| | Good Thursday morning. In today’s Daily Kickoff, we report from the gathering calling for the release of the hostages outside the Qatari Embassy in Washington, and interview Michigan congressional candidate Curtis Hertel, who is running to succeed Rep. Elissa Slotkin. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff : George Latimer, Idan Amedi and Jon Stewart. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the U.S. to pressure Qatar to convince Hamas to release the 136 hostages in Gaza, in remarks heard in an audio recording of a meeting with hostages’ families. But the comments may not be a turning point in Israel’s approach to Doha, Jewish Insider’s senior political correspondent Lahav Harkov reports. “I will use any factor for now that can help me bring [the hostages] home, but I have no illusions about them,” Netanyahu said in reference to Qatar, which he called “problematic” in the recording leaked to Israel’s Channel 12. Netanyahu said he was “very angry” at the Biden administration for renewing its military base agreement with Qatar. “Why didn’t they say, ‘I ask that you bring back our hostages’? That’s pressure! Qatar has leverage on Hamas; first of all, pressure Qatar.” The U.S.’ military base agreement with Qatar was finalized well before Oct. 7, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), who has been taking a hard line toward Qatar, told JI. In response to the recording, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson warned yesterday that criticizing the country could be bad for the hostages. Netanyahu is "undermining the mediation process for reasons that appear to serve his political career instead of prioritizing saving the lives of innocents, including Israeli hostages,” the spokesperson said. That was the second time in as many days that Qatar threatened the hostages in response to negative press coverage; the Qatari Embassy in Washington said this week that a Fox News report alleging that Doha spied on Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) could "potentially affect the sensitive and ongoing efforts to bring hostages back to their families." Yet, for its part, Israel has done very little to pressure Qatar publicly, with mostly lower-level ministers criticizing the Gulf state, while Netanyahu and other senior cabinet members avoid public criticism when talking about Qatar. After Doha’s criticism of Netanyahu, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that Qatar is “largely responsible for the massacre committed by Hamas,” and that “the West can and should exert much stronger levers on [Qatar] and bring about the release of the hostages.” The founder of the Middle East Media Research Institute, Col. (res.) Yigal Carmon, was skeptical that this marks a turning point for Netanyahu, pointing out that the prime minister only criticized Qatar in comments that were not meant to be publicized. Netanyahu’s remark in the leaked recording that Qatar is "like the U.N., like the Red Cross, only more problematic," implies that he views Qatar — "Hamas' lifeline," as Carmon called them — as neutral and not an enemy, said Carmon. "Netanyahu criticizes Qatar for funding Hamas, but they couldn't have done it without his help," Carmon told JI, pointing out that Netanyahu was the prime minister who allowed Qatar to funnel billions of dollars into Gaza. Carmon called this "criminal collaboration" on Netanyahu's part and the result of "degenerate narcissism, thinking that he can outmaneuver everyone." Major Jewish organizations in the United States, which mostly take their cues from Jerusalem on matters of Israeli security, have also kept mostly mum on the matter of Qatar. The same is true for the Hostages Families’ Forum, which has been critical of Netanyahu. But in a break from the silence, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington on Wednesday organized the first major pressure campaign towards Qatar at the Qatari Embassy — they avoided calling it a protest — where attendees called on the kingdom to place more pressure on Hamas. (JI’s Capitol Hill reporter Marc Rod has more coverage of the event below.) In a Hostage Families’ Forum “exclusive expert briefing” for Jewish community officials in Washington, D.C., last week, Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, said the Qataris are "doing all that we are asking," according to two attendees. One of the attendees told JI that Carstens’ statement means the U.S. has not asked Qatar to throw Hamas leaders out of Doha or stop funding the terrorist organization as long as it doesn't release hostages. Mickey Bergman, the head of the Richardson Center, who has been advising hostages' relatives, did not disclose in the briefing that he receives major funding from Qatar. Bergman said that while pressure on Qatar would mean making them choose between Hamas and the U.S., realistically, the only way to get the hostages out fast is for Israel to give in to Hamas' demands, which include ending the war and releasing all Palestinian terrorists from prison, according to the attendees. Former Middle East envoy Dennis Ross, however, told attendees that he does not think Qatar can be both a major non-NATO U.S. ally and host Hamas, and that given the relationship Qatar has with Hamas, one hostage deal in 104 days hardly demonstrates the benefits of that relationship. He said that pressure on Qatar works, and brought about the major hostage release in November. "Maybe [Hamas] should understand that Qatar will break relations with Hamas if they don't prove it,” Ross said, referring to Hamas releasing the hostages. “I would like to see Qatar exercise more of its pressure on Hamas." Spread the word! Invite your friends to sign up.👇 Share with a friend | pressuring qatar Jewish Washingtonians gather at Qatari Embassy to push for hostage release  JCRC of Greater Washington On a gray, chilly morning on the edge of Washington D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood, around 200 members of the D.C.-area Jewish community, toting U.S. and Israeli flags, the now-familiar hostage posters and a few handmade signs, gathered outside the Qatari Embassy to push for the release of the hostages being held by Hamas, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Striking a balance: Interspersed with vigorous chants of “bring them home,” speakers, including Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Virginia Democratic congressional candidate Eileen Filler-Corn and former Cuba hostage Alan Gross urged Qatar to apply more pressure on Hamas to release the remaining hostages — while also expressing gratitude for the role Qatar played in the initial round of hostage releases.
First of its kind: The event, organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington was the first major public push by the organized U.S. Jewish community targeting Qatar, but organizers were careful not to describe it as a “protest,” “rally” or “demonstration.” The event’s tone — most speakers both offering thanks to Qatar and calling for more pressure on Hamas — is reflective of the cautious approach that many U.S. Jewish communal organizations have taken toward the Qatari government.
Careful wording: “We purposely chose the word gathering… This is an event to speak to the Qataris, to ask them to maximize their leverage over Hamas, and to use it to strongly pressure Hamas to bring as many hostages home as possible,” Ron Halber, executive director of the JCRC, told JI ahead of the event. “We’re there to thank the Qataris and at the same time to press them to push Hamas.”
Read the full story here.
Round two: House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC) sent a letter to the University of Pennsylvania’s leadership requesting a host of documents relating to antisemitism on Penn’s campus. The letter outlines and requests documents relating to incidents both before and in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, including the Palestine Writes festival in September. Foxx gave Penn a Feb. 7 deadline to respond to the request. It’s the committee’s second such request as part of its investigation on campus antisemitism; Harvard submitted documents earlier this week. in her footsteps Aiming to succeed Elissa Slotkin, Curtis Hertel mirrors her pragmatic sensibilities  AL GOLDIS/DETROIT NEWS VIA AP Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, a perennial battleground district centered around the state capital of Lansing, is shaping up to again be one of the most closely watched races in the nation. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who currently holds the seat, is leaving the seat for a Senate run, but the former state Sen. Curtis Hertel, the leading Democratic candidate to replace her, is following closely in her footsteps, casting himself in an interview with Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod as a pragmatic, moderate, pro-Israel Democrat.
Pro-Israel bona fides: Despite Michingan’s emerging position as a hotspot for anti-Israel activism within the Democratic Party, Hertel told JI last week that he continues to stand behind Israel. “Israel was attacked, they were attacked in a horrific way,” Hertel said. “We have a responsibility to stand with our allies when those kinds of things happen.” He added that “I don’t think anybody wants war or the horrors that come with it” and thinks the U.S. should continue to engage with negotiations among the parties. But he said “calling for unilateral cease-fire does not make sense,” especially while Hamas continues to hold Israeli hostages and fire missiles toward Israel.
Political playbook: The former state senator told JI that he’s not worried about potential political blowback from his pro-Israel stance, emphasizing, “You have to do what you think is right, and I think the politics figure themselves out.” He also emphasized that he would continue to seek and have conversations with those who disagree with him.
Tlaib talk: After Oct. 7, Hertel said that the “river to the sea” slogan Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) endorsed “has no place in our discourse.” But he told JI he would not have voted with 22 House Democrats in favor of censuring her. “I don’t believe that censure should be used when we disagree with somebody,” Hertel explained. “I think she was wrong and I said it publicly, and I think that every Democrat has a responsibility to do that… I don’t think the censure was the right measure.”
Campus concern: Hertel expressed concern about spiking antisemitism, as well as increasing incidents of Islamophobia, since the Oct. 7 attack. “Everyone when they go to a college campus, or frankly anywhere in America has a right to be safe,” said Hertel, whose district is home to Michigan State University. “It should be very simple that every human can say that that is wrong. And if you can’t say that’s wrong, if you can’t say calling for the extermination of people is wrong, then I think you’ve lost your way.” He described himself as “disturbed” by congressional testimony by college presidents, during which they said that calls for the genocide of Jewish people may not violate their campuses’ policies.
Read the full interview here. pac priority AIPAC endorses Westchester County Executive George Latimer, in bid to unseat Bowman  LEV RADIN/PACIFIC PRESS/LIGHTROCKET VIA GETTY IMAGES In its first endorsement of a non-incumbent this election cycle, AIPAC’s political action committee is backing Westchester County Executive George Latimer, a formidable primary challenger to Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) in the northern suburbs of New York City, a spokesperson for the pro-Israel group confirmed to Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel on Wednesday.
Formalizing its support: The new endorsement, which was added to an online political portal in recent days, formalizes AIPAC’s widely acknowledged support for a high-profile candidate viewed as one of its top congressional recruits. Before he entered the primary last month, AIPAC had privately urged Latimer, a veteran Democrat and former state legislator, to challenge Bowman, a Squad member who is among the most outspoken critics of Israel in the House. But the group had yet to confirm if it would officially get behind his campaign until now.
Financial boost: The move also lends a significant financial pipeline to Latimer’s fledgling campaign, which has yet to disclose its fundraising for what is expected to be among the most hotly contested battles of the primary season. Last year, AIPAC’s PAC raised more than $18 million, entering December with nearly $3 million on hand, according to the most recent federal filings.
Read the full story here. Two-state weight 49 Senate Democrats join amendment affirming support for two-state solution  ANNA MONEYMAKER/GETTY IMAGES Nearly every Senate Democrat joined legislation from Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) affirming that it is U.S. policy to support a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Messaging: The legislation, which will be formally introduced as an amendment to the supplemental aid bill for Israel and other U.S. allies, is largely a messaging matter; Schatz told reporters that he does not plan to seek a vote on it as part of the supplemental deliberations — although he may push for a vote on the language as a standalone resolution at a later date.
Significant timing: But its timing represents an effective rebuke of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent comments rejecting a two-state solution. The only Democrats who did not join the legislation are Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Joe Manchin (D-WV). Schatz told reporters that the amendment had been in the works before Oct. 7 as standalone legislation, and as a supplemental amendment before Netanyahu’s comments, but said lawmakers had “accelerated” and “turbocharged” the work, to “clarify that this remains the position of the United States Congress.”
Outliers: Manchin told JI he didn’t sign on due to concerns about the current Palestinian leadership and its single-party support. “Once a Palestinian government with its peoples’ best interests at heart agrees that Israel should be a state, I will be the first one to sign on to a bipartisan amendment supporting that Israel recognize a Palestinian state,” Manchin said. A spokesperson for Fetterman told Business Insider that the senator supports a two-state solution but "strongly believes that this resolution should include language stipulating the destruction of Hamas as a precondition to peace."
Non-specific: Schatz said that the language is intentionally broad, and that the specific details of how a two-state solution should work must be negotiated among the parties. The purpose of this amendment was “leaving the door ajar for a two-state solution,” Schatz explained.
Read the full story here.
Supplemental update: After weeks of negotiations that have brought negotiators close to a deal on immigration policy, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) reportedly changed his tune on the idea of linking border policy to the supplemental aid bill in a private meeting with Republicans yesterday. Punchbowl News reported that McConnell now sounds more skeptical of passing a border bill ahead of the 2024 election, worrying that it could “undermine” former President Donald Trump’s immigration-focused campaign. | No Push for Peace: In Foreign Policy, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Aaron David Miller suggests that the end to the war between Israel and Hamas is not likely in the near future. “The U.S. administration may well decide to put out the ‘Biden parameters,’ laying out its views on what a two-state solution might look like and the steps each side might take to get there. But it’s hard to imagine any serious action to realize this goal anytime soon. Indeed, most of 2024 will almost certainly be focused on managing the Gaza crisis rather than pushing a broader peace initiative. Should the Biden administration get a second term — along with leadership changes in Israel and Ramallah — it might be possible to imagine a better and brighter pathway forward for Israelis and Palestinians. In the meantime, it’s a safe bet that Israel will still be operating militarily at some level in Gaza throughout this year. Why? Because it’s highly unlikely there will be a central government or a security force other than Israel’s ready to ensure that Hamas won’t resurge as a military force. Under the best of circumstances, it would take a year to train and deploy Palestinian Authority security forces, and that’s not factoring in the politics of a PA return to Gaza, which right now is just a thought experiment.” [ForeignPolicy]
Epic Struggle: The New York Times’ Thomas Friedman looks at the long-term, global implications of the wars in Israel and Ukraine. “While the two battlefronts may look very different, they actually have a lot in common. They reflect a titanic geopolitical struggle between two opposing networks of nations and nonstate actors over whose values and interests will dominate our post-post-Cold War world — following the relatively stable Pax Americana/globalization era that was ushered in by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet bloc, America’s chief Cold War rival. Yes, this is no ordinary geopolitical moment. On one side is the Resistance Network, dedicated to preserving closed, autocratic systems where the past buries the future. On the other side is the Inclusion Network, trying to forge more open, connected, pluralizing systems where the future buries the past. Who wins the struggles between these two networks will determine a lot about the dominant character of this post-post-Cold War epoch.” [NYTimes]
Seeking Sinwar: NBC News’ Anna Schecter spotlights Oct. 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar’s efforts to evade Israeli security forces. “Israel Defense Forces recently found cages where they say hostages were kept deep under Khan Younis, Sinwar's birthplace and a densely populated hub for Hamas’ political activity, current and former Israeli officials told NBC News. They say Sinwar and other Hamas leaders have likely been hiding nearby, carefully protected by layers of Israeli captives and lower-tier Hamas fighters. ‘It is a fair assumption that Sinwar and Hamas leadership were close to where those hostages were kept — and then they all moved on,” said Jonathan Conricus, a lieutenant colonel in the Israeli reserves and former IDF spokesman who is now a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based policy institute. ‘I think being close to hostages has saved his life more than once.’ Hamas has also taken great pains to keep Sinwar’s communications with its political leaders in Doha, the capital of Qatar, undetected by Israeli intelligence, current and former IDF officials said, including during the cease-fire in November that led to the release of around 100 hostages.” [NBCNews] | Be featured: Email us to inform the JI readership of your upcoming event, job opening, or other communication. | Clock Ticking: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) suggested that Congress is running out of time to pass linked immigration and Ukraine legislation, owing to the growing likelihood that former President Donald Trump, who is making immigration reform a major policy platform, will be the GOP presidential nominee.
Haley’s Backers: Puck previews two upcoming GOP gatherings — the Koch brothers’ convening and the American Opportunity Alliance meeting — where a top issue will be the continued funding of former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley’s presidential bid.
Pride of Place: In an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff said he feels “an obligation to our Jewish community as the first Jewish person in this role” to take a prominent role speaking out against antisemitism.
Ankara Ask: President Joe Biden called on Congress to approve the $20 billion sale of F-16s to Turkey “without delay” once Ankara certifies Sweden’s entry into NATO.
Houthi Heat: The Houthis ordered American and British staffers at U.N. and humanitarian organizations to leave Yemen within the next month, amid growing tensions between the Iran-backed group and the West.
Doha Discussion: The National Security Council’s Brett McGurk was in Qatar on Wednesday for talks aimed at securing the release of hostages still being held in Gaza.
Houthi Strikes: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Ben Cardin (D-MD) suggested on Wednesday that the administration should seek congressional approval for continued strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, suggesting that such a resolution would pass easily.
Oversight: Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Peter Welch (D-VT) called for the creation of a new federal agency to oversee large technology companies and artificial intelligence.
Malinowski’s Move: Former Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) passed on a Senate run, endorsing Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) for the seat currently held by embattled Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ).
Peach State Politics: A state Senate committee in Georgia voted unanimously to back a bill that would define antisemitism, which was stalled in the state’s Senate last year.
Damaging Recording: The head of Arizona’s Republican Party resigned after the surfacing of a year-old recording in which he conveyed that "very powerful people" would offer Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake a job in exchange for staying out of the Senate race.
Campus Beat: Alumni of Cornell university are calling for the ouster of President Martha Pollack and Provost Michael Kotlikoff over the Ivy’s handling of antisemitism and prioritization of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Survivor Stats: The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany released the first in-depth, verified accounting of the number of living Holocaust survivors, including demographic information and key needs.
Kraft Campaign: Robert Kraft’s Foundation to Combat Antisemitism will run its first Super Bowl ad as part of its “Stand Up to Jewish Hate” campaign.
Celebs Against Antisemitism: Connie Britton, Cindy Crawford and Lance Bass are among the celebrities who are joining “New Year, New Voices,” a new social media campaign in which public figures speak out against antisemitism.
Survey Says: A new poll from the U.K.’s Campaign Against Antisemitism found “particularly frightening” levels of antisemitism among young Britons, 1 in 10 of whom don’t believe in Israel’s right to exist as the Jewish homeland.
The 10/7 Effect: The Jewish Review of Books asked Jewish and Israeli thought leaders to reflect on how their beliefs have been challenged since Oct. 7.
Here’s Jonny: Jon Stewart will return to “The Daily Show” as executive producer and part-time host of the satirical news show beginning Feb. 12.
Corporate Challenges: The Wall Street Journal draws comparisons between the challenges faced by Disney CEO Bob Iger and his predecessor, Michael Eisner, who had similarly boosted the company’s brand and profits two decades ago before meeting controversy and board pushback.
Voices from Gaza: Palestinians in Gaza took part in a rare protest calling on Hamas to release the hostages and end the war, according to a video publicized yesterday by the IDF’s Arabic spokesperson.
Bad Taste: Video circulated on social media of a restaurant in Amman, Jordan, named “October 7.”
Terror Funds: Israeli officials estimated that Hamas receives between $8 million-$12 million in online contributions monthly, a significant spike since the Oct. 7 terror attacks.
Shelter Strike: U.N. officials said at least nine people were killed in a strike on a U.N. facility in Gaza.
Sudan’s Supplies: Iran is supplying the Sudanese army with combat drones for use in its ongoing civil war against a paramilitary group reportedly backed by the United Arab Emirates.
Unlocked: Israel declassified dozens of secret government orders in an effort to rebut South Africa’s claim at the International Court of Justice that Israel is committing genocide.
Community Concerns: The Financial Times looks at how South Africa’s Jewish community is reacting to the ongoing International Court of Justice case against Israel that was brought by Pretoria.
Transition: Maj. Gen. (res.) Tamir Hayman was named the next executive director of the Israel-based Institute for National Security Studies, succeeding Manuel Trajtenberg.
Remembering: Former Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden, who led the county for 25 years, died at 98. Naomi Feil, who worked with caregivers treating dementia patients, died at 91. |  Maayan Janus “Fauda” actor Idan Amedi speaks at Sheba Medical Center in Israel upon his discharge from the hospital. Amedi, an IDF reservist, was injured in an operation in Gaza earlier this month. |  screenshot Member of the Canadian Parliament from Montreal since 2015, he won 12 medals in swimming at the 2013 and 2017 Maccabiah Games, Anthony Housefather turns 53...
Senior partner of The Mack Company and a director of Mack-Cali Realty, David S. Mack turns 82... Israeli peace activist and author, David Grossman turns 70... Editor-in-chief of The National Memo, Joe Conason turns 70... Retired in 2023 as dean of the Jerusalem campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Naamah Kelman-Ezrachi turns 69... SVP and senior portfolio manager in the Los Angeles office of Morgan Stanley, Robert N. Newman... Stage, film, and television actress and television director, Dinah Beth Manoff turns 68... Los Angeles resident, Helene S. Ross... Agent at Creative Artists Agency, Michael Glantz... Chief investigative reporter and senior national correspondent for CBS News, Jim Axelrod turns 61... Former member of Knesset for Yesh Atid, Shai Moshe Piron turns 59... Founding partner of merchant bank Finback Investment Partners, John Leachman Oliver III... Author of multiple novels, she is a writer-in-residence in Jewish Studies at Stanford University, Maya Arad turns 53... Toronto-born movie and television actress, Mia Kirshner turns 49... National political reporter at the Washington Post, Michael Scherer... Director of finance and operations at JQY, David Newman... President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky turns 46... Member of the U.S House of Representatives (D-FL), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick turns 45... Benjamin L. Newton... Deputy chief of staff and VP of executive communications for the National Association of Manufacturers, Mark Isaacson... Member of the Arizona House of Representatives until 2023, Daniel Hernández Jr. turns 34... Actress, writer and director, Pauline Hope Chalamet turns 32... Assistant director of foreign policy at JINSA, Ari Cicurel... | | | | | |
