Daily Kickoff
👋 Good Thursday morning!
Secretary of State Tony Blinken told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell yesterday that he is not “overly optimistic” that the U.S. will reach a new agreement with Iran over its nuclear program.
“Time is getting extremely short,” Blinken said. “But this is something that we’ll be talking to our European partners about this afternoon and then over the course of the next day. We’ve been working in very close coordination with the Europeans, with the European Union, with France, with Germany, with the U.K. So we’ll see where we get. I continue to believe it would be in the best interests of our country if we can get back into compliance with the deal, if Iran will do the same. We’re not there.”
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), one of four Senate Democrats who opposed the original Iran nuclear deal in 2015, told Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod yesterday that he’s “very leery” of Iran talks and that he’ll likely oppose any new deal, saying, “I wasn’t for it before and I can’t see myself changing my position.”
Meanwhile, a group of House Democrats came together yesterday to express their concerns over a potential return to the deal. More below.
Summing it up, the International Crisis Group’s Ali Vaez, a proponent of a renewed Iran deal, told Foreign Policy’s Colum Lynch: “You have to decide what’s more important: uranium enrichment or Iranian enrichment,” Vaez, who thinks there’s a 50-50 chance a new deal is reached, said. “If you are more concerned about uranium enrichment, then this deal is better than the alternative. If you are more concerned about Iranian enrichment, then you would argue for a no-deal scenario.”
The Council of the District of Columbia — Washington, D.C.’s official legislative body — unanimously passed a resolution this week that condemns antisemitism and affirms the District’s “commitment to cultivating an inclusive community.”
The resolution was the council’s first-ever legislative approach to combating antisemitism. Council member Brianne Nadeau introduced the resolution in conjunction with the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.
in the spotlight
The Israeli lawmaker who could topple the government

Idit Silman
Israeli Knesset member Idit Silman made national and international headlines on Wednesday after abruptly resigning from her position in an already fragile ruling coalition, raising fears that Israel could soon be thrust into another cycle of parliamentary elections. While those who follow the country’s politics closely might be familiar with Silman, a 41-year-old lawmaker from Rehovot, others are asking about the woman now shaking up Israel’s political scene and what stands behind her decision to seriously weaken, if not topple, the current government, Jewish Insider’s Ruth Marks Eglash reports.
Short term: Silman was first elected to the Knesset in 2019 as part of the Union of Right-Wing Parties, but quickly lost her seat when then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was unable to form a government. A second election was called months later. In the follow-up vote, Silman’s party merged with a broader alliance of right-wing factions to form the current Yamina party, headed by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. Silman won back a top place on the party’s list ahead of a third election in March 2021. Silman reentered the Knesset last April, going on to serve as the coalition whip, as well as chair of the Knesset’s Health Committee, among other positions.
Mounting pressure: As one of the more right-wing members of what is considered to be Israel’s broadest-ever coalition – the government includes ideologically conflicting parties and political voices – Silman has faced sharp criticism and pressure from the opposition to stand down for ideological reasons. Last November, she told journalists that she had received numerous offers from members of Netanyahu’s Likud party to defect.
At odds: Silman herself has regularly been at odds with decisions and policies promoted by the current coalition. In December, she visited the controversial anti-abortion organization Efrat, after Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, leader of the left-wing Meretz party, announced policy reforms relating to the abortion process in Israel. She has also been outspoken against the so-called “Western Wall deal,” which aims to create a pluralistic prayer space at the holy site.
Final straw: According to some Israeli media reports, the final straw for Silman came this week after Horowitz ordered hospitals to allow patients and visitors to enter with non-kosher food, or chametz, during the forthcoming Passover holiday. Bennett said Wednesday that Silman had been persecuted and harassed by Netanyahu’s supporters and by ultra-right lawmaker Bezalel Smotrich. “In the end, she broke,” he said.
Bonus: Haaretz’s Anshel Pfeffer considers the possible scenarios for Israel’s government following the announcement by MK Idit Silman that she is leaving the coalition.