The Christians United for Israel (CUFI) Action Fund announced on Monday that it opposes an amendment by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) to the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2021, which would prohibit Israel from using U.S. security-assistance funds for extending sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria.
CUFI Action Fund chairwoman Sandra Parker said in a statement that the proposed amendment “would endanger Israelis and Palestinians who both rely on Israel having the necessary operational freedom to protect against terrorist activities in the West Bank.”
She said that by limiting systems such as the Iron Dome from being deployed there, this legislative language would only “ensure that any future military conflict in the area would result in a much bloodier confrontation.”
“Despite focusing this amendment on the discussion over the extension of Israeli sovereignty to Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria,” she went on, “Senator Van Hollen and several of the amendment’s backers seem to consistently find a reason to undermine key elements of American support for the Jewish state. This amendment should never see the president’s desk, but it is very unfortunate that a small but vocal minority in Congress feel the need to seemingly seek out opportunities to attack our strongest ally in the world.”
Van Hollen was joined in filing the amendment by Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).
“I am a strong supporter of robust security assistance to our friend and ally Israel, including the Memorandum of Understanding forged by [former U.S] President [Barack] Obama, providing $3.8 billion in annual Foreign Military Financing and missile defense support,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “However, I oppose the use of any of these funds to support the unilateral annexation of Palestinian territories by Israel.”
