News Roundup for January 21, 2025

January 21, 2025
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J Street In the News

J Street Welcomes Long-Overdue, Much-Needed Hostage Release and Ceasefire Deal, J Street
“Strong, clear-eyed American leadership is vital to ensure this agreement holds and advances to the next stages. We cannot return to the death, destruction and anguish of the past 471 days,” said J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami. “President-elect Trump has a historic opportunity to press both sides toward a lasting peace, remove Hamas’ hold on Gaza for good, normalize Israel’s relationships in the region and create a free, demilitarized Palestinian state that will make the Israeli people safer. If the dealmaker-in-chief has the resolve to get us there, he’ll have our full support.”

Echoes of History, Substack
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami writes, “The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has resisted a century of diplomatic effort to resolve it, yet the opportunity for a comprehensive regional agreement has never been greater. (I am convinced these four years present a serious opportunity for what I call the 23-state solution). Yet, before focusing on the longer term, the new team will have to ensure the success of talks that begin in two weeks to turn this first temporary pause first into a lasting ceasefire that releases all the remaining hostages.”

A New Era, A New Fight, J Street
“We must continue to confront the alarming embrace of antisemitism, white nationalism and outright racism by too many leaders in this country – and its proliferation online. We will oppose those whose critiques of Israeli government policy veer into broader prejudice and antisemitism. We will stand in solidarity with marginalized groups being targeted for political gain in today’s horrific culture wars and expose and resist those seeking to gain power through division.”

Top News and Analysis

Three Israeli Hostages and 90 Palestinians Freed As Gaza Ceasefire Takes Hold, The Washington Post
Thousands of displaced Palestinians in parts of the besieged enclave began to return to their bombed-out neighborhoods and homes, some searching for the bodies of relatives. The first day of the truce also brought a surge of desperately needed humanitarian aid, with more than 630 trucks entering Gaza, according to U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher.

Israel Ambassador Expects Trump To Reverse Hold on 2,000-Pound Bombs, Axios
The bombs are part of a series of steps the Israeli government expects Trump to take in the coming days and weeks regarding U.S. policy toward Israel and the war in Gaza, Israeli officials say. Some of these measures were discussed between Israeli officials and the Trump team in the context of Israel agreeing to make more concessions in order to conclude the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.

Trump Says He’s ‘Not Confident’ Gaza Ceasefire Will Hold, CNN
“I’m not confident. It’s not our war, it’s their war,” he said from the Oval Office, when asked by a reporter whether the ceasefire would hold and last through three planned phases. “I looked at a picture of Gaza – Gaza is like a massive demolition site. That place is, it’s really, it’s got to be rebuilt in a different way.”

News

Israeli Military Begins West Bank Raids, The New York Times
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said in a statement that the operation was aimed at “eradicating terrorism” and would be “extensive and significant.” The Palestinian Authority’s health ministry reported that six people had been killed and at least 35 injured during the first two hours of the operation.

Trump Cancels Sanctions on Israeli Settlers in West Bank, Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday rescinded sanctions imposed by the former Biden administration on far-right Israeli settler groups and individuals accused of being involved in violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, the new White House website said.

IDF Chief Resigns Due to October 7 Failures, Haaretz
IDF Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi announced Tuesday that he will be resigning from the army due to the failures of October 7. “The IDF under my command failed in its mission to protect the citizens of Israel,” Halevi wrote in his resignation letter to Defense Minister Israel Katz. “My responsibility for the terrible failure accompanies me every day, every hour, and will be so for the rest of my life.”

Palestinian Villagers in West Bank Accuse Israeli Settlers of Rampage [Video], NBC
Residents of Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank say Israeli settlers rampaged through their communities and set buildings on fire. Eyewitness videos appeared to show buildings on fire in Jinsafut village, about 30 miles from Jerusalem.

Elon Musk Appears to Make Fascist Salute at Trump Inauguration Rally, Haaretz
Tech billionaire Elon Musk, speaking at a Trump celebration rally at Washington’s Capital One Arena, appeared to conclude his remarks with a “Roman salute,” a fascist gesture most commonly associated with Nazi Germany, where it was performed alongside the phrase “Heil Hitler.”

Opinion and Analysis

My Son Hersh Was Killed in Gaza. I Won’t Stop Speaking Out Until All Hostages Are Home, Time Magazine
Rachel Goldberg-Polin writes, “The remaining hostages represent 23 different nations. They are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists. The youngest is Kfir Bibas, who will turn two years old on Saturday, Jan. 18. And the oldest is Shlomo Mansur, who is 86 years old. They are both slated for being released in this first phase of the deal. Yet back in November 2023, they were also supposed to be released (as was my son Hersh), but the deal broke down and now Hersh is dead. I pray Kfir and Shlomo come home as planned, alive and able to recover.”

At Last – the Hostages Are Returning to Their Families, The Times of Israel
Rabbi John Rosove writes, “I’m guardedly optimistic that all the hostages will be home soon and that peace will settle in the land. Until that happens, it is upon us to remember that despair is not an option, that hopeful aspirations have historically characterized the Jewish people regardless of our circumstances, and that our dreams of the return of the captives will be fulfilled and that peace and security will eventually come.”

After 15 Months of War, Hamas Still Rules Over What Remains of Gaza, AP
Samy Magdy and Joseph Krauss write, “The militant group has not only survived 15 months of war with Israel — among the deadliest and most destructive in recent memory — but it remains firmly in control of the coastal territory that now resembles an apocalyptic wasteland. With a surge of humanitarian aid promised as part of the ceasefire deal, the Hamas-run government said Monday that it will coordinate distribution to the desperate people of Gaza.”