[ ]J Street[ ]
Friends,
It’s been a whirlwind week. The long-awaited, long-overdue release of more
hostages – including four more set to return home tomorrow. The
inauguration of Donald Trump. Finally, finally, some desperately needed
respite from the horror that families in Gaza have endured for more than
15 months.
We can’t take for granted that the Trump Administration will do the work
necessary to ensure this ceasefire holds, especially as the Israeli
far-right makes clear that they will do everything in their power to
sabotage this deal from within. We must keep the pressure on the
administration – and all stakeholders – to see it through to the end.
At J Street, upholding the ceasefire is our top priority. We need every
hostage to come home. We must make sure this devastating conflict never
restarts. Longer term, we will make the case to the President – who prides
himself as the Dealmaker in Chief – that long-term peace, security and
integration are possible, but only if he applies full pressure to get the
parties to the table.
We will continue to make our voices and values heard and to make advances
where we can. See below for a full rundown of what we’re doing to rise to
the occasion.
– Jen Abrahamson, Vice President of Communications
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What We’re Watching
🚨 Keeping the Ceasefire Alive: Words can’t describe the relief we felt on
Sunday. Hostages embracing parents who have fought for their freedom.
Palestinians in Gaza breathing a sigh of relief at the calm skies
overhead.
The work isn’t over yet… We must keep fighting so that tomorrow – when the
second hostage release is set to take place – Israelis, Palestinians and
the rest of the world can celebrate that the deal continues to hold.
* “Strong, clear-eyed American leadership is vital to ensure this
agreement holds and advances to the next stages,” said J Street
President Jeremy Ben-Ami. “We cannot return to the death, destruction
and anguish of the past.” [ [link removed] ]Read our press release >>
* As J Street pivots to meet the moment under a freshly inaugurated
Trump, it remains our utmost priority to ensure that the ceasefire and
hostage release agreement holds and is built upon. [ [link removed] ]Read our
thoughts on our mission in this new political era >>
* We were overjoyed to see the release of Israeli hostages Emily Damari,
Doron Steinbrecher and Romi Gonen. Last spring, we were honored to
host Romi Gonen’s mother and sister at our Assembly. We’re so happy
they are finally reunited. [ [link removed] ]Read our blog post on the harrowing
experience of Romi Gonen and her family >>
Bottom Line: “Only a US president wielding dealmaking and diplomacy – not
a blank check for bombs and settlements – can ensure that this new
temporary calm is made permanent, and deliver peace, freedom and safety
for all,” Jeremy [ [link removed] ]wrote. “Donald Trump can do this and – if he does – we
will support those efforts.”
✍️ Trump’s Executive Order Spree: On his first day in the Oval Office,
President Trump signed a flurry of executive orders reversing progress on
so many issues – including progress toward peace and security for Israelis
and Palestinians.
* Removed Sanctions Against Violent Settlers: Hours after violent
settlers set Palestinian homes [ [link removed] ]ablaze and attacked Israeli troops
in the West Bank, Trump reversed a Biden Administration [ [link removed] ]Executive
Order allowing the US to sanction Israeli extremists undermining peace
and security in the West Bank.
* Paused all Foreign Assistance: Trump [ [link removed] ]suspended all US foreign
assistance programs for 90 days pending review. While much US foreign
aid has already been appropriated or spent, this effort lays the
groundwork for major cuts to peacekeeping, human rights, democracy
protection, refugee agencies and the UN. It is expected that aid to
Israel will not be reduced.
* Sanctioned the International Criminal Court: Reversing another Biden
Executive Order, Trump [ [link removed] ]renewed 2020 sanctions that target any
member of the ICC probing US troops. While there are no immediate
ramifications for ICC officials involved in investigating Prime
Minister Netanyahu or former Defense Minister Gallant, Israel has been
urging Trump to sanction the ICC. Trump’s move puts on full display
the new administration's contempt for international law.
* [ [link removed] ]Read our policy brief on why we oppose sanctioning the ICC >>
⚠️ Eyes on the West Bank: As fighting stopped in Gaza, violent Israeli
settlers took to rampaging Palestinian villages. “Extremists in the
settlement movement are clearly trying to sabotage the Gaza ceasefire even
as it’s bringing Israeli hostages home,” [ [link removed] ]said J Street President
Jeremy Ben-Ami.
* An alternative is desperately needed in the West Bank: The “day after”
starts now, and central to that is international cooperation to ensure
the Palestinian Authority is set up for success to govern a unified
West Bank and Gaza. The PA also shares responsibility and must commit
to reform. Moderate governance is the only surefire way to
disenfranchise extremists – in the West Bank and beyond.
The Latest from J Street
🔎 Two New Policy Center Explainers: Resignations in IDF Leadership and
Strains on the Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire. This week saw rising turmoil in
the Netanyahu government with the resignation of Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi,
who followed other military leaders who have left their posts, citing
responsibility for failing to prevent October 7. It also saw the fragility
of key elements of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire with Israel announcing it
would delay the withdrawal of its troops from Lebanon beyond the Sunday
deadline due to Lebanon’s failure to deploy its own forces in the south.
* “The IDF under my command failed in its mission to protect the
citizens of Israel,” said Halevi, who resigned as the IDF Chief of
Staff earlier this week. While many military top brass have left
leadership over October 7, all remain silent on the political front –
where Netanyahu faces increasing pressure from the public to shoulder
the blame. [ [link removed] ]Read Today’s J Street Policy Center Explainer on
Halevi’s resignation >>
* “The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire must hold, despite Netanyahu’s recent
announcement that Israel will remain in southern Lebanon beyond the
60-day deadline. Given the many violations of the deal on both sides,
a prolonged timeline was always a possibility. The objective now
should be to ensure that hostilities do not resume.” [ [link removed] ]Read J Street
Policy Center's Recommendations for saving the Israel-Lebanon
ceasefire here >>
♾️ The Paradoxes of Trump’s Presidency: In his latest Substack, Jeremy
unpacks the complexities of the Trump presidency: A man deeply unfit for
office, yet perhaps our best hope for a regional peace deal in the Middle
East.
* “There’s zero chance my opinion of the man taking the oath of office
in 2025 will change – a man whose character, words and actions should
have disqualified him from ever returning to the White House,” Jeremy
wrote. “Yet the opportunity for a comprehensive regional agreement has
never been greater.”
* Just as President Reagan surprised us and made important progress in
nuclear arms control and the US-Soviet relationship, could Donald
Trump sign deals that meaningfully advance peace in the Middle East?
[ [link removed] ]Read, subscribe and share here >>
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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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