This past week, the Action Fund was focused on confronting two seemingly perennial enemies: the radical regime in Iran and the rising tide of anti-Semitism. The global pandemic, it would appear, has not softened the hearts of those who hate the Jewish people or the Jewish state.
Tehran Wants Cash
It should come as little surprise to even casual observers of the Middle East that Iran is attempting to use the global pandemic as an excuse for raising funds. Likewise, it should shock no one that among the voices seeking to aid the Islamic Republic in this endeavor are none other than Amb. Wendy Sherman, the lead negotiator for Pres. Obama’s Iran nuclear deal, and Chuck Hagel who served as President Obama’s Secretary of Defense (for a time) while the deal was being negotiated.
Last week, the Action Fund’s Chairwoman, Sandra Parker, penned an op-ed in the Washington Examiner in which she explained the flawed thinking associated with relieving sanctions on Iran as a result of COVID-19. Specifically, Parker reminded readers that there already exist humanitarian carve-outs in the sanctions regime and that the Iranian regime already stole $1 billion in European aid intended to help fight the virus.
“The problem is not that Iran is short on cash to fight the pandemic. The problem, at least from the regime’s perspective, is that U.S. sanctions are inhibiting the regime’s ability to support terror, advance its nuclear program, and oppress the Iranian people into submission all at once. For the regime, which cares nothing for the Iranian people, the COVID-19 pandemic is their big chance to cash in on Western naivete,” Parker wrote.
Tehran Wants Weapons
Iranian foreign policy is driven by the principles of the Islamic Revolution. Tehran seeks to spread this revolution through violence and mayhem. This is not a matter for debate. It is evident in the regime’s words and deeds; they’re actually quite proud of it. So regardless if one finds themselves in an eastern or western capital, we should at least be able to agree on one thing: selling Iran weapons is bad for everyone.
Nonetheless, many world powers seem hardly concerned that in October the UN arms embargo against the world’s leading sponsor of terror will expire. But the Action Fund is, and Congress is too.
We are extremely grateful to the overwhelming majority of House Members who signed onto a letter to Secretary of State Pompeo “to urge increased diplomatic action by the United States to renew the expiring United Nations arms embargo against Iran and United Nations travel restrictions on those Iranian individuals involved with dangerous proliferation activities.”
We in particular would like to thank Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, Ranking Member Michael McCaul, Rep. Stephanie Murphy and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick for their leadership on this issue.
Combatting Anti-Semitism
Last year, before the outbreak of COVID-19, we had already been seeing a dramatic rise in anti-Semitic incidents. Since the pandemic, this scourge is increasing at an even more rapid pace. Recognizing the need to combat this evil, the CUFI Action Fund joined with a number of pro-Israel organizations in supporting a letter from a bipartisan group of senators calling upon the Chair and Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs to provide additional funds to the 2021 fiscal year budget for the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism.
According to the letter, “Providing additional funds in FY 2021 will ensure the State Department has the resources needed to track and respond to this growing scourge and that the United States remains a leader in combating anti-Semitism internationally. Specifically, these funds would support the Special Envoy’s efforts to improve the safety and security of at-risk Jewish communities, combat online radicalization, ensure public officials and faith leaders condemn anti-Semitic discourse, and strengthen judicial systems in their prosecution of anti-Semitic incidents.”
The CUFI Action Fund is committed to ensuring America’s Christian Zionists have a unified voice aimed at supporting the US-Israel relationship, combatting anti-Semitism and confronting anti-Semites – at home and abroad. If the issues we raised in today’s and previous emails concern you, one of the best ways to support our efforts is to ensure your voice is heard. Though we will not be gathered in Washington this year, we hope you can join the CUFI Virtual Summit, and participate in the digital lobbying effort we are planning for June 30th.
Sincerely,
PS The Senate is back in session this week, and we are thrilled to report that the Never Again Education Act now has 74 cosponsors. When the Senate went out of session, we had just 56, and we are extremely grateful to the CUFI members who contacted their senators to so dramatically increase the level of support this bill has in the Senate.
In case you’re interested, here are the senators not yet signed onto the bill (if you’d like to give them a call, feel free!): Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Mike Braun (R-IN), Richard Burr (R-NC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Michael Enzi (R-WY), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), James Inhofe (R-OK), Ron Johnson (R-WI), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Tim Scott (R-SC), Richard Shelby (R-AL), John Thune (R-SD), and Patrick Toomey (R-PA).
