J Street Welcomes Overwhelming Democratic Opposition to Huckabee Nomination, J Street
J Street Director of Government Affairs Hannah Morris writes: “This appointment plays to the Evangelical, Christian Zionist base of today’s Republican Party and has little to do with actual concern for the Jewish people or the safety of the Jewish homeland. It also runs directly counter to the work of others in the administration who are actively looking to strike a regional agreement that normalizes Israel’s relations with its neighbors – an agreement that will only be possible with a commitment to the recognition of the very Palestinian state Mike Huckabee opposes.”
US Says It Is Now Monitoring Immigrants’ Social Media for Antisemitism, NPR
“J-Street, a Washington group which describes itself as pro-Israel, pro-peace and pro-democracy, was quick to disavow the new policy. ‘The fight against antisemitism won’t be advanced by attacks on 250-year-old cherished American rights like free speech,’ said the group’s president Jeremy Ben-Ami. ‘The Trump administration’s own appointees have social media accounts riddled with antisemitism, demonstrating how insincere they are in claiming their totalitarian attacks on higher education and immigrants will make Jewish Americans safer and that they are motivated by genuine concern for our wellbeing.’”
The Iran Tipping Point: Why 2025 Could Bring a Deal – or a War?, Substack
J Street Senior Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Ilan Goldenberg writes: “The chances of a nuclear agreement or a war are both much higher in 2025 than they’ve been in a while… Iran’s historic weakness in the region, Trump’s desire for a deal, and the ticking clock of looming sanctions all push toward diplomacy — yet the same factors, combined with hawkish pressure, technical barriers, and missteps in communication, could just as easily trigger war.”
My Jewish Moms Group Ousted Me Because I Work for J Street. Is This What Communal Life Has Come To?, The Forward
J Street Deputy Director of Jewish Communal Engagement Emily Kaiman writes: “In my role working on community engagement with J Street, where I have worked since 2022, I have encountered the same particular kind of suspicion, over and over. I’ve heard from others who were pushed out of Jewish spaces for asking hard questions, for calling for a ceasefire, for grieving Palestinian lives alongside Israeli ones. They are rabbis, educators, philanthropists and college students. Many are wondering if there is still room for them in the Jewish community they love.”
Diplomacy With Iran Is Back, Times of Israel
J Street Israel Executive Director Nadav Tamir writes: “Seven years after announcing the withdrawal from the nuclear agreement, Trump is returning to the diplomatic path with Iran. He recognizes that a deal is the only way to prevent a military nuclear Iran and a potential war, but it’s a path that Netanyahu has made one of his life’s missions to thwart.”
‘The Gates of Hell Are Open Night and Day’: Malnutrition, Illness and Lack of Drinking Water Plague Gaza, Haaretz
“It has been five weeks since Israel started blocking all food and aid from entering Gaza, leading to a worsening humanitarian crisis. Many residents of Gaza have lost their homes, while others are facing a severe shortage of food and water. Medical teams struggle to provide assistance due to insufficient medications and medical equipment.”
Macron Says France Could Recognise Palestinian State in June, Reuters
“French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday France could recognise a Palestinian state in June, adding that in turn some countries in the Middle East could recognise the state of Israel. ‘We need to move towards recognition (of a Palestinian state). And so over the next few months, we will. I’m not doing it to please anyone. I’ll do it because at some point it will be right,’ he said during an interview on France 5 television.”
Israeli Airstrike in Gaza City Leaves Many Dead, Health Officials There Say, The New York Times
“An Israeli airstrike on a Gaza City neighborhood killed 23 people on Wednesday, including eight children, and left more than 70 wounded, Gaza’s Civil Defense service said. About 20 people remained missing, but rescuers had little equipment to pull them from the rubble, the group said. The Israeli military said it had been targeting a Hamas operative who it said was responsible for planning attacks. It did not name the operative or give further details.”
Ben-Gvir to Embark on Official Visit to U.S. After Being Boycotted by Biden Administration, Haaretz
“National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir will travel for an official visit to the U.S. after Passover, after the previous administration boycotted him and U.S. State Department even considered imposing sanctions on him at the time. Ben-Gvir’s office told Haaretz that he is expected to meet during the visit in Washington with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem.”
Hundreds of Israeli Air Force Reservists Call for Halt to Gaza War, The New York Times
“Hundreds of reservists and retired officers in Israel’s air force signed a letter on Thursday urging the Israeli government to agree to a deal with Hamas to return hostages to Israel, even at the price of stopping the war in Gaza. […] The letter is an unusually large-scale show of criticism from members of the air force about the way the war has been run. But this military branch, in particular, has previously been a notable voice of opposition to the government.”
Turkey Talks With Israel About Deconfliction in Syria When Needed, Foreign Minister Says, Reuters
“Turkey has been holding technical talks with Israel for deconfliction in Syria when needed, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday. Fidan’s remarks came a week after Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria, declaring the attacks a warning to the new government in Damascus as it accused Turkey of trying to turn the country into a Turkish protectorate. […] Fidan last week told Reuters that Turkey wants no confrontation with Israel in Syria, but repeated Israeli strikes on military facilities there are eroding the new government’s ability to deter threats from enemies.”
‘Part of Us Is Still in Gaza’: Freed Israeli Hostages Fight for a New Ceasefire,
“Some of the freed hostages have openly accused the Israeli government of betrayal and abandonment and, in some cases, they have drawn vicious online threats for their comments. No wonder, then, that many continue to pin their hopes on Trump. Along with Keith Siegel and his wife Aviva, another recently released hostage, Yair Horn, followed Netanyahu to Washington this week. The group had their own set of meetings with high-ranking officials and again met the president.”
How Hamas and the U.S. Tried to Strike a Hostage Deal, The New York Times
Adam Rasgon writes: “The deadlock left U.S. officials with the impression that it was only a matter of time until Israel resumed its military operations in Gaza, imperiling Mr. Alexander and the release of the bodies of four other Israeli Americans, two people familiar with the matter said. Mr. Boehler believed that Hamas might want to make a gesture to Mr. Trump and that a side deal could build momentum toward serious discussions about Phase 2, they said.”