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Pompeo: ‘US is strengthening relationship with Israel’

Secretary of State tells Christians United For Israel conference that Israel is a “major asset” for America, reaffirms U.S. commitment to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons.

By World Israel News Staff

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reaffirmed the America’s support for Israel on Tuesday. The U.S. considers Israel to be a “major asset” to the American people, he said.

Speaking to the Christians United For Israel (CUFI) annual summit, which was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic, Pompeo praised the U.S.-Israel relationship and said the Trump administration was working to make it stronger.

“Israel is one of America’s most trusted partners and a major asset for the security of America’s people,” Pompeo said. “This administration is strengthening its partnership with Israel.”

With growing concerns over the expiration in October of the international arms embargo against Iran, the secretary reiterated America’s resolve to counter the Iranian threat, as well as legal warfare being waged against both Israel and the United States on the international stage.

“We’re making sure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon,” Pompeo said. “We’re condemning the International Criminal Court’s politically motivated attacks on Israel and American service members.”

Pompeo got personal as well, sharing some anecdotes about how Israel influenced him growing up as a Christian and also as an officer cadet in the U.S. Army during his training at West Point.

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“Israel’s story is part of my story too,” Pompeo said, recalling that as part of his army education he studied Israeli military history and put it into practice himself.

“Israel’s famous tank victories in the Yom Kipur war taught me valuable lessons for leading my own tank unit patrolling the Iron Curtain,” Pompeo said.

“When I first visited the Holy Land decades ago as a private citizen I experienced a transcendent connection walking in places I had heard about in church and read about in the bible all my life.”

Another guest at the CUFI conference was former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, who is considered a presidential contender in 2024. Haley described her efforts at the UN to get the international body to stop automatically condemning Israel.

“Israel shares our values and is the only true democracy in the Middle East,” Haley said. “But most importantly, you know this indisputable fact – you can’t destroy what God has blessed.”