July 24, 2018 / JNS) In addition to showcasing a major pro-Israel constituency, Christians United for Israel’s 13th annual summit, which took place from July 23-24, emphasized the contrast between the current White House administration and previous ones, with Israel’s ambassador to the United States hailing U.S. President Donald Trump as the best ally Israel has ever had.
“Over the decades, Israel has been blessed with strong supporters in Congress on both sides of the aisle. We have been blessed with presidents, Democrat and Republican alike, who were steadfast friends of Israel,” Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer said in front of a packed, energetic and flag-waving crowd in Washington on Monday. “We have been blessed with Cabinet secretaries and senior officials who were stalwart champions of the U.S.-Israel alliance.”a“But there has never been a U.S. administration more supportive of Israel than the Trump administration—frankly, it is not even close,” continued Dermer. “From President Trump to Vice President [Mike] Pence to Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo, from [National Security Adviser] Ambassador [John] Bolton to [U.S.] Ambassador [to the United Nations Nikki] Haley to [U.S.] Ambassador [to Israel David] Friedman, from [Senior Adviser to the President] Jared Kushner to [Middle East envoy] Jason Greenblatt to Sarah Sanders, this is an administration that sees Israel as an ally and that treats Israel as an ally.”
The Iranian regional and nuclear threat, America’s moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and defunding U.S. assistance to the Palestinian Authority were the main issues addressed by Dermer and other speakers at the event, which was attended by approximately 5,000 people, according to CUFI co-executive director Shari Dollinger.
Other speakers on Monday included Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (live through satellite), retired British Col. Richard Kemp and Haley.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu streams words of gratitude to CUFI supporters at the 13th annual CUFI summit, held from July 23-24, 2018. Screenshot: YouTube.
Haley, who was presented with CUFI’s “Defender of Israel” award, elicited the loudest cheers from the crowd for her defense of Israel at the United Nations, which Dermer denounced for its anti-Israel bias.
“Washington may be a swamp, but the U.N. is a cesspool—a cesspool of anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism,” he said.
Haley joined the chorus and, as she has done at the United Nations itself, constantly denouncing the organization for its rejection of the embassy move, its condemnation of Israel’s reaction to violent Hamas protests along the Gaza border and for the makeup of the Human Rights Council, with countries including Sudan and Venezuela, which notoriously violate human rights. The United States withdrew from the UNHRC in June.
“The United States will not just block the anti-Israel measures, we will shine a light on those that are responsible,” said Haley. “There won’t be any free passes for those who bully Israel at the U.N.”
“Sometimes, we are winning at the U.N. through persuasion,” she added. “But there are other times when we just have to say, ‘Enough is enough.’”
‘We’re going to consider them agents of terrorism’
Stuart Force, whose son Taylor Force, 28, was murdered in Tel Aviv by Palestinian terrorists in 2016, also spoke at the summit.
Taylor Force’s death prompted the passage last March of the Taylor Force Act, which was signed by the president as part of the $1.3 trillion omnibus bill. The measure defunds most U.S. assistance to the Palestinian Authority for rewarding terrorists and their families—a longtime policy known as “pay to slay.”
Tuesday’s speakers included Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Also at the podium were Reps. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.).
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