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.
Kamala Harris Selects Tim Walz, Pro-Israel Minnesota Governor, as Her Running Mate, JTA
“We know the Harris-Walz team will stand up for our shared values, protect our community, and pursue smart, pro-Israel, pro-peace leadership abroad. We’re all in,” said the liberal pro-Israel lobby J Street, which has endorsed Walz in the past, in a statement.
Kamala Harris Taps Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as Running Mate in 2024 Election, Haaretz
“With his good humor and fighting spirit, Tim Walz is an excellent choice. We know he’ll be a powerful and energizing messenger in the fight to protect democracy and defeat Donald Trump and JD Vance,” said J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami. “JStreetPAC shattered our political fundraising record on the day we endorsed Kamala Harris, with our community coming together like never before to support her campaign,” Ben-Ami continued.
J Street Thrilled with Governor Tim Walz as Kamala Harris’ Running Mate, J Street
As Congressman, Tim Walz was a strong pro-Israel, pro-peace leader in the the House, voting for bipartisan funding packages to deliver security assistance to Israel while recognizing the urgency of a political resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With his record of military service, Walz was deeply aware of the appropriate role of the use of force and of the importance of diplomacy to resolve conflicts.
What Tim Walz VP Pick Means for American Jews and Israel, The Forward
“’Israel is our truest and closest ally in the region, with a commitment to values of personal freedoms and liberties, surrounded by a pretty tough neighborhood,’ Walz said. He was also endorsed by J Street for reelection.”
Walz Instead of Shapiro Excites Left, but May Alienate Jewish Voters, The New York Times
“Many Jewish organizations on Tuesday rallied around Ms. Harris’s selection of Mr. Walz. J Street, a liberal Jewish group that has criticized Israel, wished Mr. Walz its congratulations, saying, ‘Mazel Tov, Tim Walz.’”
J Street PAC Praises Walz as Harris’ Running Mate, NBC
JStreetPAC, the fundraising arm for the left-leaning pro-Israel organization, praised Harris’ selection of Walz in a fundraising email this morning. “As a J Street endorsee from his time in the House, we know Walz well. With his good humor and fighting spirit, he’ll be a powerful, energizing messenger in the fight to protect democracy and defeat the Trump-Vance ticket,” Tali deGroot, J Street’s national political director, wrote.
Hamas Names an Architect of Oct. 7 Attacks as New Political Leader, The New York Times
The decision to appoint Sinwar is an indication that, ten months into the war, the Palestinian group’s leaders remain firmly behind the decision to attack southern Israel on Oct. 7, analysts said. And it signals that Israeli efforts to try and cripple the group by killing off its leaders may have only entrenched the hard-line position Hamas has taken, they said.
Hostage Talks on Hold Until After Iran Response, Replacement of Haniyeh, The Times of Israel
The negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire-hostage release deal are on hold and will not pick up until after Iran retaliates for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and until after the terror group selects a replacement for the slain politburo chief, two officials familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel Monday.
Preparing to Again Defend Israel, US Presses Iran and Israel to De-escalate, CNN
In just the past few days, President Joe Biden and his top diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have held a flurry of calls with counterparts across the Middle East. They have each had numerous exchanges with the leaders and foreign ministers of Jordan, Qatar and Egypt with a message of de-escalation.
Israel Says Dozens of Palestinian Fighters Killed in Gaza Over Past 24 Hours, Reuters
The Israeli military said the Hamas official in charge of smuggling operations was among those killed and that his death significantly hit their ability to bring weapons and military equipment into the besieged enclave.
Most Americans Oppose Sending US Troops to Defend Israel, Poll Finds, The Washington Post
The survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that 55 percent of Americans opposed sending U.S. troops to defend Israel if its neighbors attacked it, while 41 percent supported doing so.
Nasrallah: Israel Right to Fear Attack From ‘Axis of Resistance,’ Isn’t the Power It Once Was, The Times of Israel
According to Nasrallah, Israel is no longer the invincible power that beat the greatest Arab armies in past wars, as today it has to rely on the support of the US, UK, France and some Arab countries to defend itself against an anticipated Iranian attack.
Israel Police Raid Foreign Ministry Suspecting Foul Play in Issuing Diplomatic Passports – Including to Netanyahu’s Son, Haaretz
“This smells particularly bad,” a source familiar with the foreign service said. “There’s the blatant use here by the foreign minister of state resources to make a gesture to people who will influence his political future. Cohen has acted through a blatant conflict of interest, and the attorney general needs to get deeply involved.”
Putin Reportedly Calls for Iran to Limit Damage in Any Retaliation Against Israel, The Guardian
Vladimir Putin has reportedly told Iran to avoid civilian casualties in any retaliatory attack on Israel for the assassination of the Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, an underlining of the constraints it faces as it frames its response. It is a call for restraint that is likely to be echoed by many foreign ministers from the 57 countries inside the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at a meeting in Jeddah on Wednesday as tensions in the Middle East grow.
Gazans Question Logic Behind Appointment of Sinwar to Lead Hamas, Time of Israel
War-weary Gazans voice concern after Hamas appointed Yahya Sinwar as its new leader, fearing his violent past might hamper efforts for the ceasefire they yearn for.
Netanyahu Says ‘Victory’ Over Hamas Is in Sight. The Data Tells a Different Story, CNN
CNN reports, “Nearly half of Hamas’ military battalions in northern and central Gaza have rebuilt some of their fighting capabilities despite more than nine months of Israel’s brutal offensive, according to analyses by the American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project, the Institute for the Study of War and CNN. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu […] has repeatedly said that Israeli forces are nearing their stated goal of eliminating Hamas and destroying its military capabilities. […] But forensic analyses of Hamas’ military operations since it led attacks against Israel on October 7, which draw on Israeli and Hamas military statements, footage from the ground and interviews with experts and eyewitnesses, cast doubt on his claims.”
Biden Scrambles to Defuse the Ticking Iran-Israel Time Bomb, The Washington Post
David Ignatius reports, “The Gaza war has revealed a tension in the U.S.-Israel relationship that has troubled Biden, as it has many previous presidents. As Israel’s strongest supporter, the United States faces a kind of Catch-22. Israel demands military freedom of action, a right to defend itself by itself. But at the same, it expects U.S. help if it’s attacked — and perhaps to join in offensive military actions as well. That’s an awkward passivity for a superpower.”
Israel’s Disaster Foretold, The Atlantic
Gershom Gorenberg writes, “As an Israeli, I am devastated by the indictment of 57 years of my country’s policy and actions in the occupied territories. As someone who has reported extensively on those actions, I also know that the (ICJ) opinion is almost entirely on target. The opinion is advisory and not binding. It does not obligate Israel or any other country to act. A United Nations Security Council decision based on the ruling would be necessary for that. Yet it’s a watershed. That Israel is breaking the law is now the position of the highest tribunal for international disputes.”
Western Powers Increasingly Concerned About Growing Russia-Iran Cooperation, Haaretz
The main concern of the Americans and Europeans is that Russia will exploit the tensions to advance its interests in the Middle East and help Iran and terrorist organizations allied to it to continue fighting Israel. Since the start of the Gaza war, Moscow has taken a critical line towards Israel and a friendlier one towards Hamas, which has manifested itself in its maintaining diplomatic ties with the organization despite the October 7 massacre.
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