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.

Antisemitism

Philadelphia Muslims apologize for video of kids talking beheadings, Jerusalem

Declaring “the mistake is ours to own,” Muslim leaders in Philadelphia apologized Wednesday for an event last month at which children were captured on video speaking in Arabic about beheadings and the liberation of Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site.

The Muslim American Society’s Philadelphia chapter and the Leaders Academy, a gathering place...

US-Israel Relationship

Trump on anniversary of Jerusalem embassy move says it’s ‘a proud reminder’ of strong US-Israel ties

(JTA) — One year after the United States moved its embassy to Jerusalem, President Donald Trump called it “a proud reminder of our strong relationship with Israel.”

Trump referenced the anniversary in a tweet Tuesday.

The Jerusalem municipality marked the date by projecting Israeli and American flags onto the walls of the Old City.

The...

Antisemitism

Daughter of Las Vegas rabbi targeted with anti-Semitic notes at middle school

(JTA) — The daughter of a rabbi in Las Vegas found anti-Semitic and threatening notes left on her middle school desk.

One note discovered earlier this week contained a large swastika and the words “You don’t belong here.” The second was a drawing of Adolf Hitler with his hand in the air, a Nazi salute and a swastika.

Rabbi Craig Rosenstein, a...

Antisemitism

Prominent Jewish woman, 60, stabbed and critically injured in Sweden

(May 14, 2019 / JNS) A 60-year-old Jewish woman was stabbed and critically injured on Tuesday in Helsingborg, Sweden, where she is known to be a prominent member of the Jewish community.

Reports suggest the suspect, who is on the run, is Muslim and known to Swedish authorities.

While the Jewish community is viewing this incident as anti-Semitic,...

Terrorism

Hackers interrupt Eurovision broadcast with fake IDF missile warning

(May 15, 2019 / JNS)Hackers interrupted the Eurovision Song Contest broadcast on the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) website Tuesday, streaming a fake Israel Defense Forces video message warning all viewers near the contest venue to immediately seek shelter.

The two-minute video was only played in Israel, and appeared as an IDF...

US-Israel Relationship

Friedman fires back at ‘The New York Times’: ‘Where am I off saying God is on the side of Israel?’

U.S. Ambassador to Israel David M. Friedman fired back at The New York Times Wednesday over an article castigating him for claiming that Israel was “on the side of God” while speaking about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the upcoming U.S. peace proposal.

Speaking to a group of Evangelical faith leaders at the Aish Hatorah World Center,...

United Nations (UN)

Pompeo, Friedman: Israeli rule over Golan fulfills UN Resolution 242

President Donald Trump's decision to recognize the Golan Heights as part of Israel's sovereign territory fulfills UN Security Council Resolution 242, United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman argued in an op-ed published Wednesday by the Wall Street Journal.

Trump recognized Israel's sovereignty over...

Palestinian Authority

10,000 Palestinians mark ‘Nakba day’ on Gaza border

According to the IDF, several attempts were made to breach the border fence, while some demonstrators threw explosive devices at the fence.
Gaza's health ministry said 60 Palestinians were injured in clashes with IDF.
In Israel, a fire broke out in Kibbutz Alumim near the border as the result of a suspected fire bomb sent over the fence.
On...

Holocaust

CNN Fact Checks Tlaib’s Holocaust Comments: ‘She Can’t Rewrite History’

CNN’s John King corrected Representative Rashida Tlaib’s (D., Mich.) revisionist history of the Holocaust on Monday, pointing out that Palestinian leaders supported the German extermination of Jews and violently resisted the creation of a Jewish state.

“It was my ancestors — Palestinians — who lost their land and some lost their lives, their...

Iran

Saudi Arabia oil infrastructure hit by drones; Iran-backed rebels claim attack

Saudi Arabia said drones attacked one of its oil pipelines as other assaults targeted energy infrastructure elsewhere in the kingdom on Tuesday, shortly after Yemen’s rebels claimed a coordinated drone attack on the Sunni power.

The assaults marked the latest incidents challenging Mideast security after the alleged sabotage of oil tankers off the...

US-Israel Relationship

As tensions increase, Trump warns that Iran will ‘suffer greatly’ if ‘they do anything’

(May 13, 2019 / JNS) Amid increasing tensions between the United States and Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Monday that Tehran will “suffer greatly” if “they do anything.”

“We’ll see what happens with Iran. … If they do anything, they will suffer greatly,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office in response to reports that two oil...

Antisemitism

New Canary Mission-style website lists anti-Israel professors in Israel

(May 14, 2019 / JNS) A new website launched by the Zionist NGO Im Tirtzu enables students to search for and access information about Israeli academics who promote anti-Israel activity.

The Hebrew-language website, called “Know Your Professor,” contains a list of some 85 Israeli professors who are involved in anti-Israel activity such as promoting...

US-Israel Relationship

Israeli president thanks American astronaut for her plans to bring Israeli flag into space

Meir, the daughter of a mother from Sweden and an Iraqi-Israeli father, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency about the Israeli flag she’s bringing with her last week. She also plans to take some socks sporting menorahs among her personal items.

“Thank you for taking us with you on your world journey in space,” Rivlin said in a statement.

Meir, 41,...

Antisemitism

Anti-Semitic and racist graffiti painted on Virginia high school

(JTA) — Anti-Semitic and racist graffiti including swastikas were painted on a high school in eastern Virginia.

The graffiti were discovered at Godwin High school in Henrico County on Sunday morning, according to local media.

The graffiti included an image which “depicted a violent threat” along with the date May 15, which is marked in the Arab...

US-Israel Relationship

Wary of Iran, White House said weighing plan to send 120,000 troops to MidEast

The White House has reportedly been reviewing a plan to send as many as 120,000 US troops to the Middle East if Iran accelerates its uranium enrichment or attacks American targets.

The ambitious plan, which would take weeks or months to complete and which approaches the scale of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, was presented last Thursday at a...

US-Israel Relationship

US warns of increased risk of terror attacks in Israel on anniversary of embassy move

(May 14, 2019 / JNS) The U.S. embassy in Jerusalem issued a security warning Monday night regarding increased risk of terrorist attacks over the next few days.

According to the warning, which the embassy posted on its website, “terrorist groups may choose the anniversary” of the embassy’s move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, “which coincides with the...

US-Israel Relationship

A year after opening the Jerusalem embassy: On the right side of history

On May 14, 2018, the United States finally opened its embassy in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem. In making the courageous decision to take this historic step, President Donald Trump not only fulfilled a 23-year-old mandate from the United States Congress but he also recognized a 3,000-year-old truth that Israel’s enemies have long sought to...

US-Israel Relationship

Texas governor signs amendment to limit scope of state Israel boycott law

(JTA) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation that limits the scope of a law already on the books that bans the state from doing business with Israel boycotters.

The new legislation exempts individuals and businesses valued at less than $100,000 or employing fewer than ten full-time employees from the ban on doing business with companies who...

Hamas

Poland cancels visit of Israeli delegation over property restitution

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Poland cancelled the visit of a delegation of Israeli officials because it did not want to focus the discussion on property restitution.

The visit had been scheduled to start on Monday.

“Poland decided to cancel the visit of Israeli officials after the Israeli side made last minute changes in the composition of the delegation...

Iran

Amid US-Iran tension, Israeli minister fears Tehran ‘may fire rockets at Israel’

Israel’s energy minister, a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warned Sunday that escalating tensions between the US and Iran may lead the Islamic Republic to launch a missile assault against Israel.

“Things are heating up,” Yuval Steinitz told the Ynet news site. “I wouldn’t rule anything out. Iran may fire rockets at Israel.”
...