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.

5 Things Leaders Need to Know About Mainstream Jewish Voters, The Times of Israel
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami writes, “Between the banging drums of anti-Zionists on the far-left and the enraged bluster of the ‘Israel can do no wrong’ crowd on the right lies an extremely large mainstream majority of Jewish Americans holding a nuanced, balanced opinion of the issue. This mainstream consensus – found at what I call the 50-yard line of American Jewish opinion – is found in poll after poll showing a healthy majority of Jews who care about Israel, oppose Netanyahu, support Palestinian self-determination and want the US to exercise balanced, pro-peace leadership.”

What to Expect from a Harris Administration on Israel-Palestine and the Middle East, The Jerusalem Strategic Tribune
J Street Director of Policy Dr. Debra Shushan writes, “The Vice President has demonstrated care and concern for Palestinian lives and self-determination, adopting a nuanced approach on Israel-Palestine that reflects mainstream views and values within the Democratic Party and among most Jewish Americans. She has repeatedly maintained that ‘Israel has a right to defend itself, and how it does so matters.’”

The Majority of US Jews Love Israel, Just Not Netanyahu, The Jerusalem Post
J Street Israel Executive Director Nadav Tamir writes, “The vast majority of the Democratic Party and American Jewry love and care about Israel and believe that it is best served by an administration headed by Harris that will be committed to security and prosperity in Israel – but not to the realization of its government’s dangerous plans.”

The Forward and J Street Present: ‘Live from the DNC’ [Video], J Street
Live from Chicago, J Street and the Forward joined for a conversation moderated by J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami and featuring American Jewish public opinion expert Jim Gerstein and the Forward’s editor-in-chief Jodi Rudoren to dive deep into the challenges facing Democrats amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Blinken Ends Latest Mideast Visit Without a Cease-Fire, Warning ‘Time Is of the Essence’, AP
After meetings in fellow mediating countries Egypt and Qatar, Blinken said that because Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge gaps with the militant group, the focus turns to doing everything possible to “get Hamas on board” and ensure both sides agree to key details on implementation. “Our message is simple. It’s clear and it’s urgent,” he told reporters before leaving Qatar. “We need to get a cease-fire and hostage agreement over the finish line, and we need to do it now. Time is of the essence.”

‘They Could Have Been Saved’: Relatives of Returned Dead Hostages Voice Deep Frustration, The Times of Israel
“Israel has a moral and ethical obligation to return all the murdered for dignified burial and to bring all living hostages home for rehabilitation. The immediate return of the remaining 109 hostages can only be achieved through a negotiated deal. The Israeli government, with the assistance of mediators, must do everything in its power to finalize the deal currently on the table,” said the Hostages Families and Missing Forum. Mati Dancyg, whose father Alex’s body was recovered on Tuesday, lashed out at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, accusing it of “choosing to abandon the hostages in order to survive.”

US Criticises Israeli PM’s ‘Maximalist’ Ceasefire Stance, BBC
A senior US administration official has pushed back at reported comments by Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing the Israeli prime minister of making “maximalist statements” that are “not constructive to getting a ceasefire deal across the finish line.”

Iranian Military Official Hints Strike on Israel May Be Delayed, The New York Times
The comments from an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps leader suggested that a widely feared regional conflict might be averted, at least for the moment.

At Least 20 Palestinians, Including Children, Killed in Israeli Strikes on School, Market, Haaretz
Eyewitnesses at the scene of the strike on a market in Deir al-Balah said most of the casualties were children. Commenting on a strike on a school that killed 12, the IDF said it was targeting a Hamas command center.

Members of Israel’s Negotiating Team Accuse Netanyahu of Intentionally Sabotaging Hostage Deal Talks, The Times of Israel
Sources involved in the ongoing talks for a hostage release-ceasefire deal have accused Netanyahu of intentionally sabotaging the negotiations after he was said to have told the hawkish Tikva and Gvura forums that “Israel won’t leave the Philadelphi Corridor and the Netzarim Corridor under any circumstances.”

Hezbollah Fires More than 50 Rockets, Hitting Israeli-Annexed Golan Heights, AP
First responders in Golan Heights said they treated a 30-year-old man who was moderately wounded with shrapnel injuries in Wednesday’s attack. One house was engulfed in flames, and firefighters said they prevented a bigger tragedy by stopping a gas leak.

‘Fight Against Antisemitism Is So Personal to Me’: Emhoff Leads Jewish Themes in DNC Second Night, Haaretz
“Kamala has fought against antisemitism and all forms of hate her whole career. And she encouraged me, as second gentleman, to take up that fight — which is so personal to me,” Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of a U.S. president or vice president, said during his speech.

New Protests Outside DNC after Additional Fencing Built in Response to Protesters Breaching Outer Barrier, CNN
Tuesday night’s protests saw some tense moments outside the Israeli Consulate where protesters and police in helmets began pushing and shoving, a CNN crew observed. According to CNN affiliate WLS, an organization called Behind Enemy Lines was demonstrating and had several speakers address the crowd before the physical confrontation began.

Five Arrested as Ultra-Orthodox Protesters Rally Against Draft in Jerusalem, The Times of Israel
Some 100 men protested near the IDF’s Jerusalem recruitment office in the morning before being dispersed by police. Officers used force to get demonstrators off roads and away from the area, police said.

Netanyahu’s War Goal Is Not the Hostages’ Return. It’s the Occupation of Gaza, Haaretz
Aluf Benn writes, “Do not get confused: occupation is the goal Netanyahu is fighting for, even at the price of the remaining hostages dying, and at the risk of a regional war. The scaffolding holding up his regime, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, will stand in place so long as he seeks by word and deed a permanent occupation and creeping annexation of Gaza.”

Netanyahu Says He’s Ready to Accept a Ceasefire Deal. If Only We Could Actually Trust Him, The Forward
Dan Perry shares, “In my years of engagement with Netanyahu, I have come to personally assess that he is capable of inflicting considerable harm on others in order to save himself. He seems to lack the empathy gene. And that means that no matter what his public pronouncements on the course of war and the ceasefire talks may be, it’s wise to stay wary of his intentions.”

Peace Now Settlements Map: A Critical Tool for Understanding Israel’s Settlement Enterprise, Peace Now
In a new resource, Peace Now shares, “The Israeli settlements have imposed a one-state reality where Israelis enjoy full rights, and Palestinians are denied basic freedoms. This oppressive system of control must end. It’s time for Israel to end the occupation and move toward a just two-state solution. Our newly released settlements map, created by Peace Now’s Settlement Watch team, offers a comprehensive and up-to-date view of the Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. This essential tool provides detailed information on the location and size of settlements and illegal outposts, enabling a clear understanding of the extent of settlement expansion.”

Israeli Condemnations Ring Hollow After Settler Pogrom in Jit, +972
Oren Ziv reports, “Notwithstanding this flood of official condemnations, the authorities do not appear to be in any hurry to bring the perpetrators to justice; only one person was arrested in the aftermath of the attack, and subsequently released. Settler impunity has long been the norm: according to data from the Israeli human rights group Yesh Din, 97 percent of police files opened into cases of settler violence since 2005 have been closed without convictions.”

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