Daily Kickoff
👋 Good Wednesday morning!
President Joe Biden praised the “historic breakthrough in the Middle East” following the agreement, announced yesterday, between Israel and Lebanon over a disputed maritime border. U.S. Energy Envoy Amos Hochstein has spent recent weeks shuttling between Washington and the Middle East in an attempt to broker the deal, which will enable both countries to drill offshore gas reserves.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price called the accord “remarkable,” adding that the agreement “promises to usher in a new era of regional cooperation while also promoting prosperity, security and stability through unleashing vital energy resources to the world.”
In his phone call with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Biden commended the Lebanese “consultative and open spirit demonstrated throughout the negotiations” and stressed that the U.S. is committed to supporting stability and sovereignty within Lebanon.
Speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, Biden lauded his “persistent and principled diplomacy,” according to a readout of the conversation. “The President underscored his unshakeable commitment to Israel’s security and discussed how the agreement announced today not only preserves and further enhances Israel’s security and economic interests, but also creates new opportunities for Israel’s regional integration and national prosperity.”
The agreement was approved by Israel’s security cabinet on Wednesday afternoon local time, with support from all members, with the exception of Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, who abstained. It will now go to Israel’s cabinet. According to a poll by Israel’s Channel 12, 40% of Israelis support the deal, 29% oppose it and 31% don’t know. Lapid has said the deal will strengthen Israel’s security, bolster its economy and deliver cleaner, more affordable energy to countries around the world.
The Biden administration will release its first National Security Strategy today, setting out its national security priorities and policy. The report — mandated by law to be released annually — is long-delayed, and the administration has been under pressure from Capitol Hill to release it. This afternoon, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will discuss National Security Strategy at an event at Georgetown University.
Also happening today in Washington: Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will participate in a Sukkot roundtable with State Department staffers at the Blair House.
ocean state politics
The two candidates meeting voters in the middle in RI-02

Seth Magaziner (l) and Allan fung (r)
In the campaign for a rare open congressional seat in Rhode Island, Democratic candidate Seth Magaziner frequently attacks his opponent, Republican Allan Fung, as a hard-line Republican who is out of touch with moderate New England voters. But Magaziner’s charges were challenged in recent weeks, with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) complimenting Fung, calling the Republican a “quality opponent” and citing his ideological differences with the more extreme elements of the GOP. “That’s what shows that sometimes those cookie-cutter national hits don’t always hold true, and in this case, it doesn’t,” Fung, the former mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island’s second-largest city, told Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch in a recent interview. “The other members all recognize that I’m a nice guy, and I’ve done things working across the aisle.”
Make the pitch: To win in Rhode Island’s 2nd District, which voted for Joe Biden by a 12-point margin in 2020, Fung has to do more than just convince Democrats he’s a nice guy. “My opponent can call himself whatever he wants. But he has also made clear that he is prepared to enable some of the most extreme elements in American politics. That’s not just wrong, it’s dangerous,” Magaziner, who is serving his second term as the state’s general treasurer, told JI.
On a tightrope: Magaziner was referring to the delicate balancing act that Fung is attempting in trying to appeal to a broad swath of voters while also earning the support of national Republican figures like House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who hosted a fundraiser for Fung in the state in August. Republicans view the 2nd District as a key pick-up opportunity due to redistricting, which made the district more conservative, and the retirement of longtime Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI), who was first elected to the seat in 2000. So far, Fung’s strategy appears to be working. A poll conducted in early October showed him leading Magaziner 45% to 37% among likely voters. Another poll, released a week earlier, showed Fung with a six-point lead.
Original ideas: Fung diverges from other Republicans on a number of policies. He said he would have supported the infrastructure bill Biden signed into law last year, which passed the House with the support of 13 Republicans. He also pledged to advocate for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a position that is increasingly losing support among a number of Republicans.
Israel action: Both candidates pledged to support U.S. security assistance for Israel without conditions, although Magaziner, who called Israel “a vital ally for the United States,” added that Washington “should, in a friendly way, continue to encourage Israel to double down on the peace process.” Magaziner has been endorsed by J Street’s political action committee, while AIPAC’s PAC has not gotten involved in the race.