News Roundup for February 3, 2025

February 3, 2025
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J Street In the News

J Street Welcomes Hostage Releases, Urges Progress on Next Ceasefire Stage Ahead of Netanyahu’s White House Visit, J Street
J Street welcomes the release of Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon, and American-Israeli Keith Siegel after 483 days in Hamas captivity as part of the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal. With deadlines approaching for the next phase of the deal, maintaining progress is more critical than ever, requiring strong U.S. leadership and persistence. J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami urges Trump to firmly press Netanyahu to uphold the ceasefire and ensure the deal advances to the next stage.

Fascism Rising, Substack
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami writes about how right-wing politicians are threatening US democracy: “The fundamental threat to our way of life comes not from misguided but powerless students and activists protesting the Gaza War, but from those with real power limiting personal freedoms, shutting the door on immigrants, criminalizing speech and undoing the democratic structures that ​brought Jewish Americans opportunity and freedom.”

To Protect Israel, Stand Against Its Extremists, The Times of Israel
Charles Ratner writes, “For me, safeguarding Israel’s future means supporting pro-Israel organizations that align with my values. That means supporting J Street, the pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy movement committed to realizing a secure, democratic future for Israel. J Street understands the dangers that Israel faces and also knows that endless war and horrifying civilian casualties do not lessen these threats – they isolate Israel from its allies and empower its adversaries.”

Top News and Analysis

American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 2 Other Hostages Released in Gaza in 3rd Exchange of Israel-Hamas Ceasefire, CBS News
American-Israeli dual national Keith Siegel was among three hostages released by Hamas in Gaza this Saturday, more than 15 months after being taken captive by Hamas. The handover, conducted smoothly and without incident, was part of the ceasefire agreement in which Israel was expected to release 90 Palestinian prisoners in exchange.

Netanyahu Arrives in Washington at Critical Juncture for Mideast, The New York Times
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived today in Washington for meetings with President Trump. On their agenda are crucial talks on 2nd phase negotiations of the ceasefire agreement, how to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions and plans for a future alliance between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

News

Israeli Military Sets Off Massive Explosions, Destroying Buildings in Jenin, The Washington Post
The Israeli military blew up at least 20 buildings in the West Bank city of Jenin on Sunday, staging controlled demolitions that thundered across the region, where troops have been battling local militants in an operation dubbed Iron Wall. The Palestinian Health Ministry reports five people killed, among them a 16-year-old.

Five Arab-Israelis Murdered in 24 Hours; 14-year-old Shot Dead in Central Israel, Haaretz
Unknown assailants broke into a home in the city of Lod on Monday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring two others, marking the fifth murder of Israeli Arabs within 24 hours. This wave of violence included a fatal stabbing in Abu Ghosh and a triple homicide in Abu Snaan, which police suspect is tied to organized crime groups in Northern Israel.

Opinion and Analysis

Who Will Govern Postwar Gaza? Four Competing Models Are Emerging., The New York Times
Patrick Kingsley writes about the four models forming that could govern the Gaza Strip after the Israel-Hamas war: weakened Hamas rule, continued Israeli occupation, an International force of Arab countries or the Palestinian Authority.

Biden’s Failure and Trump’s Success, The Jerusalem Post
J Street Israel Director Nadav Tamir writes, “The Biden administration continued to declare at every opportunity that the prevention of the deal was Hamas’s fault, even though it was as clear as a bell that Netanyahu was the main obstacle to the deal. They removed political pressure that could have gotten hostages home and ended the war sooner, contrary to their own stated goals.”