Daily Kickoff
👋 Good Tuesday morning!
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we report on a new bipartisan push byReps. Ritchie Torres and Mike Lawler to create a State Department ambassador position to advance the Abraham Accords, and interview Adam Frisch on his second bid to unseat Rep. Lauren Boebert. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Judy Blume, Nikki Haley and Eli Cohen.
American-Israeli citizen Elan Ganeles, 27, was killed in a terror attack yesterday, shot dead while driving near the West Bank city of Jericho, amid a flare-up of violence in the area.
U.S. State Department Ned Pricesaid during a press briefing, “The United States is extremely concerned by the events of this weekend and the continuing violence in Israel and the West Bank. As we noted yesterday, we condemn the horrific killing of two Israeli brothers near Nablus and the killing today of an Israeli near Jericho, who we understand was also an American citizen. We express our deepest condolences to all of the victims’ families and their loved ones.”
“We also condemn the widescale, indiscriminate violence by settlers against Palestinian civilians following the killing,” he continued, saying that he expects the Israeli government “to ensure full accountability and legal prosecution of those responsible for these attacks,” in addition to compensation for the lost homes and property burned down in the rampage.
The Israeli Consulate General of Israel in New Yorktweeted, “We are shattered by the loss of Elan Ganeles, a US-Israeli citizen & IDF vet murdered today by Palestinian terrorists. Elan grew up in Connecticut & graduated last May from Columbia. He volunteered in his local community & sought to better the world. May his memory be a blessing.”
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee had been scheduled to vote today on Eric Garcetti and Michael Ratney’s nominations to be the U.S. ambassadors to India and Saudi Arabia, respectively. Both nominations were approved by the committee in the last Congress, but must be voted on again after stalling on the Senate floor. Last night, however, the committee’s scheduled meeting was canceled after multiple senators requested that nomination votes be delayed until the committee’s next business meeting. Jewish Insider learned yesterday that Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) had planned to ask that, at minimum, Garcetti’s vote be delayed.
Other Hill hearings we’re watching today include the Senate Banking Committee, which will hear from former National Security Council officials on sanctions and export controls as a national security tool; the House Intelligence Committee hearing with think tank leaders; the House Homeland Security Committee’s hearing on “Secretary Mayorkas’ Border Crisis,” which could preview potential impeachment proceedings against the Homeland Security secretary; and the House Oversight Committee will hold a markup on legislation aimed at preventing government employees from urging social media platforms to take down lawful content.
Further up Pennsylvania Avenue, the American Jewish Committee is bringing antisemitism envoys from the European Commission, Organization of American States, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Norway to the White House to meet with administration officials. The envoys will also meet with members of Congress.
exclusive
Torres, Lawler push for a U.S. Abraham Accords ambassador

Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and Mike Lawler (R-NY) are pushing for the creation of a dedicated ambassador post at the State Department focused on advancing the Abraham Accords, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod has learned.
New bill: The two House lawmakers are set to introduce a bill today that would create an ambassador-rank special envoy for the Abraham Accords, who would be tasked with leading and coordinating the State Department’s efforts to strengthen and expand the Arab-Israeli normalization agreements. The ambassador would report directly to the secretary of state, conduct talks with potential Abraham Accords signatories and work with nongovernmental organizations.
Combatting bureaucracy: “The Abraham Accords cannot be allowed to atrophy from bureaucratic neglect, there should and must be a clear delineation of power within the federal government. The Abraham Accords are so monumental that it merits a special envoy of its own,” Torres told JI in an interview. “It’s not about politics, it’s about bureaucracy… Regardless of the administration, without a single point person, there is often a bureaucratic muddle in which many people have power but no one has responsibility.”
In the spotlight: Lawler described the proposed special envoy as “an important measure to not only help oversee the Abraham Accords in the region but hopefully help grow it and provide more stability.” “Having someone who is specifically focused on the Abraham Accords will help ensure the long-term strength of these agreements,” the New York Republican continued, noting the “robust portfolio” that U.S. ambassadors in the region already handle. “It’s important to really maximize what we’re trying to accomplish here, and I think giving special attention to it is a good thing.”
Job description: The legislation directs that the special envoy, who would be subject to Senate confirmation, should have high-level diplomatic experience and be knowledgeable about the Islamic and Jewish worlds, economics, security and human rights. The nominee may also come from within the State Department’s civil service ranks.