Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent NJN's views and policy positions.

 

Gaza: Everybody is Mediating, Nothing is Happening

Q. The IDF is planning a new offensive in the Gaza Strip. That hardly qualifies as mediating.

A. The offensive is not intended to go into high gear until October. Meanwhile it is very much related to multiple mediating initiatives: the threat of a new IDF maneuver is assessed in some Israeli quarters to be generating pressure on Hamas to adopt more flexible positions vis-à-vis current mediation attempts. 

That assessment is doubtful. IDF Intelligence has proven repeatedly to be incapable of understanding what makes Hamas tick, beginning on October 7, 2023. To his credit, IDF Chief of Staff Zamir has openly voiced his reservations about the Netanyahu government’s demand for another offensive, thereby calling into question just how serious and aggressive this prospective offensive will be. 

Zamir apparently favors another round of hostage/ceasefire negotiations with Hamas rather than an offensive. He appears to identify with the assessment favored by the masses demonstrating against the government on Sunday this week, which holds that the war has spent itself, is dooming the remaining hostages, and is projecting Israel internationally as bent on starving Gazans.

This is where the international mediators enter the picture.

Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer.

Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent NJN's views and policy positions.

 

Legislative Round-Up (08-15-25)

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Recess Travel to Israel & West Bank (to show support for/solidarity with Israel & Greater Israel)
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

—————————-

1. Bills & Resolutions

(LEGISLATING IRAN SANCTIONS & EXPANDING THEM TO MEDIA) HR 4923: Introduced 8/8/25 by Gonzales (R-TX), "To impose sanctions on persons who knowingly provide content or media services to sanctioned foreign propaganda outlets, and for other purposes," aka the "Stop Foreign Propaganda Act." Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, along with the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Oversight and Government Reform, and Ways and Means. This legislation would (1) codify into law Trump’s 8/6/17 Executive Order Executive Order 13846—"Reimposing Certain Sanctions With Respect to Iran"; and (2) impose sanction on “any person who knowingly provides material support or media services, and receives compensation, barter, or any other form of consideration therefor, to a covered foreign media entity“.

(TARGETING THE UN, INCL ICC & PALESTINIANS) HR 4941 [bill text] Introduced 8/8/25 by Steube (R-FL), "To direct the Secretary of State to implement certain travel conditions for officials of certain countries, entities, and United Nations organizations for attending any official meeting of the United Nations at the United Nations Headquarters Building in New York City," aka the "Limiting Extremist Travel to the U.N. Act." Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on the Judiciary. This legislation would impose restrictions — or codify and expand existing restrictions — on some officials coming to the US for UN meetings, putting geographic limits on where they can go (no leaving a 25-mile radius of the UN HQ), restricting their time in the US to the UN meeting plus one day before/after, and with respect to officials working for UN orgs the US & Congress hate, barring their presence at universities even within the 25-mile radius of the UN [apparently to protect vulnerable student brains at New York-area universities from being exposed to these purveyors of evil…].

Lara Friedman is the President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP). With more than 25 years working in the Middle East foreign policy arena, Lara is a leading authority on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, with particular expertise on the Israeli-Arab conflict, Israeli settlements, Jerusalem, and the role of the U.S. Congress.

 
 
 
 
 

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