Daily Kickoff
Good Thursday morning.
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we cover speeches by the parents of an Israeli-American hostage in Gaza and a recent Harvard graduate at the Republican National Convention. We also look at potential successors to Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif, report on the new global guidelines unveiled by the State Department and dozens of countries yesterday in Argentina and spotlight efforts by Jewish leaders in St. Louis to galvanize support for Wesley Bell in his primary challenge to Rep. Cori Bush. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Rep. David Kustoff, Roger Carstens and Alex Edelman.
What We’re Watching
- At the Republican National Convention, the Republican Jewish Coalition is hosting its Salute to Pro-Israel Elected Officials this afternoon. Tonight, former President Donald Trump is slated to take the stage to give his address as the party’s nominee.
- At the Aspen Security Forum this morning, Penny Pritzker, the U.S. special representative for Ukraine’s economic recovery, will sit for a fireside chat on her work. In the afternoon, the Washington Post’s David Ignatius will moderate a series of one-on-one interviews with former Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad; Amos Yadlin, former head of Israel’s military intelligence; and Bahraini National Security Advisor Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa. And later on today, The New York Times’ David Sanger will hold separate conversations with former Defense Secretary Robert Gates and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
- In Washington, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff is participating in an interfaith roundtable discussion with national faith-based groups. U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain will also join the meeting.
- Jewish leaders, members of Congress and South American officials will mark the 30th anniversary of the AMIA Jewish Community Center bombing in Argentina. Read our preview here.
- And in Cairo, an Israeli delegation is in the Egyptian capital today for talks aimed at securing a hostage deal.
What You Should Know
Shabbos Kestenbaum, a recent Harvard graduate who once identified as a progressive Democrat, walked on to the stage of the GOP convention on Wednesday in Milwaukee and introduced himself as a “proud Orthodox Jew” and “proud plaintiff suing” his alma mater for its “failure to combat antisemitism,” Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel reports from the RNC.
The 25-year-old’s comments, which drew rousing applause, kicked off a series of RNC speeches last night focusing on antisemitism and Israel before Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) made his debut as former President Donald Trump’s running mate. “The far left,” Kestenbaum told the crowd, “has not only abandoned the Jewish people, but the American people.”
“Tonight we fight back,” he said, arguing that “American values are Jewish values,” voicing his support for Trump’s policies on antisemitism and issuing what appeared to be an endorsement of the former president — despite prior reservations about aligning himself with the Republican Party. Read Matthew Kassel’s interview with Kestenbaum here.
The parents of Omer Neutra, an Israeli American being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, sought to raise awareness about the plight of their son — as chants of “bring them home!” resonated repeatedly throughout the main convention hall in a show of solidarity with the family. “Where is the outrage?” asked Ronen Neutra, Omer’s father. “This was not merely an attack on Israel — this was and remains an attack on Americans.”
In an evening geared toward foreign policy, former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) gave a speech praising Trump’s Middle East policy achievements, such as relocating the American Embassy to Jerusalem and brokering the Abraham Accords. Earlier, Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL) — a former Green Beret who is eyeing the secretary of defense role if Trump is reelected — excoriated the Biden administration’s handling of foreign affairs while pledging to “once again have peace through America’s strength.”
The most highly anticipated speech of the night came when Vance, newly minted as Trump’s vice presidential pick, appeared on stage to claim his position as the former president’s MAGA heir. In remarks leaning heavily on his hardscrabble Rust Belt upbringing while espousing an America First policy agenda, the Hillbilly Elegy author made no references to Israel and steered clear of mentioning his staunch opposition to aiding Ukraine in its war with Russia — which has drawn criticism from GOP hawks.
“We have a big tent in this party – on everything from national security to economic policy,” Vance declared. “But my message to Republicans is: We love this country, and we are united to win. And our disagreements actually make us stronger.”
The Ohio senator accused President Joe Biden of sending manufacturing jobs to Mexico, giving China “a sweetheart trade deal” and backing “the disastrous invasion of Iraq,” among other things. “And at each step of the way, in small towns like mine in Ohio, or next door in Pennsylvania, or in Michigan and other states across our country, jobs were sent overseas and children were sent to war,” Vance said.
In perhaps the clearest distillation of his America First national security outlook, Vance, a Marine veteran, echoed Trump in voicing strong resistance to foreign aid, even as he has sought to clarify that he remains supportive of funding for Israel.
“Together, we will make our allies share in the burden of securing world peace: no more free rides for nations that betray the generosity of the American taxpayer,” he said. “Together, we will send our kids to war only when we must. But as President Trump showed with the elimination of ISIS, when we punch, we will punch hard.”
next steps
If Deif is dead, what comes next for Hamas?
While it is still unclear whether an Israeli airstrike on Saturday succeeded in killing Mohammed Deif, the long-pursued head commander of Hamas’ military wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, one thing is certain: If Deif is actually dead, someone else will soon take his place, Jewish Insider’s Ruth Marks Eglash reports.
‘Like a lizard’: “I always describe the DNA of Hamas as being like a lizard, when you cut off its tail, it just grows another one,” Michael Milshtein, an expert in Palestinian affairs, told JI in an interview on Tuesday. Milshtein said that Israelis have a “short collective memory,” when it comes to the assassinations of Hamas’ leaders. “We killed the founder of Hamas, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in 2004, and then we killed the biggest general Hamas has ever had, Ahmed Jabari, in 2012, and it caused very severe damage to Hamas, but they managed to recover because that is their basic DNA,” he said.
clear as a bell
Inside Wesley Bell’s Jewish turnout operation
In the race for Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, where St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell is challenging Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) in the Aug. 6 Democratic primary, the margin of victory is expected to be small. And the Jewish community’s support could prove critical to a potential Bell victory, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
Rallying support: Not only is Bell the beneficiary of close to $5 million in outside support to date from AIPAC’s United Democracy Project super PAC, but there’s also grassroots Jewish community momentum in his favor — motivated by Bush’s positions on Israel and antisemitism. Bell’s campaign is aiming to capitalize on that energy with an aggressive Jewish voter operation. Stacey Newman, a former state representative who has been backing Bell in a personal capacity since the beginning of his campaign, formally joined his campaign in June as his coalitions director running Jewish outreach. JI spoke to Newman and others involved with the campaign about their turnout efforts.
Bonus: Outside spending in the race is further ramping up, with Democratic Majority for Israel’s PAC, which has spent close to $500,000 so far, announcing a new pro-Bell television advertisement yesterday and the Justice Democrats PAC launching new pro-Bush and anti-Bell ads. The far-left group has now spent more than $1 million in the race.
global warning
U.S., 30 other nations unveil new ‘global guidelines’ to fight antisemitism
As diplomats, members of Congress and Jewish leaders gather in Buenos Aires this week to commemorate 30 years since a terror attack at an Argentinean Jewish center killed 85 people, the U.S. State Department unveiled a major new document on Wednesday that is meant to inform how governments around the world can effectively respond to antisemitism, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports. The “Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism” were signed by 31 nations and several international bodies.
IHRA endorsement: The Global Guidelines do not have the force of law, but they offer a clear statement of where the U.S. government and its partners stand in their fight against antisemitism. The guidelines indicate strong U.S. support for the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)’s working definition of antisemitism, despite a global campaign against it from some left-wing activists in recent months who take issue with its assertion that some forms of anti-Zionism are antisemitic.
key issue
Kustoff: Biden’s handling of antisemitism could lure Jews to back Trump
Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN), one of two Jewish Republicans in the House, suggested in an interview on Wednesday with Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel that former President Donald Trump will draw meaningful support in the November election from Jewish voters who say they are disenchanted with the Biden administration’s handling of antisemitism provoked by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Deciding factor: The Hamas attacks of Oct. 7 were “a big reset” for Jewish Americans and their “perceptions of the political parties, especially among the Democrats,” Kustoff told JI on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention, which concludes on Thursday night. “For a number of American Jews who traditionally vote Democrat, I think that they look and see that there’s not enough pushback on antisemitism,” he said of President Joe Biden, predicting that such feelings will “translate to more support for Trump.”
carstens case
U.S. hostage envoy defends deal with Iran
Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, pushed back on Wednesday on those who have argued that the U.S.’ $6 billion hostage deal with Iran last year has incentivized further hostage taking, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports from the Aspen Security Forum.
Making the case: “The numbers don’t back that up,” Carstens said on Wednesday at the conference. Carstens said that “common sense dictates” that the U.S. making deals would prompt malign actors to take more American hostages — “but strangely it’s absolutely the other way around.” He said that the number of cases before his office has gone down by around half from its highest level. Carstens, who was first appointed by former President Donald Trump and was kept in his position by President Joe Biden, also emphasized that deals like the one that freed the U.S. hostages from Iran are the only lifeline to freedom for them and their families.
tehran talk
Esper: Administration needs to be more aggressive in responding to Iran assassination threats
Mark Esper, a former secretary of defense during the Trump administration, said on Wednesday that the administration needs to be more proactive in responding to assassination attempts by the Iranian regime targeting former President Donald Trump, other members of his administration and Iranian dissidents, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports from the Aspen Security Forum.
Hit back hard: “We’ve got to do better than just playing defense,” Esper said. “Just sitting back playing defense and waiting for them to get lucky or not get lucky, to me, is not a winning strategy, not least because of our own personal livelihoods, and what that may mean to our welfare.” He argued that any attempt on the former president should be considered an act of war, and that even the act of planning it could be considered an act of war. He said the U.S. should be responding to those planning the attacks through legal or military means.
Bonus: Ret. Gen. Jack Keane, a member of the Commission on the National Defense Strategy, warned in an Aspen panel that the multiple ongoing global conflicts — splitting the U.S.’ attention — “incentivizes Iran to expand and operationalize their proxies… in a more serious way to finally take Israel out.” And he said that the U.S. has “failed to keep up” with the pace of threats facing the country, a sentiment echoed by fellow panelists.
Worthy Reads
Hawk Talk: Politico’s Jonathan Martin reports on how Republican security hawks are reacting to the selection of Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), an isolationist who has come out against continued aid for Ukraine, as former President Donald Trump’s running mate. “When I wondered how ferocious the internal debates would be between Vance, [Sen. Tom] Cotton and [former Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo, [Sen. John] Thune, who’s running for Senate Republican Leader, acknowledged they’d be ‘very robust,’ adding that Trump would surely delight in presiding over the Situation Room scrum. ‘He thrives on that,’ he said of the former president. The hawks are eager to install Pompeo at the Defense Department, see Cotton at the CIA or inside the White House and are supportive of Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) or Robert O’Brien, Trump’s first-term national security adviser, as Secretary of State. The fiercest clash may be over Ric Grenell, the troll-happy ambassador to Germany in Trump’s first term who is widely thought to covet the State Department or National Security Adviser.” [Politico]
Advice for Biden: In The New York Times, GOP strategist Mike Murphy, who advised Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), makes the argument for President Joe Biden to end his reelection campaign. “If Mr. Biden stepped aside in a pivotal moment of gracious self-sacrifice, he would secure his place as a true hero to Democrats and Trump opponents of all political persuasions. Mr. Biden should seize his moment in history, release his grip on the nomination and let democracy take over the Democratic Party. Release party grass-roots leaders and allow delegates to choose a new, winning candidate. A candidate of the future. The Democratic Party is full of younger potential presidential candidates who terrify the Trump campaign. Likely general election winners who would instantly flip the fear equation, unload the age issue on the 78-year-old G.O.P. nominee and send the Republicans into a panic of their own. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Gavin Newsom of California come to mind.” [NYTimes]
Word on the Street
President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19, throwing into question whether he’ll be able to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next week when the Israeli leader travels to Washington to deliver an address to a joint session of Congress…
The New York Times looks at how high-dollar Democratic donors are trying — unsuccessfully — to push Biden to reconsider his reelection bid…
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) told Biden in separate meetings last week that his refusal to end his reelection bid is dooming the Democrats’ chances of keeping control of the Senate and retaking control of the House in November…
The U.S. renewed a sanctions waiver that will allow Iraq to continuing purchasing electricity from Iran without penalty for an additional four months; Washington has been renewing the waivers since 2018…
Israel, the U.S. and the Palestinian Authority met secretly last week for talks discussing the potential reopening of the Rafah border crossing as part of a broader cease-fire and hostage-release deal…
The U.S. will wind down its operations at a temporary pier built off the coast of Gaza and dismantle the structure, which has been plagued by structural and weather issues since it was built…
Axios reported that the U.S. communicated to Iran, both directly and through third-party channels, concerns about Tehran’s research and development work potentially tied to its nuclear program…
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) is privately telling allies that he is deciding whether to resign from the Senate following convictions on 16 charges, including wire fraud and bribery, tied to his position as the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee…
Reps. Brian Mast (R-FL) and John Rutherford (R-FL) introduced a bill to honor Dr. Joseph Kirsner, a Jewish World War II veteran and accomplished gastroenterologist, with a congressional Gold Medal…
Willow Bay and Bob Iger reached an agreement to purchase Angel City Football Club in a deal giving the soccer club a $250 million valuation…
Alex Edelman received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special for the HBO Original Comedy Special “Just For Us,” a filmed version of his one-man show about attending a white supremacist meeting…
An Indiana man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for making threats to Ft. Wayne’s Jewish community…
An Israeli man and two accomplices he recruited were arrested on suspicion of carrying out assignments, including stashing money in various locations and posting anti-Israel signs, on behalf of Iran…
The Knesset voted 68-9 in favor of rejecting Palestinian statehood; among those who voted for the motion was Benny Gantz, the former war cabinet member who leads the centrist National Unity party…
Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Temple Mount compound this morning, saying the visit was to pray for the return of the hostages…
Hamas claimed that Israel killed one of its commanders in a strike in southern Lebanon…
Pic of the Day
Ronen and Orna Neutra, the parents of American hostage Omer Neutra, spoke on the main stage Wednesday night at the Republican National Convention.
Orna Neutra said that her son was born in New York a month after the Sept. 11 terror attacks. “Eight months pregnant, I walked across the Queensboro Bridge towards home that day … and here we are 22 years later, and he is the victim of another vile terrorist attack,” she recalled.
Birthdays
Foil fencer who competed for the U.S. at the 2020 Olympics, now preparing for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games, Jacqueline Dubrovich turns 30…
Israeli nuclear physicist and professor emeritus at Tel Aviv University, Jonas Alster turns 91… Theoretical chemist, 1981 Nobel laureate in chemistry, he has also published plays and poetry, born Roald Safran, Roald Hoffmann turns 87… Founding partner of NYC-based law firm Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, he was one of 20 people on Nixon’s Enemies List, Sidney Davidoff turns 85… President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of the Conejo Valley and Ventura County, Jan Meisels Allen… Former three-term mayor of Edmonton, Alberta, Stephen Mandel turns 79… Former prime minister of Peru, Yehude Simon Munaro turns 77… Executive director of the MLB Players Association for 26 years and then the same post at the NHL Players Association for 12 additional years, Donald Fehr turns 76… Beverly Hills resident, Felisa Bluwal Pivko… Finance, real estate and nursing home executive, Leonard Grunstein turns 72… COO of the World Jewish Restitution Organization, Mark Weitzman… Former Israeli Police spokesman, he is now a senior national radio broadcaster in Israel and an international talk-show host, Elihu Ben-Onn turns 70… Seattle-area consultant, Elihu Rubin… Former deputy finance chairman of the RNC, Elliott B. Broidy turns 67… Former minister for congressional affairs at the Embassy of Israel to the U.S., he was previously the Israeli ambassador to Belarus, Martin Peled-Flax turns 66… Partner at Clifford Chance, Philip Wagman… CEO and co-founder at Let’s Bench, a publisher of customized keepsake prayer books and benchers, Yitz Woolf… Associate professor of cybersecurity law at the U.S. Naval Academy and formerly an attorney at Covington & Burling, Jeffrey Michael Kosseff turns 46… Deputy director of the White House National Economic Council until 2022, now a professor at NYU law school, David Kamin… Co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Alexander Ryvchin turns 41… Reporter for NBC Nightly News and Today, Gadi Schwartz turns 41… Editor of Kveller and Hey Alma, Molly Tolsky… Managing creative strategist at MissionWired, Lauren Friedlander… CEO of Moving Traditions, Shuli Karkowsky… Senior spokesperson at the U.S. Treasury until 2023, now the policy communications lead at Coinbase, Julia Krieger… Senior manager of content strategy at Gauntlet, Philip Rosenstein… Director of Hillel at Queen’s University of Canada, Yosef Tarshish… Izi Doenyas… Ted Rosenberg…
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