College Republicans and College Democrats joint letter of support for Israel

Dear Students of Indiana University,

On behalf of the College Republicans and College Democrats at IU, we affirm that our two organizations stand proudly in support of the strong U.S.-Israel relationship.

In this polarizing political climate, the two parties rarely agree on anything, but we do agree strongly about keeping Israel as one of America’s closest allies.

On Monday, Nov. 14, our two organizations jointly sponsored an event to further our understanding of the U.S.-Israel relationship. We heard from Gil Hoffman, chief political analyst and correspondent for the Jerusalem Post, about how this issue reaches across party lines and across the country.

As the student leaders of both political parties on campus, we support the relationship between the U.S. and Israel. Our mutual support for this nation is grounded in our understanding of Israel as a strategic asset for the U.S. in a volatile area of the world.

The U.S. and Israel are both robust democracies that share the mutual belief of equal rights for all, regardless of race, color, gender, creed, religion or sexual orientation.  

Earlier this year, the College Republicans and College Democrats joined together in co-sponsoring an IU Student Association resolution that affirmed IU’s support for the relationship between the two countries.

The resolution noted the unbreakable economic and social ties that are the backbone of our strong friendship. The resolution also expressed IU’s support for Israel to have the sovereign right to defend itself from external attacks and encourage all parties to make efforts to restart the stalled peace process.

On a regional scale, the two countries have mutual security interests in the Middle East, especially with the security threat of Iran. In a number of statements, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said Israel must be “wiped off the map.”

The recent International Atomic Energy Agency report shows Iran’s nuclear weapons program advancing at an alarming rate. As a result, it is essential now more than ever that the U.S. and Israel work together to deter this threat.

Our enduring request is that the IU student body continues to see the importance of this vital relationship. Specifically, we want to note the need for continued economic and security investments that act in the mutual benefit of both states.   

The College Republicans and the College Democrats on IU’s campus have supported a strong U.S.-Israel relationship in the past and will continue to do so in the future. We strongly encourage all students to remain aware of this important issue and join us in our support of this key partnership.

Sincerely,

Connor Caudill,  Chairman of College Republicans at IU and
Logan Souder, Chairman of College Democrats at IU

­— cjcaudil@indiana.edu, lsouder@indiana.edu