Friends,
Adina here with J Street’s latest newsletter.
For almost 6 months, we’ve experienced an extremely trying time for all of us in the pro-Isael, pro-peace, pro-democracy community. As an Israeli-American in the US, believe me, I know.
Hostages remain captive, their families in anguish. Hamas seems intent on making their own people’s suffering even worse. The threat of famine spreading across Gaza is painfully concerning and the Netanyahu government’s indifference to Palestinian suffering remains a violation of our values.
Here in the United States, our communities are being pulled further and further apart. Donald Trump continues to poll alarmingly well in key states. Republicans seem to have adopted “anti-Palestinian” as their new definition of “pro-Israel.”
At J Street, we continue to fiercely advocate for our pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy values: Pressing for unconditional hostage releases and an urgent bilateral ceasefire. Stressing the importance of humanitarian aid and stronger US leadership. Rallying our community to defeat Trump.
You can find out more about that work in the newsletter below.
But first, if our mission is important to you in this moment, please help us fund it. Your donation of $18, $36 or $90 – or any other amount – is deeply appreciated (and to sustain our work, click “make it monthly” to set a monthly gift, qualifying you for exclusive briefings with special guests).
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Thank you, sincerely, for your support.
Adina Vogel Ayalon
Chief of Staff, J Street
AROUND J STREET
President Biden Makes the Right Call on UN Security Council Resolution
J Street continues to strongly support the Biden Administration's efforts to broker an immediate, bilateral ceasefire to release the hostages and bring the devastation in Gaza to an end.
After months of calling on the White House not to veto diplomatic efforts aligned with this goal, J Street welcomed the president’s decision to allow passage of a UN Security Council resolution demanding the unconditional release of hostages, an immediate ceasefire during the month of Ramadan, full compliance with international law, and access for humanitarian aid.
President Biden’s decision to abstain rather than veto the UNSC vote – which received otherwise unanimous support – came following an unprecedented threat from Prime Minister Netanyahu to cancel an upcoming US visit by senior aides, which he then followed through on (and is now in the process of reversing course on).
“President Biden is right to show he won’t be bullied,” J Street said following the vote. “It’s deeply unfortunate that Prime Minister Netanyahu is now blocking consultations with Israel’s closest ally over a consequential policy disagreement at this critical moment.”
Read J Street’s statement on the UN Security Council Resolution >>
J Street Presses for Further Action as Famine Threatens to Spread
The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is unbearable. UN agencies and US officials warn that over one million people are on the verge of famine, with mass casualties likely if action isn’t taken swiftly.
Hamas continues to exacerbate suffering, refusing to release hostages. We strongly support the ongoing efforts to pressure them to agree to a deal. Their surrender would bring this catastrophe to its swiftest end.
MAGA Republicans, meanwhile, are boasting that they’ve cut support for Palestinian aid and banned US funding for UNRWA – the only group with the infrastructure to address the crisis and the hopelessness and desperation upon which terror groups feed.
The Netanyahu government continues to restrict aid deliveries – a policy slammed by hundreds of Israel’s own former security officials. The UN reports that aid convoys have come under IDF fire, been swarmed by desperate civilians, or commandeered by Hamas or armed gangs.
J Street continues to press President Biden to make this a top priority: Demand the Netanyahu government allow sufficient humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. Significantly scale up efforts to deliver supplies by land, air and sea. Exhaust every avenue to ensure humanitarian groups have what they need to address the crisis.
Read and share a letter from our friends at Commanders for Israel’s Security sharply criticizing the Netanyahu government’s efforts to restrict aid >>
J Street Welcomes Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s Historic Speech
Last month, Chuck Schumer – Senate Majority Leader and the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in US history – delivered a momentous, heartfelt pro-Israel speech in the Senate.
The Senator – a bellwether for the Jewish community, who has refrained from sharp criticism of the Israeli government – reckoned directly with the “significant course corrections” Israel must make going forward, as well as the failures of leadership on the Palestinian side.
Senator Schumer included both the settlement extremists and Prime Minister Netanyahu on a list of “obstacles to peace” – alongside Hamas and Palestinian leadership. For the first time, he sharply criticized the Netanyahu government’s “dangerous and inflammatory policies that test existing standards for assistance.” Significantly, he said that if Netanyahu remains in power, the US should “play a more active role” by “using our leverage” to change course.
“Palestinian civilians do not deserve to suffer for the sins of Hamas, and Israel has a moral obligation to do better,” he said. “The United States has an obligation to do better.”
This speech was courageous pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy leadership at its best.
Read J Street’s full analysis of Senator Schumer’s speech >>
Jewish Community Rallies Around Schumer in Face of Attacks
As President Biden said in response to Chuck Schumer’s speech: “He expressed a serious concern, shared not only by him but by many Americans.” But for some right-wing voices, no criticism of the Israeli government is acceptable – even from an unimpeachably pro-Israel leader delivered with deeply Jewish humanity.
Right-wing critics made absurd accusations of Schumer “appeasing antisemites” and “abandoning Israel.” Donald Trump said Jewish Democrats should be “ashamed” and called Schumer “very anti-Israel.” AIPAC “flips out” reported The New Republic.
Others stood up for common sense:
- Former Israeli Prime Ministers Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert expressed deep appreciation for the Senator’s frank and forthright concern.
- More than 300 influential Jewish leaders – including a dozen former US ambassadors and government officials as well as J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami – signed a letter welcoming the Majority Leader’s speech and thanking Senator Schumer and President Biden for their commitment to the US-Israel relationship and their understanding that “there is no military solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — only a political one.”
- Rabbis John L. Rosove and Elliott Tepperman, chairs of J Street’s Rabbinic and Cantorial Cabinet, praised Schumer’s “political courage” and “welcome, straight-talking new direction” in a Haaretz op-ed.
- J Street Israel Director Nadav Tamir praised the speech in The Jerusalem Post, writing that the Netanyahu government was causing “the deepening of alienation” of even the greatest supporters of Israel.
With Senator Schumer continuing to face slander from those determined to shut down any open, honest and fair debate about Israeli policies, we need to show our support. Join thousands of J Streeters who have thanked Chuck Schumer for his speech >>
J Street Urges White House to Follow Own Protocols on Military Aid
In February, the Biden Administration introduced a regulatory oversight mechanism to ensure US military aid is used in accordance with our values and in compliance with international law. This month, it indicated the Israeli government had provided assurances it was operating within international law, and fully facilitating humanitarian aid deliveries.
With deep pain and regret, J Street acknowledges that there have been enough concerning, credible reports to call into question the reliability of the Netanyahu government’s assurances.
Israeli, American and international monitors have published credible evidence of international law violations, with the Biden Administration itself resorting to airdrops and sea deliveries of humanitarian aid to work around Netanyahu government restrictions on land deliveries.
As 17 senators recently wrote in a joint statement, deeming the Netanyahu government’s assurances to be “credible and reliable” would be “inconsistent with the letter and spirit” of the regulations and set “an unacceptable precedent” in other situations around the world.
J Street calls on the Biden Administration to fully and impartially follow its own procedures and to initiate immediate steps to evaluate and address potential violations.
Read our full statement here >>
J Street Urges Further Action to Oppose West Bank Settlement Escalations
As Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed for talks with Prime Minister Netanyahu at the end of last month, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the largest land seizure in the West Bank since the 1993 Oslo Accords.
This declaration, alongside a similar seizure in February, marks a significant acceleration in land settlement, and a direct snub of US opposition to far-right efforts to cement permanent, undemocratic control over Palestinian land, and to put more young Israelis on the front lines.
J Street welcomed President Biden’s February announcement of a sanctions framework for tackling extremism in the West Bank, and welcomed a second round of sanctions targeted at violent extremists and settlement outposts. It sends a clear message that the United States will no longer treat the settlement movement with impunity: There will be consequences.
With some of Israel’s most extremist ministers, including those with responsibility for the West Bank and Israeli security personnel operating within it, driving settlement policies, the administration should not shy away from including such officials in future rounds of sanctions. As Senator Chuck Schumer said of Israel’s most extreme far-right ministers in his landmark speech, “as long as they hold their positions of power, no true progress will be made.”
Read J Street’s full statement welcoming President Biden’s second round of sanctions >>
J Street Remains Committed to Defeating Trump and Allies Up and Down the Ballot
As unfathomably painful as the situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank is right now – we know it would be unfathomably worse with President Trump in the White House.
Not a man known for his grasp of nuance, sensitivity and complexity, President Trump gave a predictably extreme response to Senator Schumer’s speech and the balancing act the White House continues to struggle with, describing Democrats as “very anti-Israel.”
"Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, they hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves," he said. “I actually think they hate Israel.”
The former President’s comments would be painful if they weren’t so absurd. They reflect the most nakedly extreme version of efforts to muddy a nuanced, necessary debate by smearing opponents as anti-Israel or antisemitic – even lifelong supporters of Israel.
Israelis and Palestinians cannot afford another Trump term. Neither can our democracy.
At J Street, we’re committed to doing all we can to defeat Trump in November: protesting, door-knocking and rallying our community. Through our political arm – JStreetPAC – our supporters are on track to raise over $10 million to defeat the MAGA movement and elect pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy candidates up and down the ballot.
Joining JStreetPAC makes your political dollars go further and amplify your impact in Washington. Learn more here >>
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