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

Cyprus, Israel, Greece sign deal on electric cable link

03/09/2021
Plans to connect Israel, Cyprus and Greece with a 2,000 megawatt undersea electricity cable took a key step forward on Monday, when the three countries signed an agreement to speed up technical work on the project.
Cypriot Energy Minister Natasa Pilides hosted a ceremony in the capital Nicosia on Monday with her Israeli counterpart...

In The News

IDF troops thwart firebomb attack in West Bank, neutralize two suspects

03/08/2021
Israeli soldiers thwarted Monday night an incendiary attack by Palestinians in the Bethlehem region in the West Bank.
“Israel Defense Forces (IDF) identified a short while ago two suspects hurling Molotov cocktails toward Israeli vehicles passing on a road nearby the town of al-Khader,” an IDF spokesperson said in a statement.
“IDF...

In The News

Lebanese army fires surface-to-air missile at IDF drone: report

03/08/2021
Hezbollah says another drone forced back into Lebanese territory earlier in the afternoon

The Lebanese army fired a surface-to-air missile at an Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Monday night that hovered over Lebanon’s airspace, Lebanon's Al-Manar TV reported.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) UAV was flying near the town of...

Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS)

Utah becomes latest US state to pass anti-BDS legislation

03/08/2021

Utah has become the latest U.S. state to pass legislation targeting the anti-Israel BDS movement.

The bill sponsored by Utah State Sen. Daniel Hemmert and State Rep. Joel Ferry, known as the Anti-Boycott Israel Amendments, prohibits a government entity from contracting with a person that boycotts the State of Israel.

The...

In The News

United States sends B-52 heavy bomber over Persian Gulf in signal to Iran

03/07/2021

In a clear signal to Iran, a United States Air Force B-52H “Stratofortress” bomber flew over the Persian Gulf, before the plane was spotted in Israeli airspace heading back to its base in the US. It was escorted by Israeli Air Force F-15s as it passed over Israel.

It was the seventh mission into CENTCOM’s area of operation in the...

In The News

Iran behind explosion near Israeli embassy in New Delhi: report

03/07/2021
According to the report, the attack was carried out through a local Shiite unit

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Al-Quds Force is allegedlyresponsible for the explosion outside of the Israeli embassy in New Delhi in late January, according to an investigation by India’s counterterrorism agencies.
The investigation...

Iran

Iran’s Defense Minister Threatens to Destroy Tel Aviv, Haifa If Israel Launches Attack

03/07/2021

Iran’s Defense Minister threatened on Sunday to “raze” the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa “to the ground” if the Jewish state launches a preemptive attack against the Islamic Republic.

According to Iranian media outlets, Amir Hatami also played down the chances of direct hostilities breaking out between the two countries,...

In The News

‘US will do what’s necessary to defend itself after attack in Iraq’

03/07/2021

 The United States will do what it views as necessary to defend its interests after a rocket attack against Iraq's Ain al-Sada airbase, which hosts American, coalition and Iraqi forces, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Sunday.

Speaking on ABC's "This Week" program, Austin said the United States was urging Iraq to quickly...

Iran

Iran jails Jewish-Iranian for 10 years for living in Israel

03/07/2021

Xiyue Wang, a Princeton graduate student who was wrongfully imprisoned by Iran’s regime between 2016-2019, told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday he met an Iranian Jew in Tehran's Evin prison who was incarcerated for his stay in Israel.

Wang said the Iranian Jew who “went to Israel” was “given a 10 year sentence” when he returned to...

In The News

Peace with Israel a shared goal of Saudi Arabia and US, State Dept says

03/02/2021

Saudi-Israel peace is a shared objective of the US and Saudi Arabia, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said Monday.

“We seek to accomplish a great deal with the Saudis to end the war in Yemen and ease Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, to use our leadership to forge ties across the region’s most bitter divides, whether that’s...

In The News

Man wielding knife overpowered outside Jewish school, kosher store in France

03/05/2021

A man armed with a knife attempted to enter a kosher grocery store near a Jewish school in the city of Marseille Friday morning, before being overpowered by security personnel and arrested by police.

The man was first spotted by security guards at the Yavne Jewish high school in the city emerging from a vehicle with a knife. Media...

In The News

Israel ‘will take all necessary measures to protect its citizens’ in wake of Iran’s attack on ship: envoy

03/05/2021
Israel's UN envoy urges Security Council to condemn Iran's violations of UN Charter, hold it accountable

Israel "will take all necessary measures to protect its citizens and its sovereignty," the country's US ambassador and UN envoy Gilad Erdan warned in a letter on Tuesday.
In the letter, Erdan accused Iran's Islamic...

In The News

Netanyahu tells Kamala Harris he won’t let Iran obtain nuclear weapons

03/05/2021

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US Vice President Kamala Harris in a late-night phone call on Thursday that he will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.

During the call, Netanyahu and Harris agreed to advance cooperation of research and technological development in regard to the coronavirus pandemic between Israel and...

In The News

Egypt looking to establish direct flights to Tel Aviv with national carrier

03/04/2021
The officials said Israel has received an official request from Egyptair to operate the flights

Egypt is interested in having its national airline run regular direct flights to and from Israel, unnamed officials confirmed to i24NEWS on Thursday.
The officials said Israel has received an official request from Egyptair to operate...

Iran

Israeli defense minister: IDF updating plans to strike Iran

03/05/2021
sraeli defense minister shares map of Hezbollah installments: 'everything aimed at civilian targets'

Defense Minister Benny Gantz said the Israeli military is constantly updating plans to strike Iran, declaring that “they will never complete" in an interview Thursday with Fox News.
The only time they will be complete will be...

In The News

French police prevent stabbing attack at Jewish school in Marseille

03/05/2021

French police arrested a man who tried carrying out a stabbing attack at a Jewish school in Marseille, France on Friday morning, French media reported.

The attacker was turned away by the Yavne School security, made up of parents who serve as security on a volunteer basis, the Jewish Agency noted. The institution was immediately...

In The News

Iran deal at the center of hearing for Biden nominee, intense criticism from Republicans

03/05/2021

Colin Kahl, President Joe Biden’s nominee for under secretary of defense for policy, faced intense scrutiny from Senate Republicans at his confirmation hearing on Thursday, focusing in particular on his past comments about the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, former President Donald Trump’s actions against the Iranian regime and issues...

Event Recaps

December 8 – Spanish “Why Israel?” – Prairieville, LA

On Tuesday, December 8th, our CUFI Field Coordinator, Rev. Peter De Jesus, conducted a “Why Israel” Hybrid Spanish event. This event was hosted by one of our CUFI Latino Pastors Israel Tour Alumni Pastor Siomara Osorio and her husband Pastor David Osorio of Iglesia de Dios Manantial de Vida in Prairieville, Louisiana. The hybrid event was attended...

Event Recaps

December 8 – City of David Virtual Tour with CUFI UK

CUFI US partnered with CUFI UK for our third monthly live virtual event. Randy Neal of CUFI US joined Des Starritt, Executive Director of CUFI UK for a live update on archeological discoveries at the City of David in Jerusalem. Director of International Affairs at the City of David, Ze’ev Orenstein, gave a riveting presentation that drew a stream...

Event Recaps

December 6 – “Never Again” Movie Screening

On Sunday night, December 6th, Pastor Gabe Rubio of Oasis Church in Carlsbad, New Mexico hosted a church screening of “Never Again.” Approximately 50 of his congregants attended this screening and were profoundly impacted by this film to stand in solidarity with Israel and combat Anti-Semitism in all its forms. Having hosted three CUFI events in...