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.

US-Israel Relationship

#ShowUpForShabbat: Philadelphia Jewish And City Leaders Urging Community Members To Show Up For Shabbat

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — This weekend marks one year since the deadliest attack on Jews in American history. Eleven people were slaughtered over their faith as they worshipped at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. To mark the observance in Philadelphia, Jewish and city leaders are urging people to do one thing.

There is a rallying call from...

Israeli Society

Israel-Kazakhstan relations continue to expand and diversify under new president

The Central Asian country, former Soviet republic and Muslim-majority country has a history of strong connections with Israel and supports its local Jewish population.

(October 23, 2019 / JNS) Ties between Israel and Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic, continue to be strong and are expanding under new President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, according...

US-Israel Relationship

WJC to honor Nikki Haley for calling out anti-Israel bias at UN

The World Jewish Congress will bestow its prestigious Theodor Herzl Award to former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, according to a statement from the organization released on Wednesday.

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder said Haley exemplified Washington's friendship with Israel, "relentlessly calling out the biases and double standards that...

Antisemitism

ADL: Pittsburgh synagogue massacre spawned rash of far-right plots against Jews

COLLEGE PARK, Maryland (AP) — At least 12 white supremacists have been arrested on allegations of plotting, threatening or carrying out anti-Semitic attacks in the US since the massacre at a Pittsburgh synagogue nearly one year ago, a Jewish civil rights group reported Sunday.

The Anti-Defamation League also counted at least 50 incidents in which...

Antisemitism

AJC Survey of American Jews on Antisemitism in America

 

On October 23, 2019, AJC released the results of its landmark survey of American Jewish opinion on antisemitism in America. The poll represents the largest and most comprehensive examination ever of American Jews’ experiences and perceptions of antisemitism.

This survey makes clear that American Jews view antisemitism as a significant...

Hamas

Hamas’ cat and mouse game over terrorist funding

Hamas is trying to thwart efforts to crack down on the funding it receives to sponsor terrorist activity by spreading the money around and using regular bank transactions to hide in plain sight, says an IDF intelligence officer who monitors terrorist funding in the West Bank.

"Most of the money transfers to Hamas are done physically through a...

Syria

Trump declares ‘permanent’ ceasefire in Syria, lifting US sanctions on Turkey

(October 23, 2019 / JNS) U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that a “permanent” ceasefire in Syria has been reached, and that all U.S. sanctions enacted against Turkey will be lifted.

“I have, therefore, instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to lift all sanctions imposed October 14th in response to Turkey’s original offensive...

Iran

Int’l Judo Federation hits Iran with indefinite ban for pressuring fighter not to face Israeli rival

Iran has been banned indefinitely from international competition until it can give strong guarantees that its athletes will be allowed to face Israelis, the International Judo Federation (IJF) has said.

The IJF decision follows a protective suspension imposed on the Iran Judo Federation on Sept. 18 for putting pressure on one of its fighters to...

Israel Defense Force (IDF)

Abbas orders to rebuild home of soldier’s killer, razed by IDF for second time

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday ordered to rebuild the house of a Palestinian convicted of killing an Israeli soldier, just hours after the killer's family home had been demolished by IDF forces for the second time within a year.

Staff Sgt. Ronen Lubarsky, 20, died from his wounds after Islam Yusuf Hamid, 33, dropped a marble slab...

Antisemitism

Neo-Nazis attempt to burn Jewish center in Budapest

(October 23, 2019 / JNS) A Jewish community and activism center in Budapest experienced minor damages as neo-Nazis attempted to set it ablaze.

No injuries were reported.

The Aurora community center was empty during the arson attempt, according to Adam Schonberger, director of the Marom, a Jewish association founded in 2014 affiliated with the...

Iran

Israel said bracing for direct cruise missile or drone attack by Iran

Israel is readying for a direct cruise missile or drone strike by Tehran in response to recent attacks on Iranian regional proxies which have been attributed to the Jewish state, Army Radio reported Tuesday evening.

Unlike ballistic missiles, which usually fly through a high arc on the way to the target, cruise missiles and drones fly at low...

Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS)

Czech lawmakers pass resolution condemning BDS movement

The lower house of the Czech parliament on Tuesday passed a resolution condemning all forms of anti-Semitism as well as calls for boycotts of Israel.

The non-binding resolution, which passed the Chamber of Deputies with an overwhelming majority, strongly condemns “all manifestations of anti-Semitism directed against individuals, religious...

Hamas

US lawmakers call out Twitter for allowing Hamas and Hezbollah on the platform

Four members of the US House of Representatives have called out Twitter for allowing Hamas and Hezbollah to maintain a presence on its social media platform.

Reps. Josh Gottheimer, Tom Reed and Max Rose of New York and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania wrote in a letter to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on Tuesday that they were alarmed to learn that...

Antisemitism

9 out of 10 US Jews worry about anti-Semitism, and most think it’s getting worse

Some nine out of 10 Jews in the United States believe anti-Semitism is a problem in the country, with widespread fear that it is on the rise, according to a recent survey by the American Jewish Committee. The survey is the largest and most comprehensive conducted among Jews on the topic of Jew-hatred in the US to date.

Thirty-eight percent of...

Antisemitism

Prominent DC synagogue vandalized with ‘anti-Israel and hate-filled messages’

JTA — A synagogue in Washington DC was vandalized with what is described by local Jewish agencies as “anti-Israel and hate-filled messages.”

Graffiti on the Washington Hebrew Congregation was discovered Friday morning. Congregants were informed of the vandalism in an email later in the day.

The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater...

Palestinian Authority

Palestinian who converted to Judaism arrested, badly beaten by PA forces

The 50-year-old man, who appears to be a grandson of a Palestinian who helped save Jews during 1929 Hebron massacre, has been held for the past 2 weeks on pretext of assaulting his brother; meanwhile, the man says his siblings mercilessly beat him, while PA police gave him burns on his arms and legs

A Palestinian from the West Bank who converted...

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...

Archeology

Pontius Pilate built Jerusalem’s ‘Pilgrimage Road,’ say Israeli archaeologists

Archaeologists now believe that Jerusalem’s “Pilgrimage Road” was built by none other than Pontius Pilate, the infamous Roman governor of Judea.

The ancient road in the City of David, which was preserved under the ashes of the Roman sack of Jerusalem in 70 CE, was used by pilgrims to ascend from the Siloam Pool to the Second Temple, according to...

Israeli Technology

Eyes skyward: sunlight for powering all of Israel

The Arava region of southern Israel, which includes the city of Eilat, will reach its goal of being 100-percent reliant on solar energy during the daytime by next year, placing the area light years ahead of the rest of the country.

The team responsible for the achievement, along with other experts, is now lobbying for legislation that would make...

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...