News Roundup for March 16, 2026
When Loving Israel Means Saying What Israelis Don’t Want to Hear, Word on the Street
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami writes, “Jewish tradition teaches that standing apart from the majority can itself be an expression of responsibility. That feels especially relevant now. The Israeli public overwhelmingly supports this war, and anyone who cares about Israel has to respect that. But respect does not mean silence.”
After Synagogue Attack, Jewish Leaders Say ‘Preparations Mattered’, USA Today
“‘There can be no justification, excuse or contextualization for attacking, vandalizing or targeting in any other way a synagogue,’ Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street, a liberal, pro-Israel nonprofit, said about the March 2026 attack. ‘Such violence is antisemitism, plain and simple.'”
Israeli Soldiers Fire on Family Car in Occupied West Bank, Killing 4, Washington Post
“The Palestinian Red Crescent rescue service said that Ali and Waed Odeh, and two of their four children, were shot in the head. The Odehs’ two surviving children had shrapnel wounds that were examined by first responders once they were granted access, the group said, accusing Israel of delaying ambulances dispatched to the scene.”
Entering War’s Third Week, Trump Faces Stark Choices, New York Times
“As the conflict with Iran expands and intensifies, President Trump’s options — to fight on, or to move toward declaring victory and pulling back — both carry deeply problematic consequences.”
Trump Eyes ‘Hormuz Coalition,’ Seizure of Iran’s Kharg Island Oil Hub, Axios
“President Trump is working to assemble a coalition of countries to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and hopes to announce it later this week, four sources tell Axios. Trump is also weighing a seizure of Iran’s critical oil depot on Kharg Island — a move that would require U.S. boots on the ground — if tankers remain bottled up in the Persian Gulf, U.S. officials say.”
IDF Says It’s Expanding Ground Offensive Against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Haaretz
“The Israeli army said Monday that it is deepening its ground offensive in southern Lebanon and sending additional troops to the northern border, in a move that could signal a broader campaign against Hezbollah than previously expected.”
Dubai Airport Resumes Some Flights After Drone Attack Caused Fuel Tank Blaze, Reuters
“Dubai’s international airport was gradually resuming flights on Monday after a fuel tank fire caused by a drone attack forced a temporary suspension, spotlighting the challenge for regional carriers grappling with the Middle East crisis.”
Two Weeks Into War With Iran, Trump Has Been Knocked Back on His Political Heels, Associated Press
“In the two weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump increasingly has been knocked on his political heels. He’s grown more agitated with news coverage and has failed to find a way to explain why he started the war — or how he will end it — that resonates with a public concerned by American deaths in the conflict, surging oil prices and dropping financial markets. Even some of his supporters are questioning his plan and his overall poll numbers are declining.”
The Very Big Differences Between US, Israeli Public Views About the Iran War, Jerusalem Post
J Street leader Sebastien Levi writes, “This difference has logical explanations. The Iranian threat is existential, or perceived as such, by a majority of Israelis across the political spectrum. Iran’s support for international terror against Jews and Israelis, its regional destabilization through its proxies constantly attacking Israel, or its calls for Israel’s annihilation while building ballistic and nuclear programs are facts, not fantasies or paranoid fears. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s weaponization of this issue is real, but it does not make Iran’s threats less real.”
