🗽 Mamdani’s NYC Victory: Mamdani’s victory in the NYC Mayor’s race has sparked immense interest and debate and highlighted divides in the Jewish community, the Democratic Party and society at large.

A Progressive Pro-Israel Take on Mamdani’s NYC Victory: In his latest Substack post, J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami writes, “One can legitimately – as I do – disagree with things he believes in and stands for. [...] I believe Israel should not only provide equal rights to all who live in the country, I think it should be accepted as the ‘national home of the Jewish people’ (and I believe there must be a state of Palestine to be the same for the Palestinian people). He rejects identifying Israel in this way. [...] But legitimate policy disagreement cannot justify the abuse unleashed on Mamdani.” Read the full piece >>

[WATCH 🎬] Three Jewish New Yorkers on Mamdani’s Win:Jeremy and J Street Chief of Policy Ilan Goldenberg spoke with three Jewish New York voters – each of whom supported different candidates on the ballot – to understand their differing perspectives. Watch or listen here >>

📢 As He Prepares to Visit DC, Tell Netanyahu to Stop Blocking Aid: As Netanyahu prepares to meet with Trump in DC next week, the Gazan humanitarian crisis continues to deepen.

A recent report found that no families in Gaza are able to meet their basic food needs, 54% of Gazans were facing a food emergency – with large gaps in food consumption – and 22% were facing a catastrophic lack of food, starvation and death.

As the food crisis worsens, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites have turned into terrifying death traps. More than 500 people have been killed and thousands injured by fire from Israeli forces, security contractors and Palestinian gangs. Meanwhile Hamas has targeted GHF humanitarian workers.
This is a searing violation of our Jewish values and is fueling chaos, death and instability. Share our petition to tell Netanyahu to stop obstructing aid >>

🧭 Our Policy Framework for the West Bank and a Future Palestinian State: As Netanyahu ramps up de facto annexation, the J Street Policy Center released a new Policy Memo outlining our recommendations for what supporters of a Palestinian state should continue to advocate for in the West Bank – including partnering with European and Middle Eastern allies to press Israel to halt the surge in settlements, home demolitions, and outpost legalization; strengthening Palestinian governance; and investing in people-to-people ties. Read the full memo >>

🔍 Top Analysis on the Iran-Israel War: A week after the ceasefire was announced, there are still so many unanswered questions. Most critically, how significant was the damage to Iran’s nuclear program and will Iran now accelerate its development of a bomb? Here’s a roundup of top analysis pieces so far:

Did the Attacks on Iran Succeed? Richard Nephew: "Even in the best-case scenario, in which Washington and Israel have set Tehran back by many years, the military campaign could prove costly to U.S. efforts with Iran in other ways. Iran’s parliament, for example, just passed legislation that will greatly reduce its cooperation with the [International Atomic Energy Agency]."

12 Days of Attacks Later, Could Iran Make an Atomic Bomb? [Gift Link 🎁] The New York Times: "Israeli and American strikes most likely destroyed or damaged some parts of the Iranian nuclear program, making it harder to quickly produce additional nuclear fuel or convert that fuel into a working weapon. The full extent of the setback remains a subject of debate. A preliminary classified U.S. report said that the strikes had delayed the nuclear program by only a few months."

JD Vance Said the Iran Strikes Set Their Nuclear Program Back ‘Substantially.’ He’s Wrong James M. Acton: "Iran has a decent shot at keeping that highly enriched uranium safe and secret. Such material is typically stored in small cylinders that are roughly the same size and shape as scuba tanks. Tracking them will be extremely difficult – even for the United States and Israel, despite their exquisite intelligence capabilities."

If you missed it, check out our latest briefing on Iran here, and stay up to date with the latest J Street Policy Center analysis here.

📖 This Week’s Must-Reads:

Why Being a Liberal Jew Feels So Lonely and Exhausting Right Now
J Street Chief Policy Officer Ilan Goldenberg: "What are liberal American Jews to do with this situation where the US government, Israeli government, some progressive allies, and some mainstream Jewish organizations are all coming up short in different ways? The good news is that there is a lot to do and many good options for how to do it."
‘We're Not the Same People Anymore': IDF Soldiers Reveal What No Israeli Wants to Hear About Months of Fighting in Gaza
Tom Levinson writes, "Active-duty army soldiers who spoke to Haaretz in recent months [...] describe mounting exhaustion, severe physical and psychological strain, and a constant fear that they'll be the next to have their names released as fallen. Most refused to be quoted on the record. Five agreed to speak. They had just one request: "You sent us to war – now listen to what we have to say."
We Must Distinguish Between Civilians and Combatants
J Street Israel Director Nadav Tamir: "Too many Israelis do not distinguish between Hamas and the residents of Gaza. According to a survey by the Accord Center, 64% of the Israeli public strongly agree with the shocking statement that there are no innocent people in Gaza. This battle cry has become the national alibi for justifying the extensive immoral harm to civilians in Gaza. Only too often have I heard the disgraceful statement that children who are killed in Gaza were about to become future terrorists."

🗳️ Our Pro-Democracy To-Do List:

Tell Netanyahu to stop blocking aid >>

Call your Member of Congress and tell them you oppose the Gaza war >>

Host a vigil for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers with HIAS >>

Find pro-Israel, pro-democracy, pro-peace candidates at JStreetPAC.org >>

Sign up for J Street’s 2026 National Convention >>

Until July 11, use code INDEPENDENCE for 20% off any General Admission level ticket.

Check out and share the regularly updated Pro-Democracy To-Do List on our website >>

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J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy Americans who want Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the Jewish people. Working in American politics and the Jewish community, we advocate policies that advance shared US and Israeli interests as well as Jewish and democratic values, leading to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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