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.
Pushing U.S., Israel to Stop the Gaza War, The American Jewish World
“Ben-Ami’s statement also urged Pres. Biden ‘to withhold shipments of offensive weapons to press Netanyahu and his allies to adhere to the rules of war, to American law and to the moral standards we expect from a democratic ally.’ Asked about what has changed since the May 28 statement was issued, Ben-Ami commented that ‘tens of thousands more people are dead, many more hostages are dead. It’s just tragic where we are at. It is so imperative to find a way to come to a conclusion to this fighting.’”
US and Allies Call for 21-Day Ceasefire Along Israel-Lebanon Border After UN Talks, Reuters
The United States, France and several allies called for an immediate 21-day ceasefire across the Israel-Lebanon border while also expressing support for a ceasefire in Gaza following intense discussions at the United Nations on Wednesday. The ceasefire would apply to the Israel-Lebanon “Blue Line,” the demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel, and would allow the parties to negotiate towards a potential diplomatic resolution of the conflict, a senior Biden administration official said.
Israel Calls up Reservists, Telling Troops to Prepare for Lebanon Incursion, The Washington Post
The remarks came as the Israel Defense Forces announced it was mobilizing two reserve brigades for operations in the north, a move the military said would allow for “the continuation of combat” against Hezbollah, which also fired a rocket, missiles and drones at Israeli communities.
The Israeli Foreign Policy Index of 2024, Mitvim
A relative majority of the Israeli public (44%) supports a package deal that includes normalization with Saudi Arabia, the establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state that is not controlled by Hamas, and an American-led regional defense alliance. A majority of the public (about half of the respondents) supports the international move to impose sanctions on violent settlers and settler organizations that encourage violence in the territories, as long as it is limited to violent settlers only.
Israel Intercepts Hezbollah Ballistic Missile Near Tel Aviv in First Such Attack, CNN
Israel intercepted a missile fired by Hezbollah near Tel Aviv on Wednesday, an unprecedented attack by the militant group that reached deep into the country’s commercial heartlands and marked a new escalatory step in the conflict between the two sides.
US Leads New Effort to End Hostilities in Lebanon and Gaza, Sources Say, Reuters
The United States is spearheading a new diplomatic effort to end hostilities in both Gaza and Lebanon, linking the two conflicts as part of a single initiative, seven sources familiar with the initiative told Reuters.
Israeli Strikes on Lebanon Causing ‘Carnage’, Health Minister Says, BBC
Dr Firass Abiad told the BBC it was “clear” that many of the 550 people killed in Monday’s attacks were civilians, including children and women. Israel said it hit hundreds of Hezbollah sites, accusing the group of hiding weapons in residential areas.
Palestinian Woman Killed, Two Critically Wounded in IDF Clash With West Bank Militants, Haaretz
A 32-year-old Palestinian woman was killed by Israeli forces in the village of Anzah, south of Jenin in the West Bank. Two others, a 9-year-old girl and a 73-year-old woman, were critically wounded, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry and the Red Crescent.
I Made Aliyah Right Before Oct. 7. Here’s Why I Stayed, The Forward
Sruli Fruchter shares, “To suffer with a people is to love them in their worst moments. A bond forged in pain is one that lasts a lifetime. Many Israelis have expressed surprise at my decision to stay here after Oct. 7. But it was Oct. 7 that cemented my need to be a part of this country. Its failures, its triumphs and its future are my own.”
Why Everything Is Suddenly Spiraling for Israel, The New York Times
Thomas Friedman argues, “I repeat: Israel is in terrible danger. It is fighting the most just war in its history — responding to the brutal, unprovoked murder and abduction of women and children and grandparents by Hamas — and yet today Israel is more of a pariah state than ever.”
America’s Exasperation With Netanyahu Came Too Late, Haaretz
Alon Pinkas writes, “As Joe Biden addresses the UN for the last time, and his administration comes to terms with the fact that a Gaza deal won’t happen in the time he has left in office, one must ask: How could a group of people who deciphered Putin so accurately in Ukraine have been so easily manipulated by Netanyahu?”
Retired General’s ‘Siege Plan’ for Gaza Sparks Debate, The Jerusalem Post
J Street Israel Executive Director Nadav Tamir writes, “Instead of exposing the public almost exclusively to those who believe that military force is the only solution – despite that in the age of asymmetric threats, there are no solely military solutions to the challenges of terrorism – it is crucial to create a more in-depth discourse, albeit less popular.”
Israeli Bulldozers Flatten Mile After Mile in the West Bank, The New York Times
Erika Solomon, Lauren Leatherby, and Aric Toler report, “Residents in Jenin and Tulkarm, towns with a history of rebellion against Israeli occupation, had long been accustomed to targeted, nighttime raids. But many of them who spoke to The Times said the raids that lasted for nine days in Jenin and even longer in Tulkarm went far beyond, noting that the extent of the damaged roads and infrastructure surpassed any previous assaults.”