Supporters of Israel. Demanding More From It, The Times of Israel
J Street Israel Executive Director Nadav Tamir writes, “The senators who voted in favor of expressing criticism regarding the sale of some of the munitions approved in the Senate, want, like us, to end the war and the ongoing erosion of the resilience of Israeli democracy that Netanyahu’s policies are leading. It pains them and us to see the neglect of the 101 hostages, who the government has abandoned. Their desire to conquer and settle in Gaza appears to have taken precedence over their release from captivity.”
More Than 55 US Jewish Groups Slam Terrorism Bill That Could Threaten Nonprofits, The Times of Israel
“Over the past week, progressive Jewish groups that have lobbied against the bill – including the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the liberal Israel-focused lobby J Street, and the New Israel Fund – have won over a broader swath of the Jewish community. In a letter to lawmakers Wednesday organized by the Reform group, more than 55 Jewish groups argued that the bill could be abused by the government and have a chilling effect on free speech.”
Israel’s Thelma and Louise, Substack
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami writes, “As I try to imagine where the messianic right-wing Israeli government of Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich will lead Israel under the imminent Trump-Huckabee administration, I can’t escape the image of Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon punching the accelerator and heading for the cliff in the 1991 classic. What’s so disturbing in this moment is – as I envision it – all of us who care about Israel are buckled into the backseat right behind them.”
Israel and Lebanon on Cusp of Ceasefire Deal, Officials Say, Axios
Netanyahu held a meeting about the ceasefire talks on Sunday that included several senior ministers and intelligence chiefs, Israeli officials say. A decision was taken to move towards the agreement, according to one senior Israeli official, who said an announcement could come this week. A second Israeli official who attended the meeting said “the direction is positive” but that several issues remained unresolved and it’s not a done deal.
Israel Says Rabbi Who Went Missing in the UAE Was Killed. The Government Arrests 3, AP
Israel said Sunday that the body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been found after he was killed in what it described as a “heinous antisemitic terror incident.” The UAE’s Interior Ministry later said authorities arrested three suspects involved in the killing of Zvi Kogan.
Time to Stop Lying: Here Is How Israel’s Hostages Can Be Saved, Haaretz
Amir Tibon writes, “A year ago today, Israelis received good news that they were desperately waiting for: On November 23, 2023, a temporary ceasefire deal was signed between Israel and Hamas. The next day, a miracle happened: A group of more than ten women and children, who had been held by Hamas, emerged from the tunnels of Gaza alive. […] Time is running out for the hostages who have so far somehow survived the unbearable conditions they are being held in. We can still save them, but only if we tell the truth. A deal can be reached – if it leads to the war’s end. Anything else is a waste of time – and time is the one thing we cannot afford to lose.”
Israel Investigating After Hamas Releases Photos Purportedly Showing Body of Female Hostage, CNN
Hamas’ military wing claimed on Saturday that a female hostage had been killed in an area of northern Gaza that was “under Israeli aggression.” It did not identify her by name but shared two photos of the hostage’s body. Israel has made no comment on the circumstances surrounding the alleged death.
20 Killed, Dozens Injured in Massive Strike On Central Beirut, The Washington Post
Rescuers were still searching the pile of debris hours after the blast, with stretchers and body bags on hand as sobbing relatives waited nearby. Residents said at least one six-story building with 14 apartments inside was leveled.
Hezbollah Fires Rocket Barrages Into Israel After Deadly Beirut Strikes, BBC
Israel’s military says around 250 rockets have been fired by Hezbollah across the border from Lebanon, marking one of the heaviest bombardments of Israel since fighting intensified in September. Several people were injured and buildings damaged in northern and central Israel, some of them near Tel Aviv, Israel’s police said.
Israeli Government Imposes Sanctions on Haaretz, Cuts All Ties and Pulls Advertising, Haaretz
Haaretz reacted to the government decision with the following statement: “The opportunist resolution to boycott Haaretz, which passed in today’s government meeting without any legal review, is another step in Netanyahu’s journey to dismantle Israeli democracy.”
US Warns Israel Against Dropping Detention of Settlers in Occupied West Bank, Axios
US officials said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pushed the Biden administration’s message in a call with his counterpart Israel Katz on Saturday and expressed deep concern about the decision.
Israeli Army Orders Gaza City Suburb Evacuated, Reuters
Footage circulated on social and Palestinian media, which Reuters could not immediately verify, showed residents leaving Shejaia on donkey carts and rickshaws, with others, including children carrying backpacks, walking.
In West Bank Raids, Palestinians See Echoes of Israel’s Gaza War, The New York Times
Raja Abdulrahim and Azmat Khan report, “‘We call Jenin a small Gaza,’ said Saleem Al-Sade, a member of a local neighborhood council. As he walked through a neighborhood known as Jenin camp, which started as a refugee camp for Palestinians displaced from their homes in what is now Israel, he pointed out the constant sound overhead of Israeli drones that carry out surveillance and airstrikes. ‘It’s a Gazafication of the northern part of the West Bank,’ said Nadav Weiman, the director of Breaking the Silence.”
Regional Leaders Need to Present the Arab Peace Initiative to Israeli Citizens Directly, The National
Nimrod Novik, former senior adviser to Shimon Peres, writes, “They can clarify to Israelis why a credible commitment to an eventual two-state solution is a pre-requisite for regional integration. They can reassure them of regional leaders’ resolve to assist Israelis and Palestinians in ending the trauma of the current crisis, to stand with them as they address the demanding challenges of peace-making, and contribute to the security, dignity and prosperity of all.”
Why Do You Refuse to Serve in Israel’s Army? ‘This Government Isn’t Bothered by War Crimes’, Haaretz
Haaretz spoke with Ido Eilam, an 18-year-old who is protesting the government by opting for military prison over being a soldier, saying it’s a matter of human lives. Eilam says, “My conscience is telling me that the current direction is a government that I consider to be fascist, a government that isn’t bothered by war crimes or how many soldiers die or how many Palestinians die and wants to promote settlement in Gaza and further settlement in the West Bank.”