Since the conclusion of the Operation Rising Lion and the American attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the Middle East has changed even more than we could have fathomed even a few years ago. Nonetheless, freedom’s enemies are down but not out. Moreover, as all these world-changing events have been taking place, CUFI held its annual Washington Summit and Prime Minister Netanyahu visited Washington. Let’s get into it.

A Ceasefire?

Hamas has been defeated as a military entity, but that has not prevented the terrorist group from launching attacks against Israelis both inside and outside Gaza. This past week, five Israeli soldiers were killed and another 14 wounded in a relatively sophisticated Palestinian terror attack in northern Gaza. Likewise, in recent weeks, we have seen occasional rockets fired from the Strip.

This is the backdrop for the meetings that were held this week in Washington as Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump sat down to try to find a way to get Hamas to play ball.

The fundamental problem is that what’s left of Hamas still stubbornly refuses to let go of the fiction that one day their terrorist organization will rise again. Spoiler alert: it won’t.

After hearing from several former hostages and/or their families, survivors of the 10/7 Massacre and relatives of the fallen during the CUFI Summit, we understand even more clearly the horrors the hostages face and the depths of the adversary’s depravity.

CUFI Summit

As such, seeing the hostages return home to their loved ones remains CUFI’s (and Jerusalem’s) top priority. And the war will not end until every hostage comes home. In addition, we remain focused on the evermore sickening displays of antisemitism that we see here in the United States.

Among the leading voices of Jew-hatred in our country are the isolationists that consistently try (and generally fail) to sway American foreign policy away from standing with Israel.  Like their allies on the left, they launder their bigotry using buzzwords and concepts with which we all agree (e.g. freedom of speech), but in truth, they foolishly wish to see America retreat from the world and  - for no reason at all – blame the Jewish people for America’s refusal to be a dormant observer on the world’s stage.

We don’t want to be dormant. We want to act. And we made that clear to our leaders in Washington when several thousand CUFI activists traveled to our nation’s capital and spoke with one resounding voice in defense of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

As a result of CUFI’s consistent messaging in support of Israel, the isolationists have seen one defeat after another within the Trump administration. President Trump is clearly not an isolationist, and there are a number of individuals in his administration who should recognize that fact and act accordingly (or find a new place to work).

Iran Sanctions

As we noted at the top of this missive, Israel’s adversaries are down but not out, and chief among them remains Iran. Tehran’s nuclear program has been set back years and their efforts to build up proxy terrorist groups have been set back by decades. But we cannot rest on our laurels or pretend as if the threat has been completely neutralized.

The rulers of Iran have not changed their nature. In fact, they’ve already been cracking down on minorities within their own country in an effort to further solidify their hold on power.

During the Summit, CUFI delegates lobbied in support of the Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act. This legislation, coupled with the steps the Trump administration has been taking in the days since CUFI was in Washington, is vital to ensuring Tehran cannot rearm, resupply, and rebuild its nuclear and terrorist infrastructure. The U.S. must exhibit strong diplomacy in the coming days and weeks, if we are to realize the long-term military gains of the recent action against Iran.

Washington should not let off the gas. As Pastor Hagee noted in his remarks at Summit, regime change through domestic revolution is the only peaceful and acceptable path forward in Iran. And we’re going to be fighting for the policies that will make that happen and safeguard the U.S.-Israel relationship for decades to come. We look forward to seeing you on the field.

Sincerely,

The CUFI Action Fund Team