J Street works to promote an open, honest and rigorous conversation about Israel. The opinions reflected in articles posted in the News Roundup do not necessarily reflect J Street’s positions, and their posting does not constitute an endorsement from J Street.
Live from Chicago and against the backdrop of the Democratic National Convention, join J Street and the Forward for a conversation diving deep into the challenges facing Democrats amid the Israel-Hamas war. J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami will moderate the discussion featuring pollster Jim Gerstein, the Forward’s editor-in-chief Jodi Rudoren and a Member of Congress to be announced soon. Register here to join us on Tuesday, August 20 at 9am Pacific / 11am Central / 12pm Eastern >>
Democratic Convention Organizers Are Walking a Tightrope over How to Address Israel and Gaza, Jewish Insider
“The Democratic Party should recognize the suffering on both sides and the convention should not be silent about the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza over these past 10 months,” said J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami. “That’s the tone the VP has set and the convention should echo her.”
Biden Says He Expects Iran to Hold off on Israel Retaliation if Hostage Deal Reached, The Times of Israel
Asked by reporters if he expects Iran to hold off on carrying out a retaliatory strike against Israel if a ceasefire and hostage-release deal is reached, US President Joe Biden responds, “That’s my expectation.” Asked if the chances for a ceasefire deal are waning, Biden acknowledges, “It’s getting harder,” but then asserts, “I’m not giving up.”
US Approves $20 Billion Israel Weapons Package, Including Fighter Jets, Reuters
In a statement, the Pentagon said Blinken approved the possible sale of F-15 jets and equipment worth nearly $19 billion. He also approved the possible sale of tank cartridges worth around $774 million and army vehicles worth $583 million, the Pentagon said.
US Leads International Condemnations of Ben Gvir’s ‘Provocations’ at Temple Mount, The Times of Israel
“We certainly are paying close attention to actions and activities that we find to be a detraction from Israel’s security, a contributor to greater insecurity and instability in the region. That would certainly be the actions that we saw today that Mr. Ben Gvir participated in,” US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said.
Only Gaza Ceasefire Will Delay Retaliation, Say Iranian Officials, Reuters
One of the sources, a senior Iranian security official, said Iran, along with allies such as Hezbollah, would launch a direct attack if the Gaza talks fail or it perceives Israel is dragging out negotiations. The sources did not say how long Iran would allow for talks to progress before responding.
Iran Rejects European Leaders’ Call to Refrain From Any Retaliatory Attacks, The Times of Israel
Iran rejected a call Tuesday by three European countries urging it to refrain from any retaliatory attacks that would further escalate regional tensions. Iran calls it an “excessive request.”
Sinwar Said to Demand Halt to IDF Operations in Gaza as Precondition for Talks, The Times of Israel
Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar is reportedly refusing to attend slated talks on a truce-hostage deal unless Israel halts its military operations inside the Gaza Strip, a clear nonstarter for Jerusalem.
Why Iran Has Not Yet Retaliated Against Israel for Hamas Leader’s Killing, The New York Times
A military response that is viewed as largely symbolic is also risky from Tehran’s perspective, but it would be unlikely to deter Israel from conducting further attacks, said Ali Vaez, the Iran project director of Crisis Group, a think tank. That leaves the option of a substantive response, but that would, in turn, likely provoke a bigger Israeli response — and Tehran would not be able to control the cycle of escalation that could follow, Mr. Vaez said.
‘On Verge of an Explosion’: Policeman’s Killing Part of Spiralling West Bank Violence, BBC
Israel’s security crackdown, the actions of violent groups of Jewish settlers and the belief that the Palestinian Authority is powerless to protect them have all added to an atmosphere of mounting tension. The PA health ministry says more than 600 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since last October.
Iran Planning to Resume Testing Nuclear Bomb Detonators, Report Says, YNet News
Iran is secretly advancing its nuclear weapons program and is now closer than ever to building a nuclear bomb as Tehran is set to resume tests to produce nuclear bomb detonators, opposition-affiliated news outlet Iran International reported on Wednesday, citing three independent sources in Iran.
Israeli Army Uses Palestinian Civilians to Inspect Potentially Booby-trapped Tunnels in Gaza, Haaretz
A Haaretz Investigation finds, “Random Palestinians have been used by Israeli army units in the Gaza Strip for one purpose: to serve as human shields for soldiers during operations. ‘Our lives are more important than their lives,’ soldiers were told. The thinking is that it’s better for the Israeli soldiers to remain alive and for the shawishim to be the ones blown up by an explosive device.”
A Gazan Father Went to Register His Twins’ Births. They Were Killed in an Israeli Airstrike, Hospital Officials Say, CNN
CNN reports, “Mohammad Abu Al Qumsan quivered and gasped in disbelief. His eyes glazed over before he fell limp in the courtyard of Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza. ‘I beg you. I beg you. Let me see them,’ he cried out to health officials at the medical facility on Tuesday. ‘She just gave birth. Please let me see her.’ Hours earlier, the Palestinian father-of-two left his apartment in Deir al-Balah to collect birth certificates for his three-day-old twins – Aysal and Aser, a boy and a girl. But while he was out, he said, he received a phone call that an Israeli strike had hit his home, killing the two babies, along with his wife, Jumana.”
How an Israeli Hostage Rescue That Left Scores of Palestinians Dead Unfolded, The Washington Post
The Washington Post reports, “This video investigation reconstructs the raid in which Israel sought to free hostages that Hamas had hidden in a crowded residential area. It shows how the Israeli military employed heavy airstrikes for nearly four hours, leaving women and children among the casualties. The Post identified at least 13 airstrikes across Nuseirat, a refugee camp in central Gaza, and at least 17 destroyed structures in the vicinity of the raid.”
Portraits of Survival: The Israeli Hostages Who Made It Home, The New York Times
Avishag Shaar-Yashuv shares the portraits and captivity stories of 18 out of the 100 hostage survivors taken from the NOVA music festival attack on October 7 by Hamas.
The Israeli Interest: Nimrod Novik [Video], Commanders for Israel’s Security
In the latest video from Commanders for Israel’s Security, Dr. Nimrod Novik acknowledges the unprecedented solidarity President Biden demonstrated following the events of October 7, emphasizing the solid alliance between our two countries. He outlined a four-part initiative aimed at improving Israel’s strategic situation and bringing the hostages home.
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