Daily Kickoff
Good Thursday morning.
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we cover last night’s event at the World Economic Forum highlighting the Israeli hostages and their families, and report on a bipartisan call for the Biden administration to reimpose the Houthis’ Foreign Terrorist Organization designation. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Jonathan Greenblatt, Sheryl Sandberg and Virginia Moseley.
Why is this World Economic Forum different from all other World Economic Forums?
For Jewish and Israeli leaders attending the annual conference in Davos, Switzerland, the answer could not be clearer: Conference organizers have scaled up efforts to include conversations about antisemitism and Israel at the weeklong gathering.
Earlier this week, an Israeli delegation held a screening of footage of the Oct. 7 terror attacks. Last night, Palantir CEO Alex Karp hosted an event with family members of hostages as well as some of the released hostages. More below.
On the sidelines of the conference, Moran Stela Yanai and Nili Margalit, freed hostages who appeared at the Palantir event, met with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres last night.
This afternoon, a panel of Jewish and Israeli thought leaders will take the main stage at Davos — for the first time in the World Economic Forum’s history — to discuss the rise of global antisemitism and the varied responses to it.
Speakers include Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Israeli First Lady Michal Herzog, Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt and Abrahamic Family House Special Interfaith Adviser David Rosen. Author and professor Timothy Snyder will moderate the session.
Following the panel, Emhoff is slated to meet with corporate leaders to discuss combating hate, and will then sit down with both Michal Herzog and Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who addressed the confab earlier today.
In between events, Greenblatt chatted with Jewish Insider’s Melissa Weiss about the atmosphere at Davos. Below are snippets from the conversation.
Jewish Insider: Jonathan, you’re in Davos. What is the atmosphere this year?
Jonathan Greenblatt: Davos has been, as always, quite interesting. There are a few things. The theme this year is “Building Trust,” which is an admirable thing. But I think the prevailing theme, I would say, is uncertainty. Uncertainty about the Middle East, uncertainty about Ukraine and Europe, uncertainty about the U.S. with the elections around the corner. So I think the thing that I’m hearing the most from people is uncertainty. So “Building Trust” is a good theme and all, don’t get me wrong. I think people are nervous about the state of the world, and just unsure how things are going to turn out on a couple fronts.
JI: You are participating in a session tomorrow that’s dedicated to antisemitism. I can’t ever remember there being a session dedicated to antisemitism in the past. How did this come about? And what’s the hope for holding one this year? It’s very high level — you, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Israeli First Lady Michal Herzog.
JG: That’s right. And Tim Snyder, who has written so much about authoritarianism and genocide. He wrote that important book, Black Earth. He’s a very important historian of contemporary Europe, and he’s moderating it. If you follow Davos, you know there are different kinds of programs here. So there may be programs that are off-site, or unofficial, like a panel at the Google pavilion or something. And then there are breakouts where you have all these breakout rooms with lots of content. And then there’s the main stage. Not only is this, to the best of my knowledge, the first time they’ve ever done anything on antisemitism, it’s literally happening on the main stage. So that is a steep increase over where we were before and how they’ve treated the issue. But I think the reason why is because it is on the minds of so many of the participants. People are trying to make sense of this moment. And in many ways, that’s what Davos is about, trying to make sense of the moment. Whether the moment is about the things we were discussing a few minutes ago: the geopolitical shocks, climate change, technological progress. And this issue of hate, but specifically antisemitism, is on the minds of a lot of people. We’re trying to make sense of this explosion of anti-Jewish intolerance in America and around the world.
call to action
Palantir convenes high-level gathering in Davos to support Israeli hostages
The software giant Palantir hosted a high-level gathering on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, with family members of Israeli hostages held in Gaza as well as freed Israeli captives, who described their experiences in searing detail and urged attendees to show support for the remaining abductees, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel reports.
Emotional speeches: In a series of emotional speeches to a packed room at Palantir’s pavilion on the promenade in Davos, the audience, which included several top tech and business leaders, heard a range of accounts from Israelis affected by the violence. Participants at the event, hosted by Palantir CEO Alex Karp, were moved to tears when Rachel Goldberg-Polin screened footage of the moment her 23-year-old son was brutally abducted from a music festival targeted by Hamas on Oct. 7. Goldberg-Polin urged participants to take action to bring the hostages home.
Praise for Palantir: In a nod to Palantir, Yossi Vardi, an Israeli investor who gave remarks, praised Karp for continuing to stand with Israel. Palantir has been among the most outspoken companiesexpressing support for Israel and opposing campus antisemitism in the wake of the attacks. The data analytics firm, which held its first board meeting of 2024 in Tel Aviv earlier this month, said last week that it had agreed to a strategic partnership with the Israeli Defense Ministry to assist the country in its war against Hamas in Gaza.
Prominent participants: The event was attended by a number of high-profile figures in business, media and politics, including Andy Jassy, the CEO of Amazon; Michael Dell, the founder and CEO of Dell Technologies; Nicola Mendelsohn, a top executive at Meta; Alexander Taylor, the CEO of Cox Enterprises; Martin Sorrell, the founder and former CEO of WPP; and Bill Browder, the CEO of Hermitage Capital Management.
houthi headache
Bipartisan group of lawmakers call for the White House to fully reimpose Houthi terror designation
After a wave of positive initial feedback from top Republicans and Democrats to the Biden administration’s plan to redesignate the Houthis as a terrorist group, hawkish lawmakers are growing less enthused as more details of the strategy have emerged, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
What they did: The administration designated the Houthis as a Specially Designated Terrorist Group, but not a Foreign Terrorist Organization — a classification that grants separate authorities and penalties — and implemented a series of carve-outs to the sanctions on the Houthis imposed under the SDTG label. “This particular designation gives us more flexibility, but it also gives aid organizations a higher level of comfort, that they’ll be able to provide this assistance without running afoul of sanctions,” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said yesterday.
Friendly fire: Most Democrats on Capitol Hill — even those who had pushed for the FTO label — are standing behind this approach, with the bulk of the criticism coming from Republicans. But Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Bob Casey (D-PA) said they think the administration needs to go further. “While I support today’s designation, we should go further and formally label the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in order to fully crack down on the flow of arms and funding to them,” Rosen said.
The other side: Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), who helped author a letter to the administration last year calling for the FTO designation, indicated that he’s satisfied with the steps the White House has taken so far. “[The president] has designated them as a terrorist organization, something I asked for several months ago,” Moskowitz told JI. “I’m happy to see the administration take such an aggressive posture with the Houthis, not just trying to eliminate their capabilities, but also trying to be proactive to stop the Houthis from taking further actions in the Red Sea.”
postwar policy
U.S., Israel clash over future role of Palestinian Authority in postwar Gaza
For months, Israeli leaders have made clear that they are not on the same page as the Biden administration when it comes to the governance of postwar Gaza. The public disagreements take place against the backdrop of an Israeli public that is both supportive of President Joe Biden and also deeply skeptical of the Palestinian Authority, an institution racked by corruption and widely disliked by Palestinians. The question, then, is when — or if — Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will clash on dealing with the PA, and whether Israel will face any consequences for rebuffing the U.S., reports Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch.
Overarching issues: Consider the issue of Palestinian tax revenues being held by Israel. Netanyahu, under pressure from the far-right flank of his governing coalition, said he would not transfer certain tax revenues owed to the PA that would go to Hamas-run Gaza. The PA, though, refuses to accept only part of the revenue — so none of it has yet been transferred, leaving the PA on the precipice of financial collapse. Washington has sought to push Israel to transfer all of the money. Meanwhile, the U.S. has said a unified PA — the governing body in the West Bank — should have control of Gaza after the war ends. Israel disagrees.
Still theoretical: Many of the disagreements remain theoretical. The finances of the PA have not yet collapsed, so Israel holding onto the revenues hasn’t had a strong impact, even if that is likely to change. And the matter of who will rule Gaza after the end of the war is purely speculation until the war actually ends and Hamas is defeated, which is unlikely to occur soon, even as Israel’s military has begun to shift to a less intense phase.
Action not required: “I think the disagreements are going to continue until Netanyahu has to actually be forced to make a choice about something, and I think he’s going to continue to choose not to make the choice,” said Michael Koplow, chief policy officer at Israel Policy Forum. “I don’t think we’re at that inflection point yet.”
on the hill
Senate Dems continue ‘discussing’ conditions on aid to Israel, as supplemental shows signs of movement
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said on Wednesday that Senate Democrats continue to discuss the possibility of adding conditions on U.S. aid to Israel, as lawmakers indicated that they could be close to a deal to allow an emergency aid package to U.S. allies to move forward, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Continuing conversations: “On conditions, our caucus is discussing it, and will continue to look for the best way forward,” Schumer said. “But as I’ve said, there are four goals that we have when it comes to the war in Gaza.” Those goals, he continued, are reducing the threat from Hamas, freeing the hostages, humanitarian aid to the Palestinians and working with Israel to reduce the number of civilian casualties. Schumer’s remarks echo comments he made on the same issue at a press conference in November, and did not appear to point to any new developments or shifts in support for conditions.
Signs of progress: Schumer’s comments came amid the first indications in weeks of progress in the Senate for an emergency aid bill for Israel, Ukraine and other U.S. allies, which has been held up by Republican demands for broad changes to U.S. immigration policy. Schumer said that he was “for the first time… optimistic” about passing the bill in the Senate, while Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said the Senate could move forward as soon as next week.
On the House: House Republicans, who had suggested they’d reject any Senate-negotiated immigration deal that did not include the full House-passed immigration bill, known as HR 2, indicated that they may have softened that position. “We’re not insistent upon a particular name of a piece of legislation, but we are insistent that the elements have to be meaningful,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said after the meeting.
100+ days
Congress marks grim milestone for Gaza hostages
Congressional leaders on Wednesday held a Senate press conference and a candlelight House vigil alongside relatives of hostages held in Gaza, days after Israel commemorated the 100 days that the hostages, abducted on Oct. 7, have been in captivity, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
New initiatives: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) urged the families not to give up hope. “There are always new initiatives, as there are right now,” Schumer said. “We are making slow, slow, slow but important progress.” Schumer did not elaborate on what those initiatives entailed, and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman who led the press conference, said he was not familiar with the initiative Schumer mentioned.
From the House: “Congress is united in its opposition to Jewish hatred, and in support for our friend and ally Israel,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said from the House steps, flanked by dozens of bipartisan lawmakers during the vigil. “This attack, the worst of its kind since the Holocaust, came about because of anti-Jewish hatred, and it is our duty to call out this evil.” Johnson gave special acknowledgement to Kfir Bibas, who turned 1 year old today, and described some of the brutal crimes committed by Hamas and others on Oct. 7.
Netanyahu on notice: During the Senate press conference, Liz Hirsh Naftali, the great-aunt of 4-year-old Abigail Mor Idan, who was released during the previous round of negotiations with Hamas, delivered some of the starkest criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that’s been offered by hostages’ families on the Hill. “This hold-up is really not with the U.S. or with the Qataris. This hold up is with the Netanyahu government,” Naftali said. “He has been unwilling to agree to the terms needed to release our loved ones, to make these deals final.”
heard in davos
Scaramucci blasts ‘crazy’ Trump, says Biden a better candidate for region
Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, who worked in the Trump administration for 10 days in June of 2017, blasted his former boss on Tuesday during a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Billed as a discussion on “The Arab Future,” Scaramucci joined UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Vision 3 Chairman Khaled Janahi and Julien Hawari, CEO and founder of Special Edition and Million, to discuss changes happening in the region, during which the financier was somewhat jokingly asked to call the results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Jewish Insider’s Tori Bergel reports.
Three fronts: “Trump is gonna get his ass kicked,” Scaramucci said. He suggested that the former president is currently battling three separate criminal indictments, none of which, Scaramucci said, he will be able to completely defend against. The former communications director pointed out that Trump is in the midst of being prosecuted for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the chief witness of which is his former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Second, Scaramucci said, in understanding the 14th Amendment, a number of conservative judges have already come out and said that under the Constitution, Trump should be barred from running for election because of his part in the riot. And lastly, Trump is still facing charges for bringing classified documents to Mar-a-Lago.
Biden better: If Trump should make it on the ballot in November, Scaramucci said, he will likely lose against President Joe Biden, “Because Trump is crazy, and they will spend the entire time focused on that.” Biden, Scaramucci concluded, is the better candidate for the Middle East region. “If we’re going to choose between dementia and demented, I’m going with dementia,” he said.
Worthy Reads
Military Matters: Times of Israel founding Editor David Horovitz lays out the challenges facing Israeli forces operating in Gaza as the war transitions to its second phase. “More than 100 days after October 7, Israel’s vital military effort to destroy Hamas — to prevent it carrying out more massacres, to deter our other enemies, and to enable Israelis to safely return to border areas and sleep soundly in our beds everywhere — has lost momentum. It has not stalled, but it certainly has slowed. In part, this is because of the particular nature and demands of the campaign in southern Gaza. In large part, too, however, it is because of an absence of clear political direction, with the catastrophe engineered by Hamas now at risk of being compounded by domestic political irresponsibility in overseeing the fightback.” [TOI]
On His First Birthday: In The Wall Street Journal, Yosi Shnaider, a cousin of the youngest hostage being held in Gaza, Kfir Bibas, who was abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7 along with his 4-year-old brother and parents, pens an op-ed to mark Kfir’s first birthday. “We believe Hamas marked Shiri and Yarden’s family for kidnapping long before its invasion. Nir Oz employed Gazans without suspicion, and Hamas used them to spy on kibbutz families and map out who would make fitting hostages and who should be burned inside their homes. Hamas knew that capturing Kfir and Ariel—two sweet redheaded children—would make for devastating and demoralizing propaganda. The terrorists separated Yarden from his family and in November told him on camera that Shiri, Ariel and Kfir had been killed in an Israeli airstrike. But they’ve provided no evidence, and we believe they are still alive. Along with well-wishes I’ve received, there are some who want us to stop fighting to save our family. There are those who call for an unconditional cease-fire in which we forsake their lives, and others who think that if we stop the war through negotiation, Hamas will send my family home. Kfir, Ariel and Shiri were supposed to have been released in the last deal, but Hamas broke its word.” [WSJ]
Power Play: The Washington Post’s David Ignatius examines the power that the Houthis have amid the Iran-backed group’s escalation against the West. “The Houthis are masters of modern guerrilla war, exploiting the weak points of stronger powers. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates fought a war against them starting in 2014. The UAE gave up in 2020, and the Saudis agreed to a peace deal last year, which only seemed to embolden the Houthis. They are tough, patient fighters — supplied with weapons, training and intelligence by Iran — and they sit atop one of the world’s most strategic waterways. Houthi leaders seem to understand that the deeper they draw the United States into conflict, the greater impact they have on the global economy. That’s the lesson of this undeclared war: The United States has overwhelming economic power. But perhaps because it is dependent on global trade and financial flows, it is especially vulnerable to economic attack by such seeming lightweights as the Houthis.” [WashPost]
Around the Web
Nikki, Don’t Lose That Number: Former President Donald Trump is considering tapping Nikki Haley as his running mate, a move that is fueling outspoken opposition among isolationists in his inner circle. Trump is also looking closely at Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) as a possible running mate.
Like a Dimon: JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon praised Trump’s policy record as former president and warned Democrats to be “more respectful” of Trump’s supporters in a CNBC interview Wednesday from Davos.
Let’s Make a Deal: President Joe Biden is now willing to embrace tougher immigration measures — including limiting migrants’ ability to claim asylum at the southern border — in exchange for legislation that would secure funding for Ukraine and Israel.
New Houthi Hit: The U.S. launched its fourth round of strikes in the last week against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, targeting sites that were preparing to launch attacks.
Pakistan Strikes: Pakistan carried out a series of strikes on targets in Iran, following an attack by Tehran in Pakistan’s southwest Balochistan province that killed two children.
DoJ Ask: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) led a letter with 15 Republican colleagues urging the Department of Justice to investigate “pro-Hamas extremists” who vandalized a military cemetery in Los Angeles on Jan. 8 with graffiti including “INTIFADA” and “FREE GAZA.”
A Breed Apart: The Believe in SF super PAC backing San Francisco mayoral candidate Daniel Lurie raised $3.3 million to back Lurie’s challenge to Mayor London Breed.
Sandberg Move: Sheryl Sandberg, who served as Meta’s chief operating officer until August 2022, is departing the company’s board of directors, and will move to an informal advisory role within Meta.
Media Matters: CNN executive Virginia Moseley was named the media company’s first executive editor as the company moves forward with plans to create a multimedia newsroom.
Caucusing in Annapolis: Jewish legislators in Maryland announced the formation of a Jewish caucus in the General Assembly.
DEI Hit: Florida’s board of education announced a ban on the state’s public colleges using state and federal funding for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.
Campus Beat: The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights opened an investigation into the University of Minnesota following a complaint over antisemitism on the school’s Twin Cities campus.
Beefing Up: The Israeli Health Ministry has granted approval to local startup Aleph Farms Ltd to sell cultivated meat to the public, a global first.
Polish Penalty: The far-right Polish politician filmed extinguishing Hanukkah candles last month was stripped of his immunity by the country’s parliament as he faces more than half a dozen charges that include assault and defamation.
Ice Time: The International Ice Hockey Federation reversed its earlier decision to bar Israel from participating in upcoming events; the organization had previously cited safety concerns as the reason for excluding the Israeli team.
Terror List: The E.U. added Oct. 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar to its international terrorist list for his role in the terror attacks.
Northern Exposure: Hezbollah rejected suggestions from Washington about how to cool tensions along Lebanon’s border with Israel, following a series of cross-border attacks between IDF troops and the terror group, but said it was open to further engagement with Washington.
Cricket Controversy: The South African branch of sportswear maker Diadora said it will not sponsor events that include a Jewish cricket player who had expressed support for Israel, days after David Teeger was removed as the Under-19 team’s captain.
No Genocide: French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné rejected accusations that Israel is engaged in genocide, amid the International Court of Justice’s hearing of a complaint filed by South Africa over the issue.
Medicine Shipment: A shipment of medicine for the remaining hostages in Gaza — negotiated by France and Qatar — reached the enclave on Wednesday.
Pic of the Day
Israeli President Isaac Herzog began his address this morning to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, by displaying a picture of Kfir Bibas, whose first birthday is today, and who was taken hostage to Gaza along with his parents and 4-year-old brother on Oct. 7. “His whereabouts are unknown. We know he was kidnapped by Hamas. We know that these barbaric terrorists have taken him and his mother and his brother, and his father [is] held in a different place. We know that they are going through hell, and we don’t know their whereabouts,” Herzog said. “The enemy is basically advocating jihadism, celebrating and glorifying terror, celebrating and glorifying the abduction of Kfir Bibas. And from here, this incredible world stage, I call upon the entire universe to work endlessly to free Kfir, and all the hostages that are there about 136 by now.”
Birthdays
All-Star pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, Max Fried turns 30…
Israeli businessman and former member of Knesset, Shlomo Eliahu turns 88… Retired executive director of the Israel on Campus Coalition of Greater Washington, Judy Novenstein… Publisher of a weekly community newspaper in Boston, David Jacobs… Executive editor at The 74 Media, JoAnne Wasserman… Microbiologist and professor of biology at Wichita State University, Mark A. Schneegurt, Ph.D. turns 62… Commissioner of the Social Security Administration starting one month ago, previously governor of Maryland and mayor of Baltimore, Martin O’Malley turns 61… Executive chairman of Aspen Square Management, Jeremy Pava… Executive director of Our Yisroel, Rabbi Yitz Greenman… Journalist and author of two New York Times bestsellers on personal finance, Beth Kobliner turns 59… Stand-up comedian, actor and writer, Dave Attell turns 59… Senior rabbi of Golders Green United Synagogue in London for 20 years until last month, Rabbi Dr. Harvey Belovski turns 56… Dean of the Jerusalem College of Technology (Machon Lev), Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon turns 56… NYC real estate entrepreneur, Andrew Heiberger turns 56… VP of government and airport affairs at JetBlue, Jeffrey Goodell… Former MLB All-Star and Gold Glove catcher, now a real estate investor, Mike Lieberthal turns 52… VP for communications and government affairs at Princeton University, Gadi Dechter… Samara Yudof Jones… Actor and screenwriter, Jason Jordan Segel turns 44… Basketball player, dubbed by Sports Illustrated as the “Jewish Jordan” in a 1999 feature, Tamir Goodman turns 42… Israeli-born, best known for his web series “Jake and Amir,” Amir Shmuel Blumenfeld turns 41… Chief development officer at Cleveland-based The Centers, Stacey Rubenfeld… British actor, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd turns 36… Talia Alter Gevaryahu… Cellist and music professor, Julian Schwarz turns 33… Singer, songwriter, actress and dancer with more than with 9.2 million followers on TikTok, Montana Tucker turns 31… Linda Rubin…
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