This week we honored the life and legacy of President Jimmy Carter, a true friend of Israel and the Jewish people. You can find J Street’s statement on his passing here.

I also wanted to flag several updates regarding Israel, Gaza, the West Bank and the broader Middle East. This includes the Biden Administration’s warning to Trump’s incoming team about the impending conditions in Gaza with Israel’s UNRWA ban to take effect on January 31; Israeli settlers in the West Bank expressing cautious optimism that the Trump Administration will back annexation; and hard-pressed negotiations continuing in an effort to release the hostages and end the Israel-Hamas war.

J Street has also published a new 119th Congress Briefing Book, which includes what to expect on these issues under a Trump Administration and recommendations for how to navigate the path forward.

As always, please feel free to reach out to your J Street Public Affairs Staff with any questions.

All the best,
Lily

—
Lily Adelstein
She/Her
Deputy Director of Government Affairs, J Street
Cell: 202-699-2701
J Street’s Congressional Resource Page

This week on j street

STATEMENT

J Street Statement on the Passing of President Jimmy Carter

BRIEFING BOOK

J Street’s 119th Congress Briefing Book

WORD ON THE STREET WITH JEREMY BEN-AMI

The 23-State Solution

State Department warned Trump team of looming UNRWA “catastrophe” in Gaza

State Department officials told the Trump administration transition team there could be a humanitarian “catastrophe” in Gaza when a new Israeli law barring contact with the UN refugee agency for Palestinians takes effect at the end of the month, three U.S. officials told Axios… The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is the primary aid agency operating in Gaza. U.S. officials say there’s no serious backup plan for providing humanitarian supplies and services to Palestinians. After more than a year of war, the UN and other aid organizations warn Gaza is close to uninhabitable. Tens of thousands of houses have been destroyed. Nearly two million Palestinians are displaced and dependent on aid for food, water and medical services. The Israeli law will take effect a few days after President-elect Trump’s inauguration, when the new administration will be faced with mounting world crises.

West Bank Settlers Hope Trump Will Back Annexation Dreams

Eliana Passentin delights in her house, which sits nearly 3,000 feet above sea level in a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank, with a view from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean coast. The dining room looks out over ancient Shiloh, the Israelites’ first capital in ancient times. But Ms. Passentin would feel even better if the area was annexed by Israel. Some of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s staffing choices have raised hopes among settlers that that could happen. Pete Hegseth, Mr. Trump’s contentious choice for defense secretary, went to ancient Shiloh for an episode of his “Battle in the Holy Land” series on Fox Nation. Mike Huckabee, Mr. Trump’s pick as the next ambassador to Jerusalem, has visited several times over the years and has argued that all of the West Bank belongs to Israel.

Trump’s Mideast envoy to visit Qatar, claiming hostage deal on verge of completion

Incoming US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff announced Tuesday that he will travel to Doha later this week, saying a hostage deal being mediated by Qatar is on the verge of completion, as US President-elect Donald Trump again warned “all hell will break loose” in the region if an agreement between Israel and Hamas is not reached by his January 20 inauguration. “We’re making a lot of progress, and I don’t want to say too much because I think they’re doing a really good job back in Doha. I’m leaving tomorrow to go back to Doha, but I think that we’ve had some really great progress, and I’m really hopeful that by the inaugural, we’ll have some good things to announce on behalf of the president,” Witkoff said, after Trump called on him to provide an update on the negotiations during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

US hails Lebanese army’s implementation of truce, even as Israel views it as inadequate

A senior American has praised the Lebanese army for the pace of its ongoing process of assuming control of southern Lebanon in accordance with the ceasefire deal between Hezbollah and Israel, even as indications grow that Jerusalem views the progress as insufficient and is threatening to delay its withdrawal beyond the 60-day period laid out in the agreement. The US military general leading the committee tasked with enforcing the truce hailed the efforts of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in implementing the early stages of the agreement on Tuesday, following a visit to one of the LAF’s bases in southern Lebanon.

Finance Minister Smotrich Says Gaza Aid Will Be Reduced to Minimum Required by Int’l Law After Trump Sworn In

Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Wednesday that after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in on January 20, Israel will reduce humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip to the minimum required by international law. Answering viewer questions in a livestream, he argued that “Israel must remain in Gaza for a very long time. We have to stop being afraid of the word ‘occupation.’” He added that efforts to integrate the Palestinian Authority and Arab states in the administration of Gaza following the withdrawal of the Israeli army were unrealistic, adding that “there is no other party that will bleed for us.” Smotrich says Israel ‘a step away’ from annexing West Bank after Trump’s election victory

UAE says it has discussed a potential role in postwar Gaza, but conditions remain unmet

The UAE official told CNN its preconditions include a formal invitation from a “new, credible, independent” Palestinian Authority (PA) prime minister, “a serious reform process” in the PA, “an explicit commitment to the two-state solution” from Israel, and a “clear leadership role by the US.” The UAE has long advocated for reforms within the PA, which is widely perceived as plagued by corruption, and has called for a change in its leadership. Mohammed Mustafa was sworn in as the PA’s prime minister in March, succeeding Mohammed Shtayyeh, who resigned in February. Israeli officials have publicly rejected the possibility of the West Bank-based PA playing a role in postwar Gaza.

Hostage Is Found Dead in Gaza Tunnel, Israel Says

The announcement that a hostage had been found dead, and that the fate of another is uncertain, came as the families of captives and President-elect Donald J. Trump have been pressuring Israel and Hamas to close a deal that would lead to a cease-fire and the return of the remaining captives before Mr. Trump takes office later this month. Of the 250 hostages taken on Oct. 7, 2023, about 100 remain held in Gaza, with a third or more of those still there presumed dead. In a briefing with reporters on Wednesday, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, said “dozens of hostages” are still alive but declined to give a specific number.

Opinion | The 23 State Solution

“The current reality necessitates the promotion of a regional solution—a 23-state plan—which includes all Arab states, a demilitarized Palestinian state, and Israel as an integral part of the region. Unfortunately, a large proportion of Israeli citizens are not interested enough in ending the occupation. However, agreements that will bring about security and prosperity for Israelis and that will end the occupation will receive public support.”

J STREET GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS NEWS DIGEST | January 10, 2025