CBN News: US Lawmakers, Israeli Knesset Members Celebrate Jerusalem Day on Capitol Hill

JERUSALEM, Israel – U.S. lawmakers, Israeli officials, and Christian and Jewish leaders celebrated Jerusalem Day Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Jerusalem Day marks the anniversary of Israel's reunification of the city under Israeli control during the 1967 Six-Day War.

Josh Reinstein, the President of the Israel Allies Foundation, sponsored the event. He told CBN News that through the years, it’s grown into a global force for what he calls “faith-based diplomacy.”

“The Israel Foundation coordinates Israel Allies caucuses all around the world," Reinstein explained. "We actually have 53 Israeli caucuses in 53 countries of 1,500 legislators in our network. And what we do is we use faith-based diplomacy. When people take their biblical support and turn it into real political action and use that to mobilize real support for Israel.”

Reinstein says the Congressional Israel Caucus is the largest and most influential caucus.

“Capitol Hill support is very important. And I have to say that since October 7th, through the activities of the Congressional Israel Caucus, we've never seen activity like this. It's almost daily, dozens of hearings, resolutions, legislations, comments, (and) media reports. Bipartisan, I would say members of the House coming together to stand with Israel.

"He added, "Why it's so significant because the House of Representatives actually represents the people of America. And 82 percent of Americans love Israel, according to all the polls. So, to see the representatives come and stand with Israel is really inspiring.”

Congressional members Brad Sherman, Ronny Jackson, Chip Roy, Victoria Foxx, and Mike Sodrel, as well as Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt and Evangelical leader Larry Huch, addressed the gathering.

Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli recounted the long history of the Jewish people and said Israel and declared the U.S. are facing the same enemies.

“It is a war not only between Israel and the terror proxies of Iran, but a war between good and evil, between truth and lies. Between those who seek life and those who seek death. A clash of civilizations, Chikli stated. "This is our war. Americans and Israelis, Christians and Jews waging the streets and allies of Gaza and Rafah and on university campuses here in the United States with the rising dangers of antisemitism and radical Islam. We all have the moral obligation to choose and (the) responsibility to rise and answer, 'Hinneni' (Hebrew for “Here I am, send me.”) just like our forefathers, and ancestors did throughout our history.”

Senator Ted Cruz came to celebrate the US/Israel relationship and to challenge those attending that the days we’re in now are similar to the days of Queen Esther.

“This is the time for everyone to decide," Cruz exhorted. Where do you stand? And I believe the men and women gathered here today have been put in positions of leadership, much like Esther for such a time as this. We're not here to deal with small challenges. We're here to deal with fundamental challenges.”