The CIVC, launched in late April, was started by Florida Republican Congressmen Ron DeSantis (Florida) and Bill Johnson (Ohio). It is based on the simple concept that decades of diplomacy based on moral equivalency have failed. As DeSantis put it: “American policy must ensure that Israel emerges victorious against those who deny or threaten her existence.”

Gary Bauer, the Washington director of the Christians United for Israel Action Fund, attended the inaugural meeting of CIVC.

“… You have Israel’s neighbors not willing to concede that Israel has the right to exist as the only Jewish state in the world,” he explains, “and this new Caucus is promoting the idea that until Israel is victorious and defeats its enemies, it’s very unlikely there’s going to be any peace to speak of.”

The CIVC is pushing passage of the Taylor Force Act (S. 3414), named after an American serviceman murdered by a Palestinian in Tel Aviv last year.

“The United States taxpayer is giving the Palestinian Authority $300 million a year,” notes Bauer. “The Taylor Force Act will prohibit any money going to the Palestinians until they stop giving money to the families of terrorists.”

While no Democratic lawmaker spoke at the unveiling of the Caucus, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey reportedly is considering backing the bill.