“The proposed conference will present the unshakeable alliance between the U.S. and Israel,”  says Marc Zell, chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel.

By Yori Yalon, Israel Hayom via JNS

For the first time, representatives of the Republican Party living outside the United States plan on convening an international conference in Jerusalem.

Marc Zell, an Israeli-American lawyer and the chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel, sent Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion a letter saying that, among other things, the conference is expected to focus on diplomatic issues and that organizers intend to invite representatives of the Trump administration.

“This is expected to be the first international conference of its sort, and we can’t think of a better place to hold it than Jerusalem,” Zell wrote in the letter. “The proposed conference will present the unshakeable alliance between the U.S. and Israel.”

Speaking to Israel Hayom, Zell said: “The decision to convene the conference in Jerusalem is a direct continuation of U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration of recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving the U.S. Embassy to [the city], decisions which were greatly appreciated among millions in the United States.

“The date chosen for the conference, in October of 2019, falls near the onset of the U.S. presidential campaign,” for which elections will be held in 2020.

“We’ve received positive initial indicators. We are very hopeful about holding this conference, but it also depends on other factors,” said Zell.

Zell met earlier this week with Lion and Deputy Mayor Haim Cohen, in which Lion expressed a desire to host the conference in the capital.

The international convention comprises representatives of the Republican Party living in 62 countries outside the United States.

“The city of Jerusalem and I would be honored to host the international Republican convention in Jerusalem, the unified capital of Israel,” said Lion. “The United States is an old and true friend and holding the conference for the first time in history within the borders of the State of Israel is truly good tiding.”

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Vice President of Republicans Overseas Marc Zell and J Street Israel Director Yael Patir square off on whether U.S. Jews are pro-Israel and other topics.

The post WATCH: Debate – Do US Jews stand with Israel? appeared first on World Israel News.

Marc Zell says the Republicans’ stronger hold on the Senate is more important than the Democratic success in flipping the House.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

In an interview with Arutz 7 Wednesday following the results of Tuesday’s mid-term elections in the United States, Chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel Marc Zell declared victory for President Donald Trump.

Although the Democrats managed to recapture the House of Representatives, they did not improve their position in the Senate and are even set to lose ground there, as the Republicans have a lock on 51 seats and are predicted to pick up at least a few of the yet-to-be-decided states of Arizona, Montana, Florida and Mississippi.

A runoff election will be held on November 27 for the undecided states where neither candidate won an outright majority.

Zell called the split between the House and the Senate “a tie of sorts, since there are mixed results,” pointing to what he sees as two advantages.

The Republicans’ “increased stability” in the Senate will make it easier for the administration to push through cabinet and judicial nominees, including to the Supreme Court, as well as forging treaties with foreign governments, which is all approved by the Upper House, Zell noted.

Giving the president a ‘scapegoat’

Having a Democratic House, he continued, will give the president a “scapegoat.”

“If the Democrats do not cooperate and attack him as they threaten to do, he will blame them and that will help him in the presidential campaign of 2020. So this really was a victory for all intents and purposes, as [Trump] said,” Zell said.

Asked if control of the House could nevertheless present trouble for Trump in the form of investigations or even an impeachment attempt, the 65-year-old Israeli-American brushed the concern aside.

“If they do this, it will cost them dearly,” he stated. “History teaches that when the opposition does it, like the Republicans tried [impeaching] Clinton in ’98, it boomeranged and caused the Republicans a big loss in the ’98 midterms. So Donald Trump will be very happy if they try such a thing.”

Zell, a long-time resident of Gush Etzion, said the Senate victory shows that most Americans are behind the president.

“The enthusiasm among his base was even stronger than in 2016,” he said, although he did acknowledge warning signs from certain suburbs known as Republican strongholds that flipped to blue this time around. In his opinion, however, “the way the Republicans are situated for the next round is really good, and we can use it to our advantage to re-elect President Trump” in two years’ time.”

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Marc Zell, head of Republicans Overseas Israel, told Arutz Sheva, “Whatever Israel deems important for its own security and future, this will be acceptable to the US… The American embassy will finally be in Jerusalem.”

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