I hope you’re having a good end to your week.

I’m writing to share important updates from the region, as well as J Street’s statements and resources from this past week. As a reminder, you can always find our most recent statements on J Street crisis response page.

All the best,
Hannah

—
Hannah Morris
She/Her
Director of Government Affairs, J Street
Cell: 832-606-1817
J Street’s Congressional Resource Page

This week on j street

SHUSHAN STREET

AFTER CONGRESSIONAL BAN ON UNRWA FUNDING, BIDEN ADMINISTRATION MUST FIND A PLAN B

STATEMENT

J STREET CALLS ON BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO COMPLY WITH NSM-20 REQUIREMENTS

STATEMENT

J STREET WELCOMES PRESIDENT BIDEN’S UNSC DECISION

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings for aid into Gaza

The top United Nations court on Thursday ordered Israel to take measures to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, including opening more land crossings to allow food, water, fuel and other supplies into the war-ravaged enclave… Thursday’s order came after South Africa sought more provisional measures, including a cease-fire, citing starvation in Gaza. Israel, which had urged the court not to issue new orders, said it places no limits on aid entering Gaza and vowed to “promote new initiatives” to bring in even more assistance. In its legally binding order, the court told Israel to take measures “without delay” to ensure “the unhindered provision” of basic services and humanitarian assistance, including food, water, fuel and medical supplies. It also ordered Israel to immediately ensure that its military does not take action that could that could harm Palestinians’ rights under the Genocide Convention, including by preventing the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The court told Israel to report back in a month on its implementation of the orders.

The White House sees the public rift with Israel over a UN Security Council resolution as an artificial crisis manufactured by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for domestic political reasons, three U.S. officials told Axios. Netanyahu on Monday canceled a visit to the White House later this week by his senior advisers after the U.S. abstained from the UN vote calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas. “If Prime Minister Netanyahu felt so strongly, why didn’t he call President Biden? The U.S. position is clear: We read the resolution as calling for both a ceasefire and the release of hostages — in the same paragraph. For that reason, we abstained,” a U.S. official said… The official said the White House is also puzzled that the prime minister rejected the U.S. interpretation of the UN resolution, decided to air his differences with the Biden administration in public and tell the U.S. what its policy is when the U.S. is already stating its policy, which is different from what Netanyahu is saying… “It’s also a funny way to treat a partner that has given Israel so much support,” the official said.

During a press briefing Monday afternoon, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Israel is in compliance with the Biden administration’s national security memorandum, which says any country receiving weapons from the U.S. must provide “credible and reliable” assurances that they’re following humanitarian law… His remarks left some natsec lawmakers scratching their heads: First of all, Israel was required to send written assurances by the day before Miller’s remarks, on March 24. That happened, Miller confirmed, but Congress won’t receive a final assessment from State until May 8. Second, lawmakers were told just hours before Miller’s briefing that State had not yet made a determination, according to a Senate aide granted anonymity to share private information. At least one senator’s office sought clarification from State, the aide said… Miller tried to do that during a briefing Tuesday afternoon, emphasizing that no final conclusion has been made and the review process is ongoing, but so far hasn’t seen evidence of certain humanitarian law violations. At least some of the confusion could be chalked up to the fact that this is all new territory for the State Department. “This is a brand new process, we have never done one of these reports before,” Miller said.

Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, announced the seizure of 10 square kilometers (3.8 square miles) of Palestinian territory in the West Bank on Friday. The move marks the single largest land seizure by the Israeli government since the 1993 Oslo accords, according to Peace Now, a settlement watchdog group. “While there are those in Israel and the world who seek to undermine our right over the Judea and Samaria area and the country in general,” Smotrich said Friday, referring to the territory by its biblical name, “we are promoting settlement through hard work and in a strategic manner all over the country”… The announcement came as Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Tel Aviv for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the future of the war in Gaza. Blinken’s arrival followed meetings in Cairo with several Arab leaders, and amid calls from Democratic senators for President Biden to establish a “bold, public framework” for a two-state solution that recognizes a “nonmilitarized Palestinian state.” Friday’s land order is particularly problematic for the prospect of a two-state solution, experts say.

Amit Soussana, an Israeli lawyer, was abducted from her home on Oct. 7, beaten and dragged into Gaza by at least 10 men, some armed… Ms. Soussana, 40, is the first Israeli to speak publicly about being sexually assaulted during captivity after the Hamas-led raid on southern Israel. In her interviews with The Times, conducted mostly in English, she provided extensive details of sexual and other violence she suffered during a 55-day ordeal… For months, Hamas and its supporters have denied that its members sexually abused people in captivity or during the Oct. 7 terrorist attack. This month, a United Nations report said that there was “clear and convincing information” that some hostages had suffered sexual violence and there were “reasonable grounds” to believe sexual violence occurred during the raid, while acknowledging the “challenges and limitations” of examining the issue.

Netanyahu is facing growing public pressure in Israel and abroad as critics accuse him of not pursuing a hostage deal for political reasons. Senior members of Netanyahu’s government, including ultranationalist finance minister Betzalel Smotrich, have said the hostages should not be Israel’s top priority and it is more important to destroy Hamas… A family member of a hostage who is a U.S. citizen told Netanyahu that not only does the White House embrace the families, it also supports them and keeps them informed, the sources said. They told the prime minister the Israeli government doesn’t act the same way, the sources said. The family member asked Netanyahu to maintain good relations with the U.S. and with President Biden despite their differences. Another family member of a hostage who is also a U.S. citizen told Netanyahu it is important to keep the issue of the hostages bipartisan in U.S.

Every resident of Gaza is at risk of crisis levels of food insecurity — and half are at risk of famine. Yes, you read that right: Nearly six months into the Israeli invasion after the October 7 attacks, every single Gaza resident is at risk of at least crisis-level food insecurity — defined as households having high levels of malnutrition or resorting to “irreversible” coping mechanisms like selling livestock or furniture to afford even an insufficient diet. It’s a crisis that has unfolded at a speed utterly unprecedented this century — and also one that was repeatedly predicted and entirely avoidable if Israel were not placing severe restrictions on aid… Soon, “more than 200 people [will be] dying from starvation per day,” a UN aid spokesperson told reporters last week.

Observing the evolving U.S.-Israel policy differences from Washington has become quite confusing and even confounding to outsiders. On the one hand, the Biden administration has demonstrated unprecedented support for Israel — in the form of non-stop provision of weaponry and constant political support – even in the face of growing opposition from within the Democratic Party, on university campuses, and within the Arab-American community. On the other hand, Israel’s responses to American entreaties to moderate its military assault and ensure humanitarian provisions have become more strident. “We are not a banana republic,” read one statement — and ill-advised — for example, preventing the Israeli delegation to travel to Washington for discussions on Rafah because of the U.S. abstention on a UN Security Council resolution, despite the prime minister’s promise to the president to send the delegation. The proximate reason for the decision not to send the delegation makes no sense at all.

J STREET GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS NEWS DIGEST | March 29, 2024

This week on j street

What we’re reading

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings for aid into Gaza

Netanyahu provoking crisis with White House for domestic politics: U.S. officials

The confusion over assessing Israel’s ‘compliance’

Israel announces largest West Bank land seizure since 1993 during Blinken visit

[CONTENT WARNING] Israeli Hostage Says She Was Sexually Assaulted and Tortured in Gaza

Hostage families told Netanyahu they get better treatment from the White House

Analysis | Gaza’s risk of famine is accelerating faster than anything we’ve seen this century

Opinion | Netanyahu Is Insulting, Not Engaging, the Biden Administration. It’s Time for Israel to Listen to America