News Roundup for January 15, 2026
WATCH: Jeremy and Ilan in Dialogue with Daniel Gordis – What It Looks Like to Engage Civilly When We Disagree, Word on the Street
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami and Chief Policy Officer Ilan Goldenberg were joined by Daniel Gordis, American-born Israeli author on Zionism and contemporary Israel, for a productive dialogue session on this week’s Word on the Street.
Ron Wyden Introduces Legislation That Could Sanction Israeli Officials Over Withholding Gaza Aid, Jewish Insider
“’Our Jewish values compel us to stand up against the continued oppressive restrictions on humanitarian aid into Gaza, which exacerbate the destruction inflicted on civilians by two years of war,’ J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami said in a statement.”
Trump Administration Says 2nd Phase of Gaza Ceasefire Is Underway, Despite Israeli Hostage Remaining, Jewish Telegraphic Agency
“The president of the liberal Zionist advocacy and lobby group J Street, Jeremy Ben-Ami, also welcomed the announcement in a statement, but called for ‘prioritizing civilian protection, ensuring the steady flow of humanitarian aid and establishing accountable governance and security arrangements.’”
US Announces Launch of Second Phase of Gaza Peace Plan, Washington Post
“In a social media post, Witkoff said a failure of Hamas to disarm and return the body of the last remaining Israeli hostage from Gaza would bring ‘serious consequences.’ But he provided no details on how those elusive goals would be accomplished or on the membership of the technocratic committee.”
Trump’s Gulf Allies Do Not Want Him to Bomb Iran, New York Times
“Even Gulf governments that have engaged in indirect conflict with Iran — such as Iran’s regional rival, Saudi Arabia — do not support American military action there, according to analysts who study the region.”
US To Lower Security Alert at Qatar Air Base After Iran Reopens Its Airspace, Haaretz
“The airspace closure came as military personnel were evacuated at Al Udeid Air Base, a key U.S. base in Qatar. The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait also ordered personnel to ‘temporarily halt’ visits to the country’s numerous military bases.”
US Thinks Hamas Is Ready to Demilitarize as Gaza Deal Moves to “Phase Two”, Axios
“Israel only reluctantly agreed to move to ‘phase two,’ in part because the remains of one deceased hostage have yet to be returned under the terms of ‘phase one.’ But some hardliners within the government have long wanted to ditch Trump’s deal and resume the war.”
Arab Special-ed Teacher Gunned Down in Front of Her Children in Northern Israel, Haaretz
“As of Thursday, violent crime has taken the lives of 17 people in Israel since the beginning of the year, including 14 in the country’s Arab society.”
In Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine,’ Echoes of Nazi Justifications for Aggression, The Forward
Terrence Petty writes, “During the first year of Trump’s second term, the 47th president of the United States attempted his own version of what Germans call Gleichschaltung — the Nazis’ forced alignment of institutions and society with Hitler’s will. Trump moved to bend the federal bureaucracy, the intelligence services, the military chain of command, and the civil service into a single, obedient apparatus.”
