Now is the Time for Diplomacy to End the Iran and Gaza Wars June 24, 2025 - At this moment in which it is not yet clear if the Israel-Iran ceasefire announced last night by President Trump will hold, New Jewish Narrative renews our call for diplomacy to put in place a sustainable ceasefire, lasting arrangements to address the threat posed by a nuclear-armed Iran, and an end to the war in Gaza. Now that Israeli and American strikes have damaged Iran’s nuclear program, it is time for those tactical gains to be solidified into a strategic win through diplomatic means. After all, military force cannot eliminate the possibility of Iran developing a nuclear weapon. | |
Israel/Palestine and the LGBTQ Community This is a recording of a NJN webinar from June 18th, 2025. Navigating issues related to Israel/Palestine in the queer community – and in some of the broader progressive spaces – can be challenging. There is a history of using Israel’s relatively LGBTQ friendly environment to try to distract from the Occupation, a practice which has earned the label “Pinkwashing.” At the same time, there are the sometimes unfair asks that are made of Jews and/or Israelis. To help us make sense of how to navigate these intersecting identities and issues, NJN hosted a webinar with two leading Jewish and progressive leaders known for their thoughtfulness and nuance. | |
Emergency Briefing: Understanding the Israel-Iran War This is a recording of a New Jewish Narrative webinar from June 19th, 2025. The Israeli government's decision to begin a bombing campaign in Iran on Thursday marked the beginning of a new chapter in the conflict. All of us are trying to make sense of the military action, the diplomatic fallout, and what the consequences will be for Israel, the region, and for the United States. New Jewish Narrative hosted an emergency webinar with Ambassador Dan Shapiro, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel and one of the experts best able to brief us on what’s really happening—and what comes next. Ambassador Shapiro was in conversation with Hadar Susskind, President and CEO of New Jewish Narrative. | |
Only Congress Has The Power To Declare War Congressional resolutions to block the President from committing American forces to attack Iran unless Congress specifically authorized have been introduced on the Senate side by Tim Kaine (D-VA) and on the House side by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA). It’s really important to note, nothing in the resolutions would stop American forces from continuing to defend Israel from ballistic missile attacks. The idea that military force can block Iran from developing a nuclear weapon is a fallacy. At best, military action can set Iran back. At worst, military action will make Iranian hardliners desperate to build a bomb---and fast! Diplomatic agreements, on the other hand, have a track record of success. Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon was blocked by the 2015 nuclear agreement. It was only after President Trump's withdrawal from that agreement that we saw a surge in Iranian nuclear activity. Write to your Representative and your Senators. Ask them to cosponsor these resolutions. | |
430 Housing Units Advance in the West Bank, alongside Legalization of Palgei Mayim Outpost June 16, 2025 - The Higher Planning Council is set to discuss the approval of 430 housing units on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in two settlements: Eli and Givat Zeev. One of the plans set to be approved this week (Plan No. 237/6) includes 347 housing units in the Palegi Mayim outpost, which is defined as a neighborhood of Ali settlement and was approved for deposit in June 2023. The validation discussion (already scheduled) will legalize the outpost. Since early December 2024, the Higher Planning Council has been holding weekly meetings to advance housing projects in the settlements. The shift to a weekly approval process not only normalizes construction in the territories but also accelerates it. Since the beginning of 2025, including the plans slated for approval this week, the council has advanced a total of 19,389 housing units. All time record. | |
