Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today praised the overwhelming defeat of Bernie Sanders’ dangerous anti-Israel resolutions, which were rejected by an even greater number of senators yesterday than in November.
“Israel faces threats from Iran and its proxies and needs to be able to defend itself against those who are hellbent on Israel’s destruction. It is a good thing that these resolutions were resoundingly defeated,” Schumer said.
Four Democratic senators flipped their votes against Sanders, sending a message to Sanders that his initiatives are losing support.
Notably, all 15 senators who voted for Bernie Sanders' failed effort to block arms sales to Israel are endorsed by J Street.
In the House, similar efforts to block arms to Israel led by Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and J Street champion Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) have only 15 cosponsors.
Thank you for your ongoing support for AIPAC as we work with Congress to defeat these anti-Israel efforts in the Senate and House and ensure America continues to stand with the Jewish state.
Continue to follow AIPAC on social media for the latest updates.
Shabbat Shalom,
Jake Braunstein
Director of Policy Communications
Trump, Netanyahu discuss potential meeting in D.C.
Yesterday, President Trump spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu on the phone and invited him to the White House.
Outside Air Force One, Trump said of Netanyahu: “I spoke to him today, and I think he’s going to be coming to our country sometime in the not too distant future, maybe next week.” However, U.S. and Israeli officials later confirmed that no date had been set for the meeting, which may take place in the coming weeks.
Netanyahu visited Trump at the White House in early February — the first foreign leader to do so in Trump’s second term
250+ terrorists killed in Gaza since ceasefire ended
IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin announced yesterday the significant progress the IDF has made since the ceasefire broke down when Hamas refused to release additional hostages.
“Since the resumption of operations in the Gaza Strip, we have struck more than 600 terrorist targets… eliminated more than 250 terrorists, including twelve senior members of the Hamas .. all terrorists, all of whom took part in the October 7th massacre,” Defrin said.
The IDF has also taken our multiple command-and-control centers used by the terror group, including one precisely struck yesterday in Jabalia with four Hamas terrorists inside:
Defense Minister Katz made clear, “The purpose of the operation is to advance the hostages’ release. We are exerting pressure to prompt Hamas to accept the Americans’ proposal – the release of 11 living hostages and another 16 deceased. And, in the course of the ceasefire, we will set in motion a process of further dialogue. At the moment, we are acting in stages to ratchet up the pressure.”
Freed hostages, hostage families meet with Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Hostages freed from Hamas captivity and family members of those still being held in Gaza met yesterday with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The meeting was organized by Senators David McCormick (R-PA) and Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), respectively the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Middle East subcommittee.
“We wanted to have this discussion to bring focus and attention to the plight of the hostages, the need to bring them home, to not lose focus on the importance of what they’re suffering, the importance of having this be a priority in our discussions,” Sen. McCormick said.
“I’ve met with the families over and over and over again. They are never easy meetings, but we must see them, and we must hear them, and we must do something,” Sen. Rosen added. “We have to pursue every viable path to ensure the safe release of every hostage.”
U.S., Israeli officials meeting in D.C. to strengthen cooperation
Israeli Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Eli Cohen met with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in Washington, D.C.
“We discussed advancing cooperation between our countries and agreed to establish joint Israel-U.S. teams in the fields of AI, energy, and innovation,” Cohen said after the meeting. “The future lies in artificial intelligence, a field that requires vast amounts of energy. We are connecting Israeli innovation with the energy sector and AI, in collaboration with the United States—a global leader in this area.”
Cohen held a series of meetings in D.C. “to broaden cooperation between countries and use the energy market as a lever for increasing regional stability, expanding the Abraham Accord and strengthening Israel’s status as a bridge between East and West that will contribute to security and prosperity in the Middle East,” he said.
Amit Soussana survived 55 days in Hamas captivity. She survived sexual abuse at the hands of terrorists. She is a fighter, an advocate, and now, a recipient of the 2025 International Woman of Courage Award.
Rescued hostage Andrei Kozlov joined AIPAC to discuss the 8 months he spent in Hamas captivity, the day Israeli forces saved him, and his path of recovery — including becoming an artist — since he's been freed.
State Department Spokesperson: Hamas could end this war.
Must read: A message from a Gazan protesting Hamas.
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