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.
Jewish Groups Slam Oz for Backing Mastriano Amid Antisemitism Controversies, Haaretz
“Numerous Jewish groups across the Democratic political spectrum, including J Street, the Democratic Majority for Israel political action committee, Jewish Democratic Council of America, Democratic Jewish Outreach (Pennsylvania) and Pittsburgh Jews Unite Against Extremism released a rare joint statement condemning Oz. “Mehmet Oz has campaigned side by side with Doug Mastriano, who has repeatedly used antisemitic tropes and associated himself with white nationalist rhetoric and ideology. Despite the recent rise in antisemitism, Oz has refused to denounce Mastriano’s hate speech and instead continues to endorse and support him,” the groups stated.”
With Democracy on the Line, AIPAC SuperPAC Targets Progressive Dems, Helps GOP, J Street
In response to the news that AIPAC’s SuperPAC, United Democracy Project, is spending over $75,000 to help Republican Mike Doyle defeat PA-12 Democratic congressional nominee Summer Lee, J Street’s National Political Director Laura Birnbaum released the following statement: “At a critical moment for American democracy, with election denial, antisemitism and far-right extremism on the rise, AIPAC continues to make clear that its top political priority is to target and defeat progressive Democrats.”
Highest Midday Turnout Since 1999 as Israelis Vote for the Fifth Time in Three Years: Live Updates, Haaretz
Voter turnout reached 28.4 percent as of 12 P.M. according to the data of the Central Election Committee. This is an increase compared to the 2021 elections, when its rate was 25.4 percent, and the highest voting turnout since the 1999 elections.
Israel Election: Live Updates, The New York Times
As Israelis vote on Tuesday in their fifth parliamentary election in less than four years, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hoping to return to power, but polls are predicting another deadlock.
Ultra-Orthodox Israeli Military Unit Faces Calls to Disband After Abuse Allegations, The Wall Street Journal
Netzah Yehuda, with just 500 soldiers in the battalion, has the highest conviction rate of any unit in the Israeli military for offenses against Palestinians since 2010, according to Israeli human-rights group Yesh Din. Its soldiers have been convicted of using electrocution to torture Palestinian detainees and disciplined for allowing an elderly Palestinian-American man to die in their custody.
For Arab Israeli Voters, It’s a Question of Participation, i24 News
The Arab Israeli vote is the roulette wheel in Israel’s current elections. But the turnout is expected to be low, at least when compared to the rest of the population – pollsters estimate it will hover around 50 per cent.
Palestinians in Hebron Say Settlers Shot at Their Homes Day After Israeli Killed in Shooting Attack, Haaretz
Settlers fired shots into Palestinians’ homes and threw stones at their cars Sunday night in Hebron, local residents said the day after a Palestinian shot dead an Israeli in the West Bank settlement.
Netanyahu Turns to Key Ultra-Orthodox Community To Get Out the Vote, The Times of Israel
Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu has been conducting a concerted campaign over the last several days to energize ultra-Orthodox voters and maximize the electoral potential of the Haredi community ahead of the general election on Tuesday.
Anyone but Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir, Haaretz
Haaretz’s Editorial Board argues, “Israel is going to the polls for the fifth time in three and a half years. This creates voter burnout and distrust, and leads many voters to stay home. But given the circumstances, we don’t have that luxury. Not voting means leaving the field to the supporters of Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir.”
With Rise of Ben Gvir and Smotrich, Israel Risks a Catastrophic Lurch to Extremism, The Times of Israel
David Horovitz writes, “Both will be ministers if Netanyahu wins the elections; their agendas would undo foundational principles and reverse core achievements, weakening Israel within and without.”