Good Monday morning. In today's Daily Kickoff, we look at Israel's options in Gaza as it faces a degraded but not-yet-defeated Hamas, and report on the weekend incident at Glastonbury music festival in which a performer led a "death to the IDF" chant. We report on the increasingly cratering political center as Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) announce their departures from Capitol Hill, and look at government and Jewish communal concerns regarding Iranian "sleeper cells" in the U.S. Also in today's Daily Kickoff: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Stephen Ross and Ari Emanuel. Spread the word! Invite your friends to sign up.👇 |
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| - Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is slated to arrive in Washington today for meetings with senior Trump administration officials. Among the topics expected to be covered is a potential visit to Washington next month by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- The annual Christians United for Israel Summit kicked off in Washington on Sunday, and continues into this week. Dr. Miriam Adelson is slated to address attendees at this morning's plenary session. This afternoon, Auburn men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl (who is rumored to be considering a Senate bid in Alabama) will speak in conversation with CUFI Action Fund Chair Sandra Hagee Parker about his pro-Israel advocacy. Journalist Amir Tibon, whose book The Gates of Gaza recounts his family's experience surviving the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks, will speak later this afternoon. Hostage advocate Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son, Hersh, was killed by Hamas in captivity, will speak at this evening's Night to Honor Israel reception.
- This morning at the Aspen Ideas Festival, CNN's Fareed Zakaria, former CIA Director David Petraeus, former National Security Advisors Susan Rice and John Bolton will speak at a session focused on the "new world order." Later in the morning, former Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger will speak on a panel about cyber defense. This afternoon, Daniel Lubetzky and Jeffrey Sonnenfeld will join a panel on "business leadership in a new era."
- In Israel, Defense Minister Israel Katz is expected to hold an emergency meeting with security officials to address the recent spate of extremist settler violence in the West Bank.
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A QUICK WORD WITH JI'S LAHAV HARKOV |
Two roads diverged for Israel's Security Cabinet in a Sunday night meeting about Gaza, and since they could not travel both routes, the cabinet decided not to make a decision. The Security Cabinet met to discuss Israel's next steps in Gaza after 633 days of war: ceasefire or escalation. Some in the IDF high brass argued that the Gaza war's objectives have been met — noting that the army had destroyed Hamas' military infrastructure, killed nearly all of the senior Hamas commanders on its target list, dismantled tunnels, seized 60% of Gaza, blocked key smuggling routes — leaving Hamas weaker than it has been since its 2007 takeover of Gaza. They argued that now is the time to pursue an exit strategy, according to military analyst Amir Bohbot. If there is no ceasefire, the IDF plans to continue its current operation in Gaza, calling up tens of thousands of IDF reservists and moving to conquer 80% of the territory. Officers in the cabinet meeting reportedly warned that doing so could bring about a large number of casualties, including some of the hostages. In the past week, the army has suffered near-daily losses of soldiers in Gaza. President Donald Trump's choice is clear: "MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!" he wrote on Truth Social on Sunday. Two days earlier, he said there could be a ceasefire within a week. But what a ceasefire would mean is less clear. The parties could agree to a temporary ceasefire, which Israelis have called the "Witkoff outline," after Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Such a ceasefire would last 60 days, with the release of half of the remaining 50 hostages, 21 of whom are thought to be alive, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including terrorists, and increased humanitarian aid flow into Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied a report last week that he and Trump discussed a sweeping plan to end the Gaza war and expand the Abraham Accords, but a source with knowledge of the matter told Jewish Insider on Monday that much of the details are, in fact, currently in talks, even if they may still be far from fruition. Read the rest of 'What You Should Know' here. |
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Glastonbury organizers 'appalled' by 'death to IDF' chants at U.K. festival |
BEN BIRCHALL/PA IMAGES VIA GETTY IMAGES |
The organizers of the annual Glastonbury music festival in the U.K. said they were "appalled" by chants calling for "death to the IDF" led over the weekend by the rap duo Bob Vylan during the five-day event, Jewish Insider's Haley Cohen reports. "Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the Festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech, or incitement to violence," Emily Eavis, the daughter of Glastonbury co-founder Michael Eavis, wrote Sunday on Instagram. "With almost 4,000 performances at Glastonbury 2025, there will inevitably be artists and speakers appearing on our stages whose views we do not share. However, we are appalled by the statements made from the West Holts stage by Bob Vylan yesterday." En route to the U.S.A.: In a statement to JI, Leo Terrell, senior counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights who chairs the Justice Department's task force to combat antisemitism, said that ahead of Bob Vylan's upcoming U.S. tour, the task force will be reaching out to the Department of State "to determine what measures are available to address the situation and to prevent the promotion of violent antisemitic rhetoric in the United States." Read the full story here. Bonus: The BBC acknowledged that it should have ended its livestream of Bob Vylan's performance and denounced the "antisemitic sentiments" promoted by the rap duo. |
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| Sen. Thom Tillis' retirement another blow to the shrinking center on Capitol Hill |
KENT NISHIMURA/GETTY IMAGES |
Sen. Thom Tillis' (R-NC) sudden announcement on Sunday that he won't seek reelection — following a threat by President Donald Trump to back a primary challenger — is kicking off one of the most competitive Senate contests of the 2026 cycle, and underscoring the precarious standing for moderate-minded lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Jewish Insider's Emily Jacobs reports. Bigger picture: Tillis, 64, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, was already expected to face electoral headwinds from both directions in his bid for a third term. His pragmatic instincts angered right-winger Republicans back home while his willingness to ultimately support Trump's agenda didn't win him any goodwill with Democrats. Tillis is the second congressional Republican with a record of winning tough races to retire over the weekend, joining Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), who decided to leave Washington amid growing partisanship and polarization. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), another accomplished legislator who occasionally has antagonized his right flank, is also facing a difficult primary campaign against a right-wing opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Read the full story here. |
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After U.S. strikes on Iran, officials warn of retaliation from 'sleeper cells' in the U.S. |
JIM WATSON/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES |
In the aftermath of the U.S. strikes on Iran, officials and lawmakers are warning of potential threats from Iranian or Iran-affiliated "sleeper cells" embedded in the United States, a threat that could persist in spite of the ceasefire reached last week, Jewish Insider's Marc Rod reports. What they're saying: Experts say that there is a real threat that Iran could seek to target the U.S. government, Jewish communities or other targets within the United States, either through networks of operatives in the country or individuals radicalized online against Israel and Jews. Matthew Levitt, the director of the counterterrorism and intelligence program at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a former counterterrorism official, told JI that homeland threats are very real, though he argued that the term "sleeper cells," which he said invokes spy thriller TV shows, can trivialize the threat. Read the full story here. | |
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Jeffries: Mamdani is 'going to have to clarify his position' on intifada slogan |
DREW ANGERER/GETTY IMAGES |
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), in some of his first comments on presumptive Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's controversial remarks, said on Sunday that the state legislator will "have to clarify" his position on the slogan "globalize the intifada," which Mamdani has defended in recent weeks, Jewish Insider's Marc Rod reports. What he said: "'Globalizing the intifada,' by way of example, is not an acceptable phrase, and he's going to have to clarify his position on that as he moves forward," Jeffries said on ABC's "This Week," adding, "With respect to the Jewish communities that I represent, I think our nominee is going to have to convince folks that he is prepared to aggressively address the rise of antisemitism in the city of New York." Jeffries made clear that he was not yet endorsing Mamdani. Read the full story here. Antisemitism watch: Former Rep. Kathy Manning (D-NC), now the board chair of Democratic Majority for Israel, blasted the North Carolina Democratic Party leadership for what she described as allowing anti-Israel rhetoric and antisemitism within the state party, in a statement first shared with JI. |
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Senate Democrats' Iran war powers resolution fails |
DREW ANGERER/GETTY IMAGES |
The Senate voted down Sen. Tim Kaine's (D-VA) war powers resolution that would have blocked additional U.S. military action against Iran without congressional authorization on Friday evening, with nearly all Democrats voting in favor of the resolution, and almost all Republicans voting against it, Jewish Insider's Marc Rod and Emily Jacobs report. Final vote: The resolution failed, 53-47, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) being the only Republican to vote in favor and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) being the only Democrat to vote against. Kaine said in an address prior to the vote that while he acknowledged the need for U.S. military engagement in certain instances, any offensive actions required the approval of the legislative branch. In response, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), one of the most vocal supporters of the strikes in the Senate, said that requiring congressional approval would be a "disaster for the country" and upend the military command structure. Read the full story here. Politics of damage assessment: House lawmakers, like their Senate counterparts, remain divided over the U.S.' strikes on Iran following a classified briefing Friday morning, with Republicans praising the strikes and most Democrats remaining skeptical, Jewish Insider's Marc Rod reports. |
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Trump suspends negotiations with Iran after defiant speech from ayatollah |
CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES |
President Donald Trump announced on Friday afternoon that he was suspending the possibility of sanctions relief efforts with Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei defiantly proclaimed victory over the U.S. and Israel in a videotaped message, Jewish Insider's Jake Schlanger reports. U-turn: "During the last few days, I was working on the possible removal of sanctions, and other things, which would have given a much better chance to Iran at a full, fast, and complete recovery - The sanctions are BITING! But no, instead I get [sic] hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more," Trump said in a Truth Social post. Read the full story here. Tough talk: Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, confronted the ambassadors of Rwanda, Jordan and Qatar, among other countries, over their relationships with U.S. adversaries in China and Iran, at a dinner last week, per a source familiar with the congressman's remarks, Jewish Insider's Marc Rod reports. |
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Axis of Instability: In The Atlantic, Leon Aron considers the benefits to the West afforded by the "asymmetric" relationship between Iran, Russia and China. "In calmer times, China, like Russia, is happy to use Iran as a battering ram against the U.S. and its allies. But when tensions turn into military confrontation and global stability is at risk, backing Iran looks like a far less sensible investment to Beijing than preserving its own economic and diplomatic relations with the West. … Since World War II, leaders of Western democracies have successfully collaborated in part because they have shared a common worldview. Whether Iran's Islamic theocrats can say the same about Xi, the leader of an avowedly atheist state, or Putin, who now positions himself as the champion of Orthodox Christianity, is another question entirely." [TheAtlantic] Hostage Families' Hopes: The Associated Press' Melanie Lidman reports on the newfound hope among some hostage families that their loved ones could soon be freed from Gaza amid broader geopolitical developments that have undermined Hamas, its Iranian patron and its regional allies. "With Iran dealt a serious blow over nearly two weeks of fierce Israeli strikes, [Liran] Berman [whose brothers Ziv and Gali are hostages] believes Hamas, armed and financed by Iran, is at its most isolated since the war in Gaza began, and that might prompt the militant group to soften its negotiating positions. 'Now it's the time to pressure them and tell them, look, you are on your own. No one is coming to your help. This is it,' Berman said. 'I think the dominoes fell into place, and it's time for diplomacy to reign now.' [AP] The Mamdani Risks: The Washington Post editorial board raises concerns about the candidacy of Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City. "Zohran Mamdani, the charismatic 33-year-old who is now the front-runner to be the next mayor of New York, might seem like a breath of fresh air for a Democratic Party struggling to move past its aging establishment. In fact, New Yorkers should be worried that he would lead Gotham back to the bad old days of civic dysfunction, and Democrats should fear that he will discredit their next generation of party leaders, almost all of whom are better than this democratic socialist." [WashPost] A Win for Terror Victims: In The Wall Street Journal, Sander Gerber and Ezra Husney praise the Supreme Court ruling that will ultimately allow American victims of terror to sue the Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization. "For nearly a decade, the Palestinian Authority occupied an unusual position in American constitutional law. Foreign states aren't 'persons' entitled to due-process rights, and therefore states like Iran can be held liable for acts of international terrorism. But because the U.S. doesn't recognize the Palestinian Authority as a sovereign state, it enjoyed constitutional due-process protections, which left Congress powerless to hold it accountable for terrorism. … With Israeli cooperation, the plaintiffs should eventually be able to collect damages by attaching Palestinian Authority tax revenue and assets. Then justice will truly have been done." [WSJ] |
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The White House is expected to host Kentucky state Sen. Aaron Reed in the coming weeks, as the Trump administration looks to recruit a challenger to Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who opposed the White House's proposed budget reconciliation bill… An upcoming book by Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager and Isaac Arnsdorf focused on Trump's 2024 reelection campaign reveals that Iran attempted to assassinate former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a Paris hotel in 2022… Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) introduced a resolution nominating President Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize for his handling of the Israel-Iran war… The Senate Parliamentarian stripped the Educational Choice for Children Act, an educational scholarship tax credit program supported by Orthodox Jewish groups, out of Republicans' budget reconciliation bill, ruling it noncompliant with restrictions on reconciliation bills… Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and 14 other Senate Republicans introduced a resolution supporting the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran… A group of House members introduced legislation on Friday that aims to bolster efforts by Holocaust survivors' families to reclaim or receive recompense for art stolen from their relatives during World War II, addressing issues in past legislation that have hampered repatriation efforts in the courts, Jewish Insider's Marc Rod reports... Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-WA) and four other House Republicans introduced a resolution supporting the U.S. strikes on Iran… The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Friday that it had awarded $94.4 million in supplemental security grant funding to a total of 512 Jewish organizations nationwide, around half of a long-delayed supplemental funding round, Jewish Insider's Marc Rod reports… Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is closing in on a deal to purchase a 45% stake in the Miami Open alongside a group led by Ari Emanuel… A lawyer employed by the City of Ottawa was fired after being charged with vandalizing the Canadian capital's Holocaust monument earlier this month… International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi said that while the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities caused significant damage, they failed to destroy core components of the program and Tehran could restore enrichment capabilities within months… Iran's judiciary said that 71 people, including dozens of prison workers at the country's notorious Evin prison, were killed last week in an Israeli strike on the facility's front gates… The Wall Street Journal looks at the targeting of specific Iranian sectors during Israel's 12-day war with Iran, including the efforts of an anonymous pro-Israel hacking group to cripple Iran's banking industry, as well as Israel's "Operation Narnia," which targeted Iranian nuclear scientists… Iran's internal security forces are increasingly cracking down on dissidents and regime opponents following the 12-day war with Israel… The New York Times spotlights the Ukrainian family that relocated to Israel in 2022 to seek cancer treatment for the family's young daughter; the girl, as well as her mother, grandmother and two cousins were killed in an Iranian ballistic missile strike on the Tel Aviv suburb of Bat Yam earlier this month… Jonathan Mayers, a co-founder of the Bonnaroo music festival, died at 51… Conductor and composer Lalo Schifrin, who composed the theme song to the "Mission: Impossible" TV series, died at 93… Jack Kleinsinger, the founder of the long-running Highlights in Jazz concert series, died at 88… |
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U.S. EMBASSY IN JERUSALEM |
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and his wife, Janet, donated blood during a visit on Sunday to Magen David Adom's national headquarters in Ramla, Israel. |
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JASON KEMPIN/GETTY IMAGES FOR POLITICON |
Staff writer at The Atlantic, author of 10 books and former Bush 43 speechwriter, David Frum turns 65... Rapid City, S.D., resident, Leedel Chittim Williamson turns 81... Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., resident, podiatrist, Dr. David Peter Bartos... Executive coach to nonprofit leaders, he was the founding director of the Museum of Jewish Heritage, Dr. David Altshuler... Former New York State assemblyman for 36 years, Dov Hikind turns 75... Former Harvard professor and author of books on the Holocaust and antisemitism, Daniel Goldhagen turns 66... Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, Stuart Jeff Rabner turns 65... Professor of astrophysics at McGill University, Victoria Michelle Kaspi turns 58... Founding executive director and now a senior advisor at JOIN for Justice: the Jewish Organizing Institute and Network, Karla Van Praag... Professor of Jewish studies at the University of Georgia, he is the co-editor of a handbook on 25 different Jewish languages, Aaron David Rubin turns 49... Columnist, author, poet and screenwriter, Matthew "Matthue" Roth turns 47... Former sports business analyst and reporter, now focused on the collectibles market, Darren Rovell turns 47... Reggae and alternative rock musician, known by his stage name Matisyahu, Matthew Paul Miller turns 46... Film and television actress, Elizabeth Anne ("Lizzy") Caplan turns 43... Partner in OnMessage Public Strategies, Kyle J. Plotkin turns 43... Senior software engineer at Bloomberg LP, Noam Lustiger... Chief communications officer for Aleph Venture Capital, Erica Marom (Chernofsky)... Chief operating officer at the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Stephanie Hausner... Head coach of the men's lacrosse program at Long Island University, Jordan Levine turns 39... Rhythmic gymnast who represented the U.S. at the 2012 Olympic Games, now a fitness coach and personal trainer, Julie Ashley Zetlin turns 35... English teacher in Tel Aviv, Michal Adar... Area director for the North Shore of Long Island at AIPAC, Abbey Taub... |
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