Daily Kickoff
DRIVING THE CONVERSATION: “Bibi on a mission” by Nahal Toosi: “The fact that he’s going to speak at CAP, a progressive think tank with close ties to Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton’s political machine, is perhaps the most tangible evidence he’s worried about being cast as a Republican lackey. But the flare in Israeli-Palestinian fighting, the worst spate of violence since the 2014 conflict in the Gaza Strip, also offers an opening for both Democrats and Israeli leaders to make nice.” [Politico]
“Netanyahu Is Bringing a $4.5 Billion-a-Year Arms Wish List to Obama” by Jonathan Ferziger: “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returns to the White House next week seeking to boost annual U.S. military aid to an estimated $4.5 billion and, his former ambassador to Washington says, unapologetic about trying to sink the U.S.-led Iran nuclear deal. “It’s not going to be warm and fuzzy,” said Michael Oren, an Israeli lawmaker who was Netanyahu’s U.S. envoy for five years. “It’s about what we need to defend ourselves and what we need to deter Iran.” [Bloomberg]
“Israel, Iran, Syria, and Obama: Now what?” by Danny Vinik: “On the eve of Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit, retired Israeli general Michael Herzog says Israelis expect the U.S. to play a more assertive role in the region.” [TheAgenda]
“Bygones: Israel and the U.S. Try to Move Beyond Iran” by Jeffrey Goldberg: “Credit for managing Ya’alon, and for stabilizing the Israel-U.S. relationship, should be assigned to U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, who hosted Ya’alon and who appears to have been directed by a White House exhausted and frustrated by Netanyahu to oversee large parts of the Israeli portfolio during Obama’s remaining time in office.” [TheAtlantic]
IRAN DEAL: “Backlash Against U.S. in Iran Seems to Gather Force After Nuclear Deal” by Thomas Erdbrink: “Anyone who hoped that Iran’s nuclear agreement with the United States and other powers portended a new era of openness with the West has been jolted with a series of increasingly rude awakenings over the past few weeks.” [NYTimes] • “American flags and effigies of President Barack Obama were set ablaze on Wednesday as thousands gathered to mark the anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the Iranian capital’s U.S. Embassy.” [NBC]
2016 WATCH: The current consensus of the week, among many donors and political players we’ve talked to, is that the Republican primary may very well come down to Rubio and Cruz. In fact, it seems many Tri-State Republican donors are having a hard time making up their mind between the two. Last night, Howard and Debbie Jonas hosted a fundraiser for Marco Rubio with around 200 attendees at their home in Riverdale, NY. Yes, the usual Rubio heavy-hitters were present including Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, Phil Rosen, as well as an actual hitter, New York Yankees’ first baseman Mark Teixeira. But also spotted were several Cruz supporters including Rabbi Shmuley Boteach who was recently mentioned in the Washington Post for “introducing Cruz to members of the Jewish community in New York and Los Angeles.”
“Jeb Would Seek to Water Down Iran Sanctions Relief” by Jacob Kornbluh: “I would confront Iran’s ambitions in the region” by not allowing Iran to gain influence in the Middle East, he said. “I would do everything in my power to assure that our Europen allies wouldn’t make major investments in Iran, including the possibility of reinstating U.S. sanctions which will have an impact of Europen countries that are considering investing in Iran.” [JI]
Peter Beinart: “Jeb Bush’s ‘Serious’ Foreign Policy Is Not Serious: The Republican candidate blames Obama for “unleashing” Syria’s humanitarian crisis and “creating” Israel’s greatest existential threat.” [TheAtlantic]
Ken Silverstein: “Just Who Is Sidney Blumenthal, the Clintons’ Closest Advisor? Will Hillary’s hatchet man be up for White House job if she wins?” [Observer]
“Donald Trump Pitches a Book (and a Campaign, Too)” by Michael Barbaro: “When a man with a skullcap approached, book in hand, Mr. Trump wasted little time in trying to relate. “We are going to save Israel,” he assured the man.” [FirstDraft]
“Trump in new book: Israel proof that walls work” by Jacob Kornbluh: “In his new book “Crippled America,” Trump cites Israel as proof that his plan to build a wall along the border with Mexico will s top illegal immigration. “Walls work. The Israelis spent $2 million per kilometer to build a wall – which has been hugely successful in stopping terrorists from getting into the country,” Trump writes. “Ironically, some of the same people who claim we shouldn’t build a wall cite the success of Israel’s wall. While obviously we don’t face the same level of terrorist threat as our closest Middle East ally, there is no question about the value of a wall in the fight against terrorism.” [JewishJournal]
TRUMP TWEETS: “Donald Trump deletes tweet linking Jeb Bush to Nazis” [BusinessInsider]
“The Weaponization of ‘Truther’” by Mark Leibovich: “What does it mean to be a ‘‘truther’’? We are all supposedly on journeys to truth. I had a rabbi tell me this once. And to be an agent of truth — a truth-teller — is a noble thing. We praise journalists, gadflies, investigators or even politicians that speak ‘‘truth to power’’ and tell ‘‘hard truths’’ and unearth the ‘‘inconvenient truths’’ that defy official narratives and alter our destinies. But it is not flattering to be called a ‘‘truther.’’ [NYTimesMag]
BUSINESS BRIEFS: “Jon Stewart Moves to HBO With Four-Year Production Deal” [Bloomberg; TheVerge] • “Marc Benioff, Salesforce Chief, on the Strategic Benefits of Corporate Giving” [NYTimes]• “Here’s what Larry Page would say if you brought a time machine into his office” [BusinessInsider] • “Schwarzman Spends Night at Library With Author of `My Struggle'” [Bloomberg] • “A billionaire — Eli Broad, a fired publisher, and a spectacle at the LA Times” [CJR] • “DSW Shares Plunge After Shoe Chain Cuts Forecast, Names New CEO” [Bloomberg] • “Soros Pulls $500 Million Investment With Bill Gross” [WSJ]
SPOTLIGHT: “A New Look, and Label, for American Eagle Outfitters” by Hiroko Tabuchi:“The teenage-fashion retailer American Eagle Outfitters is set to acquire the high-end men’s wear label Todd Snyder for $11 million in cash and stock, shifting away from the “fast fashion” wars that have upended the teenage apparel market, and aiming to gain a foothold with an older age group. “It’s really our type of look, the American styling,” said Jay Schottenstein, American Eagle’s chairman and interim chief executive.” [NYTimes; WSJ]
STARTUP NATION: Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary’s Sound Ventures backs Israeli App Moovit — ““We’re extremely proud to have Sound Ventures behind us as we continue to grow rapidly,” said Nir Erez, CEO of Moovit. “Investments like these help us to bring more public transit options to markets in need, like India and China, as well as to continue to strengthen our active community of editors around the world.” [PressRelease] • Alex Brill: “Israel’s impressive economy” [AEI] • “Mylan’s First Day of Trading in Tel Aviv” [Bloomberg]
CAMPUS BEAT: “Jewish Student Izzy Lenga Takes Brave Stand Against Anti-Semitism After Vile Trolling On Twitter” [HuffPostUK]
David Brog: “Beware of friends bearing boycotts” [JPost]
“Harvard gets gift to start Jewish and Israeli law program: A statement from Harvard says the program will explore the structure and effects of Jewish and Israeli law. The school is establishing the program with a donation from Mitchell R. Julis, a Los Angeles investment executive and 1981 graduate of the law school. Harvard didn’t provide the amount of the donation.” [AP; TabletMag]
INBOX — Out Today: “Pushing for a two-state solution that will ensure Israel’s security and preserve its Jewish and democratic nature, the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace in Washington, D.C. launched a new campaign today in The New York Times. The campaign, Israel and the Palestinians: One State or Two?, is projected to continue well into next year, beginning with today’s launch in the Times recalling Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s legacy in military heroism and in fighting for lasting peace and security for Israel and the Jewish people.” [Ad]
Aaron David Miller: “What Would Have Happened if Yitzhak Rabin Had Lived?” [ForeignPolicy]
TALK OF OUR NATION: “How Orthodox Jewish Style Became an Unlikely Inspiration for Fall” [Vogue]
BIRTHDAYS: Ben Smith turns 39… Paul Caplan (yesterday)…
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