Issue Position: Israel

Issue Position

The United States and Israel have an unshakable bond grounded in shared democratic and liberal values and common security interests. Stephanie is proud that America has long been Israel's most dependable global ally, from President Truman's recognition of the nascent Jewish state in 1948 and the U.S. military resupply during the 1973 Yom Kippur War to more recent efforts to broker peace between Israel and her neighbors. Our alliance continues to serve as a force of stability in a troubled region, which is why as a member of Congress Stephanie will promote the use of all the tools of U.S. power -- diplomacy, economic assistance, and security cooperation -- to deepen this strategic partnership and continue the U.S. tradition of leadership in Middle East.

As a former national security specialist in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Stephanie understands how we can both expand the military partnership that keeps our countries safer while deepening the less visible foundations of a relationship based on a common worldview through regular high-level engagements and strategic planning. As a Member of Congress, Stephanie will visit Israel during her first term in office to identify new opportunities for cooperation between our two nations. She has pledged to maintain an open-door policy with community leaders as she engages on these critical issues.

Israeli Security

Stephanie will fight in Congress to preserve Israel's qualitative military edge (QME) by ensuring that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have the tools they need to deter and defend Israel against the full spectrum of traditional and unconventional threats. Israel, like all countries, has the right to self-defense and must remain prepared to defend itself by itself. In Congress, she will promote continued support for Israeli missile defense while exploring opportunities to expand security cooperation in other complex domains like counter-tunneling and cyberspace. In addition to defending Israel on the battlefield, she will also oppose and call out anti-Israeli bias and double standards in relevant United Nations bodies and other international institutions.

Two-State Solution

The United States and Israel have long shared a vision and strategic interest of an Israel at peace with her neighbors, enjoying the secure, recognized, and permanent borders that only peace can bring. Indeed, as countless members of Israel's national security establishment have acknowledged, failing to reach a deal constitutes an existential threat to Israeli security.

Israel's long term security and its Jewish and democratic identity are best guaranteed through a two-state solution with the Palestinians. Stephanie firmly supports a two-state solution with a strong, secure state of Israel alongside a future Palestinian state. U.S. leadership is indispensable to any viable agreement between Israelis and Palestinians. A solution, however, cannot be imposed from the outside, and Stephanie will oppose unilateral efforts to circumvent negotiations between the two parties through the United Nations.

Foreign Aid

Foreign aid to Israel is a strategic investment that promotes American interests in the Middle East and facilitates vital cooperation between our two countries. In Congress, Stephanie will support robust aid to Israel in order to preserve Israel's QME. Though we face a difficult budgetary environment, our support to Israel serves critical U.S. interests by demonstrating our steadfast support to a vital ally, helping Israel improve its defenses in a rapidly changing threat environment, and developing foreign markets while creating jobs at home. Stephanie is encouraged by the constructive cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian security officials in the West Bank. Stephanie will therefore support continued U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority in order to preserve the state-building and security efforts in the West Bank that serve the interests of all parties involved, including, according to the Israel's security services, by helping to counter terror

Regional Security

Iran is a leading state sponsor of terror, and, through its proxies, has carried out attacks against U.S. and Israeli citizens. That is why the United States must not allow the regime in Tehran to acquire a nuclear weapon. The United States must vigorously enforce the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action through a policy of distrust and verify, taking advantage of the unprecedented verification measures in the agreement while keeping all options on the table to respond to noncompliance. The complete, unobstructed implementation of the JCPOA will be a top priority of mine in Congress. We must also continue our efforts to aggressively counter Iran's malign influence throughout the region, including its threats against Israel and other regional allies.

Meanwhile, the civil war in Syria and the proliferation of armed extremist groups in the region--from ISIS in Syria, Iraq, and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula to Hezbollah in Lebanon and Palestinian terrorist organizations like Hamas--pose serious threats to U.S. interests and Israeli security. Many of these groups can target Israeli civilians and critical infrastructure while operating from civilian areas themselves in an effort to delegitimize military action against them. In addition to preserving Israel's QME and promoting her right to defend herself, Stephanie will also strengthen U.S. partnerships in the region to defeat these threats and advance the common interest of countering violent extremism, instability, and terror.

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