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The Algemeiner reports on the new bill introduced this week by Senator Tom Cotton and 12 co-sponsors, the Taylor Force Martyr Payment Prevention Act:

A group of Republican senators led by Tom Cotton on Monday introduced a bill that would allow the US government to sanction foreign banks using the American financial system to facilitate so-called “martyr payments” to families of Palestinian terrorists.

…The legislation builds on the Taylor Force Act, which was passed with bipartisan support in 2018 to restrict non-humanitarian US aid to the Palestinian Authority if it continues to make payments to security prisoners and their families.

The Republican Jewish Coalition helped gather support for the original Taylor Force Act and encouraged Senators to co-sponsor the current bill. RJC National Chairman Norm Coleman applauded the Cotton bill:

The 2018 Taylor Force Act was an important first step toward ending the Palestinian Authority’s outrageous ‘pay-for-slay’ system that incentivizes deadly terrorist attacks against Israelis and Americans. Senator Cotton's bill will make important progress toward this goal by targeting the financial institutions that facilitate these so-called ‘martyr payments.'

The legislation is sponsored by Cotton and Republican Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Todd Young (R-IN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Mike Braun (R-IN), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Rick Scott (R-FL), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

A one-pager about the bill may be found here. The bill text may be found here.

RJC Political Director Sam Markstein appeared on Newsmax this week to talk about the Democrat Socialists of America (DSA) and their recent attack on Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) because he visited Israel.

Israel Hayom reports:

The Palestinian Authority has frozen its petition to the International Criminal Court at The Hague against the United States for its recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the relocation of the US embassy to the city.

…The ICC initially intended to review the Palestinian petition in June 2021, but two months earlier the PA submitted a request to suspend the proceedings. The ICC said in a report that the PA's request was coordinated with the Biden administration.

…The belief in Israel is that the Palestinians suspended the lawsuit to facilitate the Biden administration's efforts to reopen the Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem. Israeli officials were aware of the suspension, calling it "a technical procedure that can be reversed at any moment."

The Republican Jewish Coalition mourns the passing of Senator Bob Dole, a patriot who served his country for nearly eight decades.

Senator Dole fought for the rights of Soviet Jewish “refuseniks,” those refused permission to emigrate from the Soviet Union. He was among the speakers at the 1986 “Freedom Sunday” rally in Washington, DC that drew some 250,000 people, calling for the Soviet government to allow Soviet Jews to leave the country. Among the people Dole helped in this regard was Natan Sharansky.

JNS quotes RJC Executive Matt Brooks’s comments on Senator Dole’s passing:

Sadly, the passing of Bob Dole marks the passing of an era of political leadership in this country based on patriotism, love of country, honor, decency and a commitment to public service. Bob Dole represented the best that this country has to offer—whether it was on the battlefield in World War II or serving the American people in Congress.

He really was a man of principle; he was a man who stood up for what was right; and above all, he put country above partisanship. That is one of the things that we sorely miss today. There are too many people putting partisanship over country; hopefully, Dole’s legacy will be an example going forward of what we should strive for.

Dole was a patriot, a man of honor, and a friend of Israel and of the Jewish community. We honor his lifetime of public service and mourn his passing..

The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) is seeking an Outreach Associate to assist with the accelerated growth of membership and to support programming and events in California. Candidates must be organized, motivated, and detail-oriented. This position is based in Los Angeles, CA.

For details about the position and how to apply, click here.

Here’s why Israel designated six Palestinian charities as terror groups

Adam Kredo at the Washington Free Beacon follows up on a story from October, when Israel designated six Palestinian charities as part of a terrorism network. He examined a confidential dossier produced in May and circulated within the top echelons of the Israeli government that makes the case that the charities have been effectively hijacked by a radical terrorist group responsible for dozens of hijackings and murders.

The turn

Liel Leibovitz writes at Tablet Magazine about “the turn” in his political life, as the Democratic Party has moved away from the values he once held. He describes a transition many Jewish Democrats have undergone, writing: “If you’ve felt yourself unable to speak your mind, if you have a queasy feeling that your friends might disown you if you shared your most intimately held concerns... I am sorry to inform you that The Turn is upon you.…So look at the list of things supported by the left and ask yourself: Is that me? If the answer is yes, great. You’ve found a home. If the answer is no, don’t let yourself be defined by an empty word. Get out.”

CAIR director and former Women’s March leader calls pro-Israel group ‘enemies’

The Council on American-Islamic Relations's Bay Area director called pro-Israel Jewish groups and synagogues "enemies" that "are working to harm you" in a speech to a Muslim-American conference in November. Zahra Billoo, CAIR's San Francisco executive director, urged the audience to oppose "the polite Zionists, the ones that say, ‘Let's just break bread together.'" She singled out "Zionist synagogues," campus Hillel groups, and even liberal-leaning Jewish groups such as the Anti-Defamation League as "enemies."

Last surviving ‘Band Of Brothers’ officer dies at 99

The last surviving member of the “Band of Brothers”, Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, has died at the age of 99. Edward Shames was a Jewish soldier from Virginia who took part in some of the most important battles of World War II. After the Germans surrendered, he “appropriated" several bottles of cognac from Adolph Hitler’s famed Eagle’s Nest retreat – which he later used to toast his eldest son’s bar mitzvah.

Watch Now: Replay of Past Virtual Events

You can see recordings of many past RJC virtual events. Go to the RJC homepage and scroll down to the "RJC Live" section. There's a drop-down menu there to select the video you want to see.

RJC staff have returned to their offices for in-person work. Contact information for our offices can be found on our web site. Please visit us online for the latest RJC news, to see details of upcoming events, and to donate to the RJC. Read past editions of this newsletter here.