J Street Picks Former Senior Harris Adviser To Lead New Policy Shop, Axios
“Ilan Goldenberg, a former senior adviser Vice President Harris who served as director for Jewish outreach during her 2024 presidential campaign, is joining liberal pro-Israel Jewish organization J Street. […] Goldenberg will head a new group of policy fellows and contributors that includes former special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations Frank Lowenstein, former principal deputy assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs Jen Gavito, former USAID West Bank mission director Larry Garber, and former chief of staff to Israel’s minister for regional cooperation Yael Patir, JStreet said.”
I’m Joining J Street, Substack
J Street Senior Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Ilan Goldenberg writes, “J Street has an incredible platform and is unafraid to stand up and fight on all these fronts at a time where it is desperately needed and where many others are pulling their punches. And even during the Biden-Harris administration in which I served, J Street was unafraid to push us on important issues whether it meant pressuring the administration to be more aggressive in pressing Israel to change policies that restricted aid from getting aid into Gaza, pushing for more measures to keep civilians in Gaza safe, or encouraging sanctions against far right extremists like Ben Gvir and Smotrich.”
Senior Biden and Obama Aide Ilan Goldenberg Joins J Street, The Times of Israel
“Ilan Goldenberg, a former senior aide in the Biden and Obama administrations, announces that he will be joining the dovish, pro-Israel lobby J Street as its senior vice president and chief policy officer. Goldenberg most recently served as director for Jewish outreach on former US vice president Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign.”
Daily Kickoff, Jewish Insider
In Jewish Insider’s Word on the Street section: “Ilan Goldenberg, who was Vice President Kamala Harris’ Jewish outreach director during the 2024 presidential campaign, is joining J Street as senior vice president and chief policy officer; Goldenberg served in the Biden administration as Harris’ Middle East advisor, and also held national security roles at the Pentagon and State Department.”
Mike Huckabee, Trump’s Pick for Israel Ambassador, Tries To Distance From Past Palestinian Rhetoric, AP
“Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of the pro-Israel group J Street, which has previously criticized the Biden and Trump administrations’ handling of the war, echoed that sentiment, saying that Huckabee’s views ‘would undermine American interests and the administration’s own stated commitment to pursuit of long-term regional peace and security.’ He added, ‘Mr. Huckabee’s embrace of annexation, extremist settlers and fanatical Christian Zionism stands in stark contrast to the Jewish, democratic values held by the overwhelming majority of our community — and in stark contrast to Israel’s founding values of justice, equality and peace.’”
Israeli Evacuation Orders and Attacks on Gaza Displace More Palestinians, The Washington Post
“The Israeli military issued evacuation orders for several areas of northern Gaza late Monday, forcing another round of displacements for Palestinians who were able to return to their homes in the devastated north in late January for the first time since the early days of the war. The military described it as a final warning before the areas would come under attack. Nearly 125,000 people have been displaced in recent days as they fled Israeli bombardment and ground operations, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said Monday.”
‘We Don’t Want to Die’: Gazans Protest Hamas Rule, War With Israel in Rare Show of Dissent, Haaretz
“Hundreds of Gazans demonstrated against the war and Hamas in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday. Documentation of the protest shows demonstrators shouting, ‘Hamas, get out!’ and ‘The Gazan people do not want war.’ […] Two mukhtars, or tribal heads, who participated in the demonstration, have come out against Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip. One of them said that the people of Gaza are not interested in the Hamas regime: ‘Hamas destroyed us, it caused us death.’”
Oscar-Winning Palestinian Director Says Israeli Soldiers Beat Him After Attack by Settlers, AP
“On Tuesday, Ballal – his face bruised and clothes still spotted with blood – recounted to The Associated Press how he was heavily beaten by an Israeli settler and soldiers the night before. The settler, he said, kicked his head ‘like a football’ during a settler attack on his village. The soldiers then detained him and two other Palestinians. Ballal said he was kept blindfolded for more than 20 hours, sitting on the floor under a blasting air conditioner. The soldiers kicked, punched or hit him with a stick whenever they came on their guard shifts.”
Judge Rules Pro-Palestinian Student and Permanent US Resident Cannot Be Detained, Reuters
“A Korean American Columbia University student, who is a legal permanent U.S. resident and has participated in pro-Palestinian protests, cannot be detained by federal immigration officials for now as she fights the administration of President Donald Trump over attempts to deport her, a judge ruled on Tuesday.”
Netanyahu Knew Hamas Diverted $4 Million in Qatari Funds to Its Military Wing, His Office Says, Haaretz
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Tuesday that he was informed in the past by Israel’s security establishment that beginning in March of 2022, Hamas diverted $4 million in funding to its military wing. Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office added, however, that Netanyahu had never been presented with an intelligence document stating that funding transferred to Gaza by Qatar was directed to terrorism.”
Why Israel’s Having Some of Its Biggest Protests Since the War in Gaza Began, NPR
“Polls show a majority of Israelis are against the end of the ceasefire and want negotiations to continue. Many feel this return to war is a betrayal and that Netanyahu and his government are forsaking the remaining hostages, leaving them to die in Gaza. Israelis are also protesting what they say is a threat to their democracy, as Netanyahu has renewed his push for overhauling the country’s judicial system.”