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.
Iranian Negotiator Back in Vienna for ‘Final Days’ of Talks, Al-Monitor
After a brief trip back to Tehran for consultations, Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani has returned to Vienna this morning to resume talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. He met this morning with Enrique Mora, deputy secretary general of the European External Action Service. According to an IRNA report on Bagheri Kani’s trip to Tehran, consultations and top-level talks are still taking place in Vienna. Yet, according to Mora, “There are no longer expert-level talks. No formal meetings. It is time, in the next few days, for political decisions to end the Vienna talks. The rest is noise.”
Zelenskyy to Speak Before Israeli Lawmakers, Haaretz
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will speak before Israeli lawmakers via video, Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy confirmed following an official request from Zelenskyy. Due to renovations of the Knesset chambers, lawmakers will also be joining the address remotely rather than at the Knesset.
Palestinian Shot Last Week by Israeli Troops Dies of Wounds, Al-Monitor
A Palestinian man shot by Israeli forces in clashes last week died from his wounds early on Wednesday, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
Israeli President Visits Turkey to “Reset” Relations With Erdoğan, Axios
sraeli President Isaac Herzog traveled to Ankara on Wednesday to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to try to “reset” Israel’s relations with Turkey. It’s the first visit by a senior Israeli official to the Turkish capital in 14 years and comes as Israel tries to repair the two countries’ often-fraught relationship.
Israel Plans to Airlift Tens of Thousands of Ukrainian Jews in Major Aliyah Operation, Haaretz
Israel is gearing for a major airlift of Ukrainian Jews who have fled to bordering countries, leaders of the Jewish Agency announced on Wednesday.
Most IDF Vets Dismayed by Defense Ministry Rehab Center, Comptroller Finds, The Times of Israel
Israeli veterans are overwhelmingly dissatisfied with the way they are treated by the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department, according to a state comptroller report released Wednesday.
AIPAC and Some of Their Controversial Endorsements, The Jerusalem Post
Former AIPAC chief lobbyist Douglas Bloomfield writes, “If the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) was ever serious about repairing frayed relations with the Democrats and many Jewish voters, it has just taken a giant step in the wrong direction. Giving its endorsement and contributions to 37 Republicans who tried to trash the Constitution and overthrow the 2020 presidential election is politically and morally unacceptable, and it is unlikely to play well with those American Jews who fear for the future of our democracy…Endorsing 37 incumbents who sided with the insurrectionists, opposed certification of Biden’s election and question the legitimacy of his presidency is a blunder of the first order. A total of 147 Republicans voted to overturn the election, even after the sacking of the Capitol by Donald Trump’s mob, which included several top GOP House leaders.”