William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, joined Arutz Sheva - Israel National News to speak about the conference's fiftieth annual mission to Israel. "We've been coming to Israel on an annual basis for the American Jewish leadership to really engage and see what's happening here," he began. "Our 50 member organizations are deeply engaged in advocating for Israel, and engaging on behalf of Israel and America with the American government and society." He talked about the challenges such advocacy faces. "The October 7th massacre was a punch in the gut, but there was another one when we saw that our friends in America weren't standing with us. Instead, they were justifying and minimizing the massacre. We need to continue to shout our message to the world." Related articles: 'Surrendering to Hamas's dictates is not an option' 'Press UN to hold Hamas accountable for sexual violence' 'President Trump has a fresh plan, let's try to change reality' Meeting with Trump most consequential between US-Israeli leaders He reviewed the Biden administration's conduct during the war. "President Biden is a Zionist, and his being the President during this crisis was a good thing for Israel. It's important to celebrate President Biden's support, particularly in the early days. He faced a lot of pressures from within his party, but his heart was in the right place." Daroff says that the new administration should be welcomed as well. "We should herald the current state of Israel-US relations. One of President Trump's first acts was to repeal any sort of arms embargo. We even accompanied Prime Minister Netanyahu when he was the first foreign leader invited to the White House. We should be looking forward to the future." Trump's Gaza plan left him surprised but enthusiastic. "It wasn't on my bingo card, but it really is a challenge to the rest of the world to come up with a better idea." He also approved of Trump's ultimatum to Hamas. "Trump has given ultimatums to Colombia, Canada, and Mexico, and in all three cases those leaders blinked and President Trump got what he wanted. I'm hopeful that Hamas will take heed of this to figure out a way to ensure that more Jews are free." Daroff says the new administration signals a new era in Israel-US relations. "I'm optimistic that Israel-US relations in the Middle East are very much on an uptick." The itinerary for the mission is set to include conferences with the Prime, Foreign, and Defense Ministers, but also with the ordinary individuals affected by the war. Daroff's mission will meet evacuees from the north and south, speak with frontline soldiers, and tour the Druze community, which has lost many soldiers and suffered the tragic rocket attack in Majdal Shams. "It's really important for us to give a hug to the people of Israel. As much as I want to give a hug, though, the hugs I get back are just so meaningful. It shows how close we are as a Jewish people and how particularly after October 7th, we know that we're only as strong as we are unified."
