Progressive Jewish Groups Back Senate Resolutions Against Arms Sales to Israel, Jewish Telegraphic Agency
“J Street is asking Senators to send a message of disapproval of the Netanyahu government’s conduct of the war in Gaza and the disrespect it has shown to the Biden Administration and international law,” the group said in a statement, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. J Street added that the vote, which it called “symbolic,” would indicate disapproval “of the US administration’s failure to enforce American laws and use leverage to rein in Netanyahu’s policies and actions.”
Washington Divided as Israel Weighs New Gaza Aid Plans Under Global Pressure, Haaretz
Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is spearheading a proposal drafted by a U.S.-based consultancy. The plan would transfer full responsibility for aid distribution to international organizations, which would operate a logistics hub in Gaza secured by private companies. Another option under discussion involves establishing a military administration in Gaza, with the IDF directly managing aid distribution.
Israel and US to Establish Channel for Discussing Incidents of IDF Harm to Civilians, The Times of Israel
Israel has agreed to establish a new bilateral channel through which the US will be able to raise concerns regarding specific military incidents in which civilians have been harmed, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller announced Tuesday. The establishment of the channel was one of over a dozen demands made by the US in a letter to Israel on October 13, warning Israel that failure to meet them risked a partial arms embargo.
Touring Gaza, PM Vows Hamas Won’t Return to Power, Offers $5 Million for Hostages, The Times of Israel
Netanyahu says captives will be freed regardless, even as defense officials said to warn him that a ceasefire deal is the only way to rescue them.
Israeli Strikes Kill 19 in Gaza; Hospital in North Makes Distress Call, Reuters
Israeli forces killed at least 19 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, including a rescue worker, health officials said, as troops deepened an incursion along the territory’s northern edge, bombarding a hospital and blowing up homes.
White House Urging Democrats to Reject Progressive Push to Block Arms Transfers to Israel, The Times of Israel
While the votes are all but certain to fail, given the strong support for Israel in both parties — particularly the GOP — they are likely to mark a watershed moment in a more divided Democratic Party that is still working to understand the lessons of this month’s election, which saw Republicans win the White House and Senate and keep their majority in the House.
Palestinian Olive Harvest Under Threat From Israeli Attacks and Restrictions, BBC
Even though the family had co-ordinated their intention to pick olives with the IDF, according to her son Fares and husband Hossam, the soldier fired several shots as other family members fled for cover.
Israel Issues More Than 1,000 Arrest Warrants for Ultra-Orthodox Draft Avoiders, CNN
Israel’s military has issued 1,126 arrest warrants for ultra-Orthodox conscripts who have not responded to drafting orders, in a move likely to fuel discontent over a controversial decision to remove their decades-long exemption from service.
The Unbearable Price Israel Would Pay for Annexation, The Times of Israel
Shaul Arieli writes, “Proponents of annexation believe they can gradually incorporate territories while minimizing negative consequences. However, the study reveals this to be a dangerous illusion. Annexing Area C, or even parts of it, would likely lead to the collapse of the Palestinian Authority, the termination of security coordination, and the IDF’s takeover of the entire West Bank. In such a scenario, Israel would be forced to establish military rule and assume responsibility for 2.6 million Palestinians.”
Is Israel Using New, Deadly Military Technology in Gaza? [Podcast], NPR
NPR has been collecting eyewitness accounts from Gaza that indicate Israel is using a new type of drone. One that has a gun attached that can shoot people remotely. We hear how Israel is using it in Gaza and what this technology could mean for the future of warfare.
Israel’s Attorney General Is Protecting the Country From Its Government. We Must Protect Her, Haaretz
The Haaretz Editorial Board writes, “The public must understand what’s happening before its eyes. Removing the attorney general and appointing a legal scarecrow who will say yes to everything the government wants would grant the government total freedom to complete the coup and shape the regime to its dimensions and wishes, whether legal or not. The public must mobilize to defend the only ones who are still protecting the country from the government and its leader.”
What Biden Must Do to Help Gaza Now, Foreign Policy
Stacy Gilbert writes, “Since early on in this conflict, the U.S. State Department has had all the information it needs to accurately determine if Israel has been obstructing humanitarian assistance, but it has chosen to prioritize unconditional support of Israel over U.S. law. In May, the State and Defense departments submitted a report to Congress that concluded that Israel was not blocking humanitarian assistance. However, aid organizations and experts in the State Department’s refugee bureau and the United States Agency for International Development had been reporting otherwise for months.”