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.

J Street Mourns Passing of Martin Indyk, Diplomat and Middle East Peace Champion, J Street
“Ambassador Indyk was an invaluable source of inspiration, counsel and advice for J Street over the years. It is tragic that he won’t be able to see his dream for peace realized, but we will be doing everything in our power – and in his memory – to turn our shared vision into a reality for millions of people across the Middle East,” J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami said.

J Street Condemns Hateful, Antisemitic Protests and Harassment on Capitol Hill, J Street
“It is entirely possible to advocate for Palestinian freedom and human rights without supporting a terrorist organization like Hamas. Echoing pro-Hamas slogans and vandalizing public spaces and property with pro-Hamas graffiti – as occurred in a relatively small protest near Union Station yesterday – are both vile and abhorrent. It instills fear and fuels hate while undermining the very cause such individuals claim to care about.”

Unpacking Netanyahu’s Visit [Video], J Street
Netanyahu’s congressional address this week was as divisive and narcissistic as expected. We were joined by Congressman Sean Casten, Israeli hostage advocate Ifat Kalderon and J Street Israel Executive Director Nadav Tamir to debrief about his speech.

Harris Makes a Forceful Case for Israel-Gaza Cease-Fire After Netanyahu Meeting, Politico
The substance of the vice president’s remarks didn’t diverge from President Joe Biden’s past comments, but her delivery was notable and offered the clearest picture of Harris’ views on the conflict to date. Harris faces the political challenge of defining herself on one of the country’s most fraught foreign policy issues, while continuing to serve under Biden as he works to finalize a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas.

Exclusive: Israel Seeks Changes to Gaza Truce Plan, Complicating Talks, Sources Say, Reuters
Israel says that displaced Palestinians should be screened as they return to the enclave’s north when the ceasefire begins, retreating from an agreement to allow civilians who fled south to freely return home, the four sources told Reuters. Another sticking point, the Egyptian sources said, was over Israel’s demand to retain control of Gaza’s border with Egypt, which Cairo dismissed as outside a framework for a final deal accepted by the foes.

Netanyahu Irked by ‘Critical’ Harris Comments, Axios
The Israeli official said Netanyahu was upset about the fact that Harris spoke about the hostage and ceasefire deal as an end to the war, while Israel maintains its position that it will be able to resume the fighting after the deal is implemented. The Israeli official also said Netanyahu was unhappy with the fact that Harris criticized Israel publicly for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and for killing civilians, especially at the current timing amid the hostage deal negotiations.

Families’ Hopes Rise for Gaza Hostage-Ceasefire Deal After Biden, Netanyahu Meet, Axios
Three sources who attended the meeting told Axios the families asked Netanyahu in front of Biden why the prime minister was slow-walking the negotiations on the deal. Netanyahu replied that he was not slow-walking anything and committed that Israel will send an updated proposal for Hamas within days, the three sources said.

US Not Seen a Detailed Post-war Plan From Israel, Gen. Brown Says, Reuters
The remarks by Air Force General C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, followed a speech to Congress on Wednesday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that sketched only a vague outline for a “deradicalized” post-war Gaza.

Martin S. Indyk, Diplomat Who Sought Middle East Peace, Dies at 73, The New York Times
Indyk was serious about his Jewish faith, studying the Torah in a group with other prominent Washingtonians. He was a passionate Zionist, who believed Israel’s survival was best secured by a lasting agreement with the Palestinians. And he was eternally frustrated that successive American presidents had been unable to strike that elusive deal.

Kamala Harris Blasts ‘Despicable Acts’ of Protesters Who Burned US Flag, USA Today
Vice President Kamala Harris, who was not in Washington for the speech, issued a statement condemning the “despicable acts by unpatriotic protesters and dangerous, hate-fueled rhetoric.”

Hostage Families Deride Netanyahu’s Congress Speech, BBC
Thousands of miles away in central Tel Aviv, the families and friends of those held captive gathered to watch the speech. While it was playing, relatives of some who had died in Gaza took to a stage to berate the prime minister with cries of anguish – a jarring contrast to the standing ovations they were seeing in Congress.

UK’s Policy on Israel, Long Aligned With America’s, Veers Away, The New York Times
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to drop the previous government’s objections to the International Criminal Court prosecutor’s pursuit of an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, two people briefed on the government’s deliberations said.

Israel Privately Pressures Biden Admin to Fast-Track More Weapons During Netanyahu Visit, Politico
The delegation traveling with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington this week is circulating a list among lawmakers and senior officials that lays out weapons systems it wants fast-tracked.

Trump Urges Netanyahu to End War in Gaza Ahead of Friday Meeting, The New York Times
Israel must end the war in Gaza “and get it done quickly,” Trump said in an interview on Fox News on Thursday. He argued that Israel was “getting decimated” by negative publicity over its conduct of the war, set off by the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel.

More Arms, Less Advice: Netanyahu’s Meddling Speech Damaged US-Israel Relations, Haaretz
Douglas M. Bloomfield argues, “This is the trip Netanyahu never should have made if he were serious about protecting the US-Israel bipartisan relationship. Instead he once more plunged into partisan American politics and did more damage to the alliance at a time when Israel can least afford it. Israel under his leadership has been bleeding support, particularly among Democrats and Jews, who tend to vote three-to-one for that party.”

The ICJ’s Paradigm Shift on Palestine, Carnegie Endowment
Zaha Hassan writes, “The United States, however, ought to take this opportunity to recalibrate its approach to center the human security and rights of both Palestinians and Israelis. Israel-Palestine peace has been elusive over the past three decades, not due to a lack of creative solutions to the final status issues but because key stakeholders, particularly the United States, lack the willingness to create costs and consequences for Israel while they simultaneously press Palestinians to make more and more concessions.”

Why Did the Knesset Sabotage Biden’s Plan for Iran?, The Times of Israel
Avi Gil shares, “The Knesset’s outright rejection of a future Palestinian state shows that Netanyahu’s coalition is not content with poking President Biden in the eye just once; it insists on jabbing another finger into the same sore eye. With this resolution, the Knesset is sabotaging the administration’s plan to establish a regional alliance against Iran’s growing aggression. A cornerstone of this plan requires the normalization of Israel-Saudi relations.”

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