CUFI annual summit downsizes while doubling down on standing with Israel

Pray for the well-being of Yerushalayim; “May those who love you be at peace. Psalms 122:6

Christians United for Israel (CUFI), the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States held its annual summit in Dallas last weekend. Though the summit was much smaller than usual, the organization vowed a “no-daylight” policy when it comes to standing with Israel.

Sandra Hagee Parker, chair of the CUFI Action Fund, emphasized the growing need for supporting Israel.

“I think all of us had shock and awe,” she said, referring to the May conflict between Hamas and Israel, noting “the increase in violence targeting Jews on the streets of the United State of America. These are things that we’ve maybe only been used to seeing in the Middle East or unfortunately Europe.”

Parker quoted her father, Pastor John Hagee, the founder of CUFI.

“Pastor Hagee has said before, ‘If there’s a line to be drawn, then draw it around Christians and Jews together. We’re going to be standing shoulder-to-shoulder and there’s no room for daylight to separate us,’ 

“Christians have supported every Israeli leader since [first Prime Minister David] Ben-Gurion, and that will not change,” said Parker. “Shame on anybody for thinking that our power comes from an administration comes from a person, comes from a party,” she said.

“If that was the truth, then what we do isn’t worth [a thing],” she said to applause from the audience. “Because if a man or a party can give us our power, then a man or a party can take away our power. And what we do because of a biblical mandate, and our God is the source of our power.”

“We will support Israel, and we will continue to confront antisemitism in all its forms wherever it can be found – in the schoolhouse, in the church house, in your house, in the White House – it doesn’t matter,” said Parker. “Our support for Israel has no bounds, has no jurisdiction. We go where the fight is. If it’s in politics, we’re there; if it’s on campus, our students are there. If it’s on social media, our employees are there.”

Israel Foreign Minister Yair Lapid addressed the summit via a recorded video message.

“Israel has a new government, but the country is the same. The land of history and modernity, the land of faith and science. Where our prophets walked, where our story began, the land that flows with milk and honey.”

“Our new government represents all of Israel, and more importantly works for all of Israel. Religious and secular, Right and Left, Jewish and Arab, men and women, those who think like us and those who don’t, those who voted for us and those who didn’t – it’s a government that puts people before politics. A government that refuses to see public life as a zero-sum game.”

Lapid said the government is “proud of our Jewish heritage and Jewish identity, and equally proud of our democracy and our commitment to liberty and freedom.”

Most importantly, Lapid said the country is grateful for not making comparisons between Israel and terrorist organization that launched more than 4,000 rockets towards Israeli population centers in May.

“Our new government has made its policy clear. We will use as much force as necessary to strike back against terrorists and do whatever we can to minimize the impact on innocent civilians,” said Lapid.

“Israel faces challenges on all fronts—from Hamas in the south to Hezbollah in the north, from Iranian-backed militias in Syria to Iranian scientists developing their nuclear program in Iran. We will face all these challenges head-on alongside our friends … ,” said Lapid. “But the challenges won’t define us. Israel is, at its core, an optimistic story. It is a story of success against all odds and the story continues today.”

The CUFI summit is normally held in Washington DC, attracting up to 5,000 attendees. This year’s invitation-only event brought about 700 people to Dallas, Texas last weekend.