[link removed]

In this week’s edition of the Action Update, we’re going to examine the latest developments concerning Gaza and the newly announced Board of Peace and look at the regime in Damascus now that they’ve had some time to settle in, but first, a very brief update on Iran.

Estimates of Iranian nationals murdered by the regime range considerably with some reaching as high as 20,000. In fact, even the rulers in Tehran have acknowledged at least 5,000 killed.

Moreover, reports indicate that at least one soldier is set to be killed by the government for refusing to shoot protestors indicating further that the regime is willing to kill untold innocents to stay in power. As we’ve been saying for weeks: the people are one piece of the puzzle, but at the end of the day, someone, an Iranian with power, must step up, take the risk, and end the tyranny.

**On Gaza**

In recent days U.S. officials announced the advancement of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement (though Hamas has yet to return the remains of the last hostage or disarm) and included in the announcement, the list of members of the Executive Board which will oversee the efforts to de-terrorize and rebuild Gaza.

Unfortunately, the list included officials from Turkey and Qatar; the same Turkey and Qatar that host Hamas leaders, provide Hamas funding, and are, therefore, state sponsors of terrorism.

Jerusalem was not consulted on any of this, and a senior member of the President’s team appears to believe s/he can steamroll the Israelis.

Referring to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu this anonymous “senior U.S. official,” said, “This is our show, not his show…If he wants us to deal with Gaza, it will have to be our way.”

This senior official is very mistaken. As Netanyahu made clear, there will be no Qatari or Turkish troops in Gaza, and neither state will have any influence over events there.

When it comes to Israeli security, the buck does not stop with an anonymous “senior U.S. official;” the buck stops with the democratically elected leader of the Jewish state.

In any case, the Board of Peace that is planned to oversee this Executive Board seems to be less concerned with Gaza than with the world writ large.

The charter for the Board of Peace does not mention Gaza or Israel. And when asked, President Trump had this to say about the Board of Peace replacing the United Nations, “It might… The UN just hasn’t been very helpful. I’m a big fan of the UN potential, but it has never lived up to its potential.”

CUFI founder and Chairman Pastor John Hagee has, on more than one occasion, referred to the UN as a “political brothel,” so we think President Trump’s comments about the wayward international body are fair (if a bit diplomatic).

Where this leaves things in Gaza depends upon how the world responds to the President’s actions, but by and large we believe that you can count on the traditional actors to play their traditional roles.

**On Syria**

Speaking of leopards never losing their spots, here’s a tip: if someone was ever a member of Al-Qaeda, don’t trust them when it comes to dealing with Al-Qaeda’s more extremist progeny, ISIS. In Syria it seems, the world’s policy is presently the opposite.

Look, we’re not going to say

**I told you so**, because that would be cliché…. But, twenty-four hours after the Kurdish led, formerly U.S.-backed, Syrian Democratic Forces struck a deal with Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Damascus apparently resumed attacks against the Kurds.

During the fighting, at least 100 - and potentially over 1,000 - ISIS prisoners escaped SDF control. The SDF houses some 4-5,000 ISIS detainees, and apparently the radical Islamist in a suit leading Syria would prefer the SDF not exist, let alone hold radical Islamist terrorists in its prisons.

The U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack has urged the SDF to effectively integrate into the Syrian army. Were that it so simple…

Damascus is led by an Islamist, and the military he commands is filled with a wide range of radicals – all of which would happily and brutally target Druze and Kurdish communities (and many of which already have).

From Tehran to Damascus, pragmatic deals cannot be made with extremists. Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past by leasing short-term pseudo-stability in Syria at the cost of minorities’ lives and long-term stability in the region. Western powers have made that mistake enough times in the Middle East.

**In Washington**

Speaking of Western powers, the leaders of the free world did some good this past week, advancing $3.3 billion in American investment in the U.S. – Israel relationship through the House of Representatives as part of a minibus spending package. In the next week or so, the full package ($3.3 Billion in military assistance + $500M in missile defense funding) will be on the President’s desk.

We’d like to take this opportunity to both thank those who worked tirelessly to advance these measures, and to remind anyone who needs it, of the numerous advantages associated with the U.S.-Israel alliance:

America’s investment in Israel is (literally) a fraction of a one percent of the federal budget. In return for this, the U.S. has a forever ally in the Middle East (a rather troubled region), that sits at the forefront of the war against the spread of radical Islamist imperialism (be it Shia or Sunni). And the vast majority of this investment comes right back to the U.S. as Israeli foreign military purchases are overwhelmingly made in the USA. 

Most people don’t need to hear this. Most people recognize that standing with the only democracy in the Middle East helps defend democracy at home and around the world. And most Americans? Well, if they’re Believers, they stand with Israel because such is God’s Will, but if not, they should stand with Israel because it is the single greatest foreign investment we can make in American safety and security.

Sincerely,

The CUFI Action Fund Team

SUPPORT CUFI ACTION FUND [link removed]

Sent to: [email protected]

Unsubscribe [link removed]

CUFI Action Fund, 2000 Duke Street Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314, United States