Good Friday morning. In today's Daily Kickoff, we look at the tepid response by many far-left lawmakers to the ceasefire and hostage-release deal agreed to by Israel and Hamas earlier this week, and have the scoop on the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism's rebrand to Blue Square Alliance Against Hate and its new "Sunday Night Football" ad airing this weekend. We report on Rep. Ro Khanna's effort to distance himself from Holocaust denier Ian Carroll after both men appeared in a documentary that promoted antisemitic tropes, and talk to CNN's Jake Tapper about the release of his new book about the capture and prosecution of Al Qaeda operative Spin Ghul. Also in today's Daily Kickoff: Michael Koplow, Modi Rosenfeld and Klaus Schwab. Today's Daily Kickoff was curated by Jewish Insider Executive Editor Melissa Weiss. Have a tip? Email us here. Spread the word! Invite your friends to sign up.π |
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| For less-distracted reading over the weekend, browse this week's edition of The Weekly Print, a curated print-friendly PDF featuring a selection of recent Jewish Insider and eJewishPhilanthropy stories, including: Two years after Oct. 7 attacks, Israeli nonprofits struggle to pivot from crisis mode to sustainability; 'A story about family': Noam Tibon, director Barry Avrich reflect on 'The Road Between Us' premiere; and 'Now, life:' Former hostage Eli Sharabi shares his post-captivity resilience and optimism. Print the latest edition here. |
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- We're continuing to monitor ceasefire and hostage-release efforts in Israel and Gaza following the Israeli Cabinet's vote overnight to approve the Trump administration's 20-point plan to end the war. The ceasefire went into effect at 5 a.m. ET. Israel began its withdrawal from parts of the enclave this morning.
- Earlier today, the IDF warned Gazans not to approach the areas of the Strip where troops are still stationed, while Hamas announced its police officers would enter areas from which the IDF withdrew. Within Israel, officials are notifying families of terror victims whose Palestinian assailants are being released as part of the agreement.
- In a filmed statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "all of the hostages will be home in the coming days...Two years ago, Simchat Torah turned into a day of national grief. This Simchat Torah will become a day of national joy."
- President Donald Trump is expected to travel to Israel, and potentially also to Egypt, later this weekend, arriving in Israel early Monday morning. Trump is slated to speak at the Knesset on Monday, making him the fourth U.S. president in history to give such an address. He'll join White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who arrived in Israel last night.
- In the U.S., C-SPAN will debut its new "Ceasefire" program tonight. The show's first guests include former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and Faiz Shakir, a senior advisor to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
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A QUICK WORD WITH JI'S MATTHEW KASSEL |
The newly brokered ceasefire and hostage-release agreement between Israel and Hamas was met on Thursday with a notable lack of enthusiasm from the most outspoken Democratic detractors of Israel in Congress — even as they have vocally advocated for ending the war in Gaza. While the deal drew accolades across the political spectrum, from left-wing Israel detractors such as Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) to MAGA stalwarts, some of the most high-profile members of the far-left Squad and other ideologically aligned lawmakers remained silent well after the first phase of the agreement was finalized Wednesday or offered only grudging praise for the long-awaited development that could lead to an end to the war. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Summer Lee (D-PA) and Greg Casar (D-TX), chair of the House Progressive Caucus, did not respond to requests for comment from Jewish Insider and had not weighed in publicly on the deal as of Thursday night, despite widespread reaction to the agreement on Capitol Hill. In statements to social media, Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Delia Ramirez (D-IL) briefly voiced hope that the deal would hold but reiterated their accusation that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza and called for increased accountability in the conflict, without referring to Hamas' involvement. Like Omar, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) made no mention of the hostages in his own response to the deal, which also expressed hope that the agreement would, "as soon as possible," help end "this horrific war." The relatively muted comments — or lack thereof — underscore how anti-Israel lawmakers are reluctant to praise a major diplomatic breakthrough brokered by President Donald Trump — even as it aligns with their interests in ultimately ending the two-year war in Gaza. They also highlight how the broader pro-Palestinian movement, whose extreme rhetoric has increasingly signaled support for Hamas as a "resistance" group righteously opposing occupation, has grown captive to a narrow and uncompromising conception of the war that attributes blame for the conflict exclusively to Israel while largely dismissing the suffering of the hostages. Read the rest of 'What You Should Know' here. |
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Robert Kraft's anti-hate group renames itself the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate |
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft's Foundation to Combat Antisemitism is rebranding under the name Blue Square Alliance Against Hate and launching a new advertisement focused on antisemitism that's slated to debut on "Sunday Night Football" this weekend, Jewish Insider's Haley Cohen has learned. The rebranded group, whose blue square pins have become a ubiquitous symbol in the fight against antisemitism, is airing the "Sunday Night Football" ad as part of a $10 million media campaign designed to redouble awareness of the steep rise of anti-Jewish hate. Details: The new ad campaign, titled "When There Are No Words," will be airing on one of the most watched shows on broadcast television — during a game between the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions. "What do you say when a Jewish boy is kicked on a New York city sidewalk?" a voice asks as the 30-second commercial begins. "What do you say when a Holocaust survivor is firebombed in the streets of Colorado? What do you say when one in three Jewish Americans were victims of hate last year? When there are no words, there's still a symbol to show you care. The blue square." The name change and advertisement campaign — which will be supplemented by billboards and social media posts — are an extension to the foundation's "Blue Square" campaign, which launched in March 2023, aiming to turn the blue square into the symbol for Jewish solidarity and opposition to hatred against Jewish people. Read the full story here. |
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Khanna backpedals after sharing documentary clip with antisemitic influencer |
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) distanced himself from antisemitic influencer Ian Carroll after the congressman posted to social media an excerpt from a YouTube documentary that featured separate clips of himself and Carroll, Jewish Insider's Marc Rod reports. The documentary itself, posted by a YouTube videomaker with the handle Tommy G, is filled with antisemitic tropes. The thumbnail for the video frames Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a puppetmaster with strings controlling several men in suits, posed in front of the White House, flanked by Israeli and AIPAC flags. There are also several dollar bills superimposed over the image. Commenting on Carroll: Carroll, described in the documentary as a researcher, is an antisemitic conspiracy theorist who has engaged in Holocaust distortion. He has claimed that Israel and Jewish people are involved in a malign global conspiracy, control the U.S. government and were responsible for the 9/11 attacks. "This was a documentary made by Tommy G who interviewed me. I did not speak to or meet Ian Carroll. I stand by my words and should be judged by them," Khanna said in a statement to JI. "I vehemently disagree and reject any views blaming Israel for 9/11, denying the Holocaust, or conspiracies about a Jewish syndicate exerting control." Read the full story here. |
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Wisconsin Dem recruit calls for U.S. to halt arms to Israel |
Rebecca Cooke, the leading Democratic challenger to Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) in a Wisconsin battleground congressional district, said at a recent campaign event that she supports a halt to U.S. military aid to Israel, Jewish Insider's Marc Rod reports. Follow-up: "I don't think that taxpayer dollars should be going to fund the killing of children. Period," Cooke said in response to an audience question, in a video obtained by JI. "I think this is a moral issue. The other thing that I'll say is that I don't think that we should send more military aid to the Netanyahu government invasion." Asked about those comments, Cooke insisted to JI that she supports Israel's self-defense. "My record is clear, I strongly support Israel's right to defend itself," Cooke said in a statement. "I've expressed my deep concerns about the humanitarian toll of the war in Gaza, and I'm thrilled that a peace agreement has been reached and that the hostages will be able to return home." Read the full story here. |
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In 'Race Against Terror,' Jake Tapper takes on the justice system and jihadism |
In his new book, Race Against Terror: Chasing an Al Qaeda Killer at the Dawn of the Forever War, released on Oct. 7, CNN anchor Jake Tapper uses novelistic flair to explore the little-known true story behind a high-stakes, globe-spanning effort to prosecute jihadist Spin Ghul, who was ultimately convicted in federal court of killing American service members in Afghanistan. "My first goal for people who read the book is they'll just enjoy the story and find it compelling," Tapper told Jewish Insider's Matthew Kassel in a recent interview. "I tried to write it almost like a novel in as compelling a way as possible. But a second goal is for people to think about the war on terrorism and the best ways to keep us safe," he added, noting "an argument to be made that the attempt to lock Spin Ghul up forever keeps us safer than if he had just been sent to Guantanamo, where by now he might have been freed." War at home: Tapper weighed in on anti-Israel protests that have targeted his home, as well as the personal residences of other Jewish journalists and government officials. "I don't think that it's really an issue with my commentary as much as it's an issue with my faith. … There's any number of journalists in Washington, D.C., and these people targeted me and Dana Bash. Maybe someday somebody can explain to me why they protested outside the house of [former Secretary of State] Antony Blinken but not outside the house of any secretary or Cabinet official in the Trump administration. It seems pretty obvious to me." Read the full interview here. |
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Israel Policy Forum's Michael Koplow: Hostage deal 'frees up' U.S. Jewry for long-term initiatives |
On Thursday morning, news that both Israel and Hamas had accepted President Donald Trump's ceasefire and hostage-release plan prompted a Jewish communal exhale of relief. In Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, there were scenes of dancing and jubilation. Some cried, some embraced, some poured shots of arak and toasted "l'chaim" — to life! In the Diaspora, Jewish groups across the political spectrum echoed that same sense of relief, welcoming a deal that promises the return of all living hostages within 72 hours of a ceasefire and the eventual return of the slain ones, as well as a potential pathway to stability in Gaza and the wider Middle East. To understand the role of American Jewry going forward, eJewishPhilanthropy's Nira Dayanim spoke on Thursday with Michael Koplow, chief policy officer at the Israel Policy Forum. Shifting relationship: "American Jewish institutions are going to have to grapple with what it means for American Jews to have a different relationship with Israel," Koplow said. "And that's going to impact all sorts of things. It's going to impact funding. It's going to impact American Jewish education on Israel. It's going to impact the types of Israeli organizations that American Jews interact with. So it's way, way too early to say anything definitively, but I don't think that we should expect that now that the war is over, everything is going to just go back to the status quo ante, as if the last two years didn't happen." Read the full interview here and sign up for eJewishPhilanthropy's "Your Daily Phil" newsletter here. |
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How the Deal Was Done: The Washington Post's David Ignatius examines how President Donald Trump spearheaded the effort to bring the Israel-Hamas war to an end after many failed starts. "The blustering, go-it-alone president did it in an unlikely way: by listening to others and organizing a coalition that, by the end, included all major Arab and European nations, as well as Israel and Hamas. … He decided it was time for peace — and that he wouldn't tolerate any more foot-dragging from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or Hamas. Today, the battlefield is finally quiet. Trump's peace plan could fall apart, obviously. This is the Middle East. Key details like disarmament of Hamas aren't yet resolved. But in achieving his ceasefire, Trump demonstrated skills and used tactics that showed more flexibility and cooperation than are typical of him. He listened to expert advice and changed some of his views. He engaged in subtle secret diplomacy, especially with Qatar." [WashPost] Split Screen: In The Free Press, Gaza-born researcher and writer Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, who lost dozens of relatives in the Israel-Hamas war, looks at the ideological gap between Palestinians in Gaza and supporters of the cause in the West. "Those who decided to spend the second anniversary of the attacks of October 7 'flooding the streets' should instead take a step back and think about how they can actually be helpful to the people of Gaza and beyond. … One of the first steps to freeing Palestinians from the horrors of war is to free them from the 'Free Palestine Movement' in the diaspora and Western world. The unholy alliance between the far left, far right, and Islamist hooligans who normalize Hamas's narrative is harmful first and foremost to the Palestinian people. Legitimate critique of Israeli policies is not the same as calls for jihadi violence and antisemitic rhetoric, which have become the norm in the toxic Israel and Palestine discourse that desperately requires level heads to prevail and radical pragmatism to be adopted across the board." [FreePress] Media Shift: Puck's Dylan Byers considers the backlash to Skydance's acquisition of Bari Weiss' Free Press and installation of Weiss as editor in chief of CBS News. "It's difficult, frankly, to see these reports as anything other than supporting evidence for Bari's evergreen thesis about media bias — a desire to amplify the preferred narrative, rather than do the actual reporting. There may also be some envy at play, too. Most legacy media journalists who launch Substacks with bold mission statements about speaking the truth end up publishing uninspired partisan analysis and doing video chats with Steve Schmidt every week. Bari went out and built a nine-figure business. In the days since her start, I've surveyed at least 15 CBS News sources across the organizations and, in addition to the very real uncertainty around how this is going to work and what it will mean for specific people's jobs, the overwhelming response has been excitement, cautious optimism, and relief." [Puck] |
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The Trump administration is taking a multi-agency approach to its crackdown on far-left groups with alleged ties to "domestic terror networks"; among the groups being investigated are the anti-Israel activist groups IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace… Paul Ingrassia, the Trump administration's nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, faced sexual harassment accusations, since retracted, from a lower-ranking female colleague who stayed in a hotel room with Ingrassia after he had, unbeknownst to her, canceled her room reservation; Ingrassia has a record of conspiratorial comments, including calling the the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks a 'psyop' and defending prominent antisemites… The New York Times looks at the role that Jared Kushner, who had planned to stay out of government in the second Trump administration, played in the effort to reach a ceasefire and hostage-release deal, while Politico does a deep dive into how Kushner and Steve Witkoff, the White House's special envoy, moved the deal across the finish line… The Treasury Department announced sanctions on a Chinese oil refinery that handles nearly 10% of China's crude oil imports over its facilitation of Iranian oil distribution in violation of sanctions… A new Quinnipiac survey of the New York City mayoral race conducted following Mayor Eric Adams' departure from the race has Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani leading former Gov. Andrew Cuomo by 13 points; Mamdani had previously led Cuomo by 22 points in a Quinnipiac poll taken in early September, prior to Adams dropping out… The New York Times profiles comedian Modi Rosenfeld, dubbed the "Orthodox Ellen DeGeneres" by fellow comic Alex Edelman for his routines that blend his Jewish background and LGBTQ identity… The Financial Times reports on the "uncertain moment" that the World Economic Forum finds itself in following the departure of its founder, Klaus Schwab, and as "[m]ultilateralism is in retreat, protectionism is on the rise, and great-power rivalry … is remaking global governance"... CNN spotlights Jewish families who chose to immigrate to Israel — or leave the country — following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks… Venezuelan opposition leader MarΓa Corina Machado was announced as the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize… Indonesia denied visas to Israeli gymnasts who planned to travel to the Southeast Asian country for the World Artistic Gymnastics, causing the Israeli team its spot in the world championship… German-born anti-apartheid activist and journalist Ruth Weiss, who escaped Nazi Europe as a child when her family settled in South Africa, died at 101… |
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PRESIDENT'S OFFICE/COURTESY |
Israeli President Isaac Herzog (center) met on Thursday with Jared Kushner and White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Jerusalem shortly after their arrival from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where they met with negotiators to finalize an agreement to end the Israel-Hamas war. |
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SHAHAR AZRAN/GETTY IMAGES |
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