It’s Time To Let Go of the ‘Sofa’ Complex, The Times of Israel
Rabbi Amy Joy Small, a member of J Street’s Rabbinic and Cantorial Cabinet, writes: “J Street recognizes what is at stake for Israel’s survival as a Jewish and democratic state, and we lift up our voice to speak out for what we believe is right and in Israel’s best interest. We understand that ours is not the decisive voice — we do not live there (though I am preparing for my 40th trip to Israel this summer) — but our hearts and Jewish souls tell us we must speak. Our voice deserves to be heard.”
Israel to Reoccupy 25% of Gaza To Press Hamas to Release Hostages, Official Says, Axios
“The Israeli military will expand its ground operation in Gaza to occupy 25% of the enclave over the next two to three weeks, a senior Israeli official said in a briefing with reporters on Monday. The Israeli official said the ground operation is part of a ‘maximum pressure’ campaign aimed at forcing Hamas to agree to release more hostages. But reoccupation could go beyond Israel’s stated objectives of the war and could serve as a pretense for pressing Palestinians to leave Gaza. The move, which has already begun, is again forcing the displacement of Palestinian civilians who returned to their homes in northern and southern Gaza strip after the ceasefire was announced in January.”
Israel’s Military Strikes Near Beirut, Killing at Least 4, The New York Times
“Israel conducted airstrikes on the southern outskirts of Beirut on Tuesday for the second time in less than a week, killing three people and prompting fears that a fragile cease-fire could be unraveling. The Israeli military said the strike, in the Dahiya area just south of Beirut, had targeted a member of Hezbollah who had directed and assisted Hamas in planning a ‘significant and imminent’ attack against Israel. It did not provide further details.”
Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich Resigns From Post As Minister in Government, Reuters
“Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich resigned from his post as minister on Monday in a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A spokesperson for Smotrich said the move was a protest against nationalist-religious Jewish Power party head Itamar Ben Gvir’s request for more ministerial positions upon Ben Gvir’s return to the government. The resignation is not likely to collapse Netanyahu’s coalition. The government passed its 2025 budget in Israel’s parliament last week.”
GOP Chairs Blast UN Focus on Israel Investigations, Axios
“Key GOP committee chairs are threatening sanctions and accusing the UN’s Human Rights Council (HRC) of wrongfully targeting Israel for investigation, according to a letter being sent to the UN secretary general on Monday evening. The letter comes ahead of a Tuesday vote on a resolution that they expect includes a special mechanism for the investigation and prosecution of Israeli actions in Gaza. […] House Foreign Affairs Chair Brian Mast (R-Fl.) and Senate Foreign Relations Chair James Risch (R-Idaho) are warning that any nation or UN entity that supports the international investigative mechanism ‘will face the same consequences as the ICC,’ citing last month’s sanctions.”
Netanyahu Cancels Appointment of New Shin Bet Head Amid Opposition From Allies, The Times of Israel
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces that he is backtracking on his decision to appoint Vice Adm. (res.) Eli Sharvit as the next head of the Shin Bet, some 24 hours after making the surprise announcement. Netanyahu met Sharvit last night to tell him that he would not be the next head of the Shin Bet security service, Netanyahu’s office says. […] Netanyahu was facing pressure from political allies to scratch Sharvit’s nomination, due to his apparent participation in massive protests that erupted in 2023, against the government’s plans to overhaul the judiciary.”
Jewish Community Must Stand Up to Trump’s Targeting of International Students, The Boston Globe
Former US Ambassador and Dean of the College of Civic Life at Tufts University, Alan Solomont, writes: “Tactics like these — masked agents, unmarked vehicles, denial of due process, and possible defiance of court orders — are hallmarks of authoritarian regimes where the rule of law is replaced by the rule of fear. This is how repression begins: not with the outright abolition of rights, but with their gradual erosion at the margins, targeting those with the least political power. Today, it’s international students. Who will it be tomorrow? As a proud Jewish American, former chair of the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, Tufts alumnus, and former university trustee dedicated to public service and strengthening democracy, I feel a special responsibility to speak out against these abuses — especially as they are being carried out, supposedly, in the name of protecting my community.”
Ami Ayalon: How do we know we are ruled by a tyrannical regime?, J Street
In a speech outside Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office on March 23, former Shin Bet chief and Navy commander Ami Ayalon declared: “How long will we keep our eyes shut and pretend that Israel is still a democracy? How long will we refuse to see that this government is in rebellion — rebelling against the fundamental values of the Jewish and democratic State of Israel, as enshrined by our founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence?”
Neglecting the ‘Day After’ Abbas and Hamas, Israel Leaves Its Hostages Captive to Power Struggles, Haaretz
Zvi Bar’el writes: “The hostages have become a bargaining chip in a broader political game, as Netanyahu prioritizes the dismantling of Hamas over their release, while regional and international actors scramble to prevent Gaza from descending into chaos without a viable Palestinian alternative.”