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RJC National Chairman Norm Coleman, a former US Senator from Minnesota, was among the featured speakers at the “No Fear” rally against antisemitism in Washington, DC, last Sunday. He took the stage alongside the chairman of the Jewish Democratic Council, Ron Klein, a former US Congressman from Florida. As the JTA reports, having these two leaders together at the rally was significant: 

In interviews, Klein and Coleman said they saw value in [rally organizer Elisha] Wiesel’s point about uniting in the face of a common threat.

“Democrats and Republicans should be doing what we can to end the scourge of antisemitism, to slow it where it’s growing,” Coleman said.

Klein called the rally “a show of common interest.” Like Coleman, he said that each party should be responsible for calling out antisemitism in its ranks. “Political parties are no different than anyone else, we have to make sure antisemitism is stifled and not the norm in the United States,” he said.

Sen. Coleman emphasized those ideas in his remarks, saying in part:

Antisemitism is an evil is not confined to one time, one place, or one ideology. It is woven out of lies about Jews and our history and feeds on hatred, fear, and jealousy.

… The RJC and the Jewish Democratic Council have major policy differences - Ron, we continue to believe the Iran nuclear deal is bad for Israel and the US - but we are united in the belief that each of us has a responsibility to call out antisemitism in the political arena-whether it is in our own Party or if it rears its ugly head on the other side of the aisle.

… Antisemitism is not just a Republican problem or a Democrat problem, and Republicans and Democrats share common interest in calling it out wherever we see it, even if it’s in our own backyard. In these sharply divided partisan times, I am comforted by the reality, reflected in Rep. Klein and I standing here together today, that the fight against antisemitism bridges the political divide. United we stand, divided we fall!

You can see the full rally video here. Sen. Coleman’s remarks start at the 1:23:28 mark.

On Sunday, people in Cuba took to the streets to protest against the communist dictatorship that has been in power there for 62 years. Some waved the American flag, the symbol of freedom and democracy.

We stand with the people of Cuba. 

Further reading: Cuban Regime’s Biggest Defenders in Congress Silent on Pro-Democracy Protests

President Joe Biden's administration continues to hand Iran concessions while the mullah’s regime threatens and attacks American interests and American citizens. It’s a sadly – and dangerously – dysfunctional relationship.

Adam Kredo at the Washington Free Beacon reports: 

The State Department informed Congress late Tuesday that it would waive sanctions on Iran's illicit oil trade so that the country can access frozen funds from South Korea and Japan, the same day the Department of Justice announced charges on an Iranian spy network that sought to kidnap an American.

Read more about the plot to kidnap dissident journalist Masih Alinejad from New York here. 

At National Review, Jim Geraghty reminds us that Iran is still “biting the Biden administration’s outstretched hand.” He offers a long list of malign acts by Iran, including inciting Iraqi Shiite militias to attack US targets in that country. Geraghy notes: 

When the Iranians take actions such as those, the Biden administration looks foolish for removing Iranian oil-company officials from financial blacklists, lifting sanctions on Iranian energy companies, and contemplating lifting sanctions on Iran’s ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Why are we making life easier for a regime that keeps trying to kill or otherwise harm our citizens and our allies?

Further reading: Elliott Abrams writes that President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran was succeeding. 

‘Just the beginning’: UAE opens Tel Aviv embassy as sides hail ties

The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday formally inaugurated its embassy in Israel, capping a process that began with an agreement to normalize diplomatic relations nearly a year ago. The new UAE mission is housed in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange building, which hosted a ceremony Wednesday to open the embassy as new Israeli President Isaac Herzog looked on.

Solidarity with ‘Palestine’ means Kalashnikovs for kids

A.J. Caschetta writes at National Review about the Gaza summer camps run by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), where children are trained to become terrorists.

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