At AIPAC Conference, Kirk Ahead of the Curve as Defender of Israel -

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) responded to the top priorities the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) announced at its annual policy conference this week. As a staunch defender of Israel, America’s closest ally in the Middle East, Senator Kirk has already taken the following steps to address AIPAC’s most pressing issues, including fully funding U.S-Israeli cooperative missile defense, keeping nuclear weapons out of Iran, and blocking funding for anti-Israel organizations that grant membership to the non-state actor of ‘Palestine.’

“Israel is America’s greatest ally in the Middle East and it is in our national security interest to empower and protect this great nation from those who seek to incite violence and harm those within her borders,” said Senator Kirk. “I have always been a staunch defender of Israel and her people, and will continue to lead the way in Congress with bipartisan solutions that fully fund U.S.-Israeli missile defense cooperation, punish Iran for violating the international nuclear agreement and press those responsible for the ongoing wave of Palestinian terror attacks to end the violence and return to bilateral peace negotiations with the Israeli people.”

AIPAC delegates will urge House and Senate members to support the reauthorization of the Iran Sanctions Act.

Senator Kirk and Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) intro duced the Iran Sanctions Relief Oversight Act of 2015 (S. 1682), to renew the expiring Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 for 10 more years.

AIPAC will also call on House and Senate members to support a tough response—including the imposition of sanctions targeting Iran’s ongoing ballistic missile program—if Iran violates its international obligations.

Last week, Senator Kirk introduced two bills—the Iran Terrorism & Human Rights Sanctions Act of 2016 (S. 2726) and the Iran Ballistic Missile Sanctions Act of 2016 (S. 2725)—to punish Iran for international violations outside the nuclear realm.

AIPAC delegates will also urge members of Congress to oppose efforts to bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to the U.N. and other international bodies.

Last December, Senator Kirk blocked the Administration’s effort to give backdoor U.S. funding to UNESCO , a U.N. organization that lost U.S. funding after its anti-Israel member states granted membership to the non-state-actor of “Palestine.”

AIPAC will call on House and Senate members to support $3.1 billion in security assistance to Israel for FY 17 and support an increase in future aid to Israel to ensure its growing defense needs are met. AIPAC delegates will urge their senators to sign a letter to the president co-authored by Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) supporting a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Israel that includes robust levels of security assistance and the existing terms of aid.

Senator Kirk, as an appropriator, urged the Senate Appropriations Committee to fully fund $3.1 billion in security assistance to Israel for FY 17 . Senator Kirk is worked with Senator Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) to unite 30 Senators in a bipartisan letter urging the committee to fully fund $600 million for U.S.-Israel missile defense cooperation programs.

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