taylor Force Act

03/18/2021

For decades, the Palestinian Authority has offered a “Pay for Slay” pension fund program for anyone killed or captured by the IDF for terrorism that results in the murder of Israeli citizens. The life-long salary is paid to the terrorist if he or she goes to prison, or to their surviving family if the terrorist is killed. This...

In The News

Pro-Israel group launches six-figure ad buy urging Manchin to vote no on Colin Kahl

03/19/2021

The nation’s largest pro-Israel advocacy group is launching a six-figure TV and digital ad campaign against Pentagon nominee Colin Kahl in West Virginia, calling on Democratic senator Joe Manchin to oppose the nomination due to Kahl’s positions on Israel and Iran.

Christians United for Israel said its TV ads will hit West Virginia...

In The News

Israeli, Austrian presidents attend Holocaust remembrance ceremony in Vienna

03/18/2021

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen participated in a Holocaust-remembrance ceremony in Vienna on Wednesday.

The ceremony, held at the city’s monument to Holocaust victims in Judenplatz, was attended by local residents, Holocaust survivors and members of the Vienna Jewish community. The...

In The News

Upgraded Iron Dome Defeats Drones & Rockets In Test

03/17/2021

TEL AVIV: The Israeli Iron Dome tested out its latest upgrades in recent tests, taking out every target in a mixed swarm of drones and rockets.

The new upgrades will be rapidly installed on existing Israeli units at the border and on two Iron Dome batteries sold to the US Army.

The threat scenarios, with multiple simultaneous...

In The News

D.C. foreign policy elites rush to shore up faltering Pentagon nomination

03/16/2021

A group of Obama-era foreign policy elites and Washington lobbyists are organizing a letter to shore up Biden Pentagon nominee Colin Kahl, accusing pro-Israel activists in West Virginia of engaging in a "disgusting smear campaign," according to email correspondence obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

The diplomat Martin...

Israeli Technology

3 tiny Israeli satellites to orbit earth on just 1 gram of fuel a day

03/16/2021

Israeli scientists are preparing to launch a trio of tiny satellites that will hurtle around earth every 90 minutes, using a total of just 1 gram of fuel per day.

The shoebox-sized nanosatellites will leave Earth from Kazakhstan aboard a Russian rocket at midday local time on Saturday, and will be launched from the rocket four...

US-Israel Relationship

Israel-US to set up joint team to share intel on Iran’s nuclear program

03/17/2021

Israeli and US officials agreed to set up a joint team for sharing intelligence about Iran’s nuclear program during recent strategic talks, according to a report Wednesday.

Last week’s talks were the first held by a bilateral group for cooperating in the effort to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear arms. The meeting was led by US...

US-Israel Relationship

Israeli president said to be invited to address joint session of US Congress

03/17/2021

President Reuven Rivlin is considering whether to accept a bipartisan invitation to address a joint session of US Congress, the Ynet news site reports.

The report notes it is unclear whether Congress can fully convene before Rivlin ends his term as president in July due to coronavirus restrictions.

The president is currently in...

In The News

Israel among world’s biggest arms exporters, counts up to 90 nuclear weapons: report

03/16/2021

Israel is ranked among the world’s top ten arms exporters during the past five years and has an estimated 90 operational nuclear weapons, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) published Monday.

The report said Israel was the eighth largest arms exporter during the 2016–2020 period....