PHILADELPHIA – July 13, 2023 – Middle East Forum leaders yesterday joined Knesset members from both the ruling coalition and opposition, Israeli government ministers and security officials, and members of the U.S. Congress in re-launching the Knesset Israel Victory Caucus (KIVC) in Israel’s 25th Knesset, and calling for new strategies to defeat Israel’s enemies.
The Forum presented KIVC co-chairs MK Ohad Tal (Religious Zionism) and MK Evgeny Sova (Yisrael Beitenu) with its Gaza Victory plan, a major policy paper authored by Brigadier General (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser that challenges Israel’s passive “mow the lawn” Gaza policy and lays out a plan for Israel Victory via military, economic, and cultural initiatives. The Caucus will focus its efforts on implementing the plan.
“In today’s reality, it is time to talk about victory,” said National Missions Minister Orit Struck. “For too long we have talked about managing [the conflict]. It is time for our country to focus on victory and defeating our enemies.”
“We used to know how to win,” said MK Tal. “Unfortunately, Israel’s mentality has changed since the Oslo Accords. We stopped demanding of ourselves to win. But wars only end with a winner and a loser, and we need to stop acting like our existence here is in doubt.”
“There should be no difference between the coalition and opposition on this issue,” said MK Sova. “The moment this issue will be debated in the Knesset committees, you will find the full support of the opposition.”
“There can be no peace until Israel’s enemies acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state,” said Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) by video. “I appreciate the commitment of the Middle East Forum and the Knesset Israel Victory Caucus toward these goals.” Added Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN): “I congratulate the strong Knesset Israel Victory Caucus and let them know support for the Jewish state is stronger than ever in the United States.”
“A recent survey found that 66 percent of Palestinians believe Israel will not celebrate its 100th anniversary,” said Forum director Gregg Roman. “The Palestinians see Israel as weak, transient, and, above all, easy to defeat. For Israel to end terrorism and achieve victory, it must show the Palestinians, in actions and deeds, that Israel is strong, robust, and enduring. Israel must break its enemies’ will to carry on fighting by forcing them to accept that they can never destroy Israel.”
The Middle East Forum promotes American interests in the region and protects Western civilization from Islamism. It does so through a combination of original ideas, focused activism, and the funding of allies.
The Forum’s Israel Victory Project seeks an Israel Victory over the Palestinians to end the Arab-Israel conflict: peace for Israel and advancement for Palestinian society.
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For more information, contact:
Gregg Roman
Roman@MEForum.org
+1 (215) 546 5406
@GreggRoman - Twitter
