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.
AIPAC Endorses Election Overturners, Politico
“The American Israel Public Affairs Committee endorsed 35 Republican candidates who voted to overturn the 2020 election, the left-leaning pro-Israel group J Street pointed out. “AIPAC’s support for these candidates endangers American democracy and undermines the true interests and values of millions of American Jews and pro-Israel Americans who they often claim to represent,” LAURA BIRNBAUM, J Street’s national political director, said in a statement. “Whatever their views on Israel, elected officials who threaten the very future of our country should be completely beyond the pale. We call on AIPAC to immediately end their support for these candidates — or explain what could possibly justify supporting those who effectively sided with the insurrectionists on January 6th.””
AIPAC Slammed for Endorsing Republicans Who Refused to Certify Biden’s Election, The Times of Israel
“J Street, AIPAC’s liberal Jewish rival, which also has an affiliated PAC, criticized Thursday’s endorsements. “AIPAC’s support for these candidates endangers American democracy and undermines the true interests and values of millions of American Jews and pro-Israel Americans who they often claim to represent,” said Laura Birnbaum, J Street’s National Political Director. “Whatever their views on Israel, elected officials who threaten the very future of our country should be completely beyond the pale,” Birnbaum said. “We call on AIPAC to immediately end their support for these candidates — or explain what could possibly justify supporting those who effectively sided with the insurrectionists on January 6th. “Claims of ‘bipartisanship’ cannot excuse support for candidates who only respect election results when their party wins,” J Street added.”
AIPAC’s Endorsement List: Dozens of Republicans Who Deny Biden’s Election Win, Haaretz
“Organizations such as J Street, Democratic Majority for Israel and Jewish Democratic Council of America each pledged not to endorse candidates who did not vote to certify Joe Biden as U.S. president. Following AIPAC’s endorsements, they reiterated their criticisms. Other notable [AIPAC] endorsements include Democrat Henry Cuellar of Texas, who faces J Street-backed progressive upstart Jessica Cisneros in a May runoff election.”
Israeli Prime Minister Bennett Says Brokering Between Ukraine and Russia Is ‘Moral Obligation’, The Washington Post
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who surprised observers by popping up in Moscow this weekend for an unannounced meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Sunday that he remains in touch with both Russia and Ukraine and will press ahead with attempts to broker an end to the fighting. Bennett, whose blitz of diplomacy follows days of criticism by Ukraine for not denouncing Russia and Putin by name for the invasion, spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, their third conversation in the past 24 hours, according to the prime minister’s office.
Israel to Limit Number of non-Jewish Ukrainian Refugees, Haaretz
Israel will soon announce a new policy that caps the number of non-Jewish Ukrainian refugees allowed into Israel on humanitarian grounds, the interior minister said Monday. The policy, which Shaked says should be announced in the coming days, will allow some refugees to obtain work permits.
First Organized Flights of Ukrainian Immigrants, Since Russian Invasion, Land in Israel, Haaretz
A total of 400 new immigrants arrived on the chartered flights, including 100 children who were removed from the custody of their parents or abandoned by their parents. These children, who lived in a foster care home, all arrived on the flight from Romania.
Israeli Police Shoot Dead Attacker After Jerusalem Stabbing, AP
Police shot and killed a Palestinian attacker on Sunday after he stabbed an officer in Jerusalem’s Old City, Israeli police said.
Blinken Rejects Russian Demand to Not Link Sanctions With Iran Deal, The Times of Israel
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday dismissed as “irrelevant” Russian demands for guarantees that new sanctions linked to Ukraine will not affect Moscow’s rights under a reworked Iran nuclear deal.
Israeli Officer, Indicted for Brutality, Allegedly Pins Demonstrator’s Head With Knee, Haaretz
A police officer who is already under indictment for brutality allegedly pinned a demonstrator’s head to the ground with his knee and kicked him several times while arresting him during the Sunday protest.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry to Boost Aid to Ukraine, Including Generators for Hospital, The Times of Israel
The Foreign Ministry announced Sunday a series of ongoing measures to provide further aid to Ukraine and to refugees fleeing the war-torn country. The measures included the transfer of six giant electric generators to a Lviv hospital “that will allow continuous operation even without a power supply.”
If This Is Beit Hillel…, Haaretz
Haaretz’s Editorial board argues, “The number of Ukrainians fleeing for their lives has already reached around a million. But at a time when many countries worldwide have agreed to accept Ukrainians with no conditions, and Poland and Slovakia are absorbing hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians with no documents and no guarantees, Israel is still sifting through them. A country that never stops reminding the world that many countries didn’t help Jewish refugees during World War II has failed again and again at absorbing refugees itself.”