Daily Kickoff
Good Wednesday morning.
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we preview Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress, talk to American Jewish leaders about their expectations of the speech and report on the planned protests against the Israeli leader and the lawmakers who are boycotting his appearance. We also cover the last-minute decision to cancel Candace Owens’ participation in a Trump campaign event. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Mark Kelly, Andy Beshear and Andy Cohen.
What We’re Watching
- President Joe Biden will be delivering a nationally televised address at 8 p.m. ET explaining his decision to drop out of the presidential race.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will give his fourth address to a joint session of Congress at 2 p.m. ET today. More below on what we’re watching today.
- Before his address to Congress, Netanyahu is set to speak at a memorial service at 10 a.m. ET for Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) at Washington Hebrew Congregation. Other expected speakers at the service include: Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Al Gore and Hadassah Lieberman.
- Israeli President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog are traveling to France ahead of the Olympics Opening Ceremonies on Friday. After landing in Paris, Herzog will visit the Olympic Village, where he will affix a mezuzah on the doorpost of the Israel delegation’s building.
- Later, he’ll take part, alongside the Israeli delegation, in a ceremony marking 52 years since the Munich Massacre at the 1972 Olympic Games. Tomorrow at 9 p.m. local time (3 p.m. ET), Herzog will attend a soccer match between Israel’s national team and Mali.
What You Should Know
The political upheaval in Washington has overshadowed the significance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip so much that Netanyahu faced a hectic balancing act simply to schedule meetings with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Adding to the intrigue was a last-minute side trip to Florida, set for Friday, to meet with former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, at Mar-a-Lago, Jewish Insider senior political correspondent Lahav Harkov reports from Washington, D.C.
Netanyahu’s trip was disrupted because of America’s political chaos from the start. First, the prime minister’s departure from Israel was postponed by a day because of Biden’s COVID-19 recovery. Biden then announced that he would not be running for reelection.
When the prime minister took off from Israel on Monday, there still was no meeting with Biden or Harris scheduled, and for most of Monday, the White House would not disclose whether they were still going to meet with Netanyahu. Harris, meanwhile, will be unable to attend the prime minister’s speech before a joint session of Congress on Wednesday afternoon, at which she would have normally presided, because of a previously scheduled campaign trip to Indiana during the same time.
While Netanyahu was working to secure face time with the Democratic administration, Netanyahu’s office was also trying to schedule a meeting with Trump. After the 2020 election, Netanyahu had a famous falling out with the former president because he acknowledged Biden’s victory.
The Trump campaign would not confirm a meeting with Netanyahu either, until Trump posted on Truth Social on Tuesday afternoon: “Looking forward to welcoming Bibi Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida tomorrow” — the same day that Netanyahu was scheduled to address Congress. The timing sparked confusion among the Israeli press corps.
Within half an hour, Trump corrected his post to say the date of the meeting would be Thursday, and then updated it again to accurately note the visit would take place Friday. The White House then formally announced that its meetings with Netanyahu would take place on Thursday.
Since Netanyahu cannot get from Palm Beach to Israel in time for Shabbat, he will remain in the U.S. until Saturday night. He is expected to return to Washington on Friday for security reasons. Friday is also the birthday of Netanyahu’s son Yair, who lives in Miami.
With the meetings at the White House delayed, Netanyahu met on Tuesday evening with pro-Israel evangelicals and Jewish community leaders at separate events. He was joined in the meetings by Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N. Gilad Erdan and Israeli Consul General in New York Ofir Akunis.
A source in Netanyahu’s off-the-record meeting with evangelical leaders said there were 15-20 attendees, including Christians United for Israel’s Pastor John Hagee, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, Philos Project Executive Director Luke Moon, televangelist Paula White, Friends of Zion Chairman Mike Evans, as well as Jordanna McMillan, U.S. director of the Israel Allies Caucus Foundation. There was a contingent of three or four Latino evangelical leaders present, including Carlos Ortiz.
Congress address
In Congress speech, Netanyahu to present ‘new way’ to counter Iranian threat
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will describe a new approach to responding to the threat of Iran and its proxies in his address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, Jewish Insider’s Lahav Harkov reports. One of the major themes of his speech will be to broaden the focus to the challenge Iran presents to the rest of the Middle East and to the United States, beyond Israel’s fight against three Iranian proxies: Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
Final touches: With a light schedule due to the political upheaval in Washington, Netanyahu spent much of Tuesday making final touches on his speech with his close confidante and adviser, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, and Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, as well as his Diplomatic Adviser Ophir Falk. Also taking part in the process was the prime minister’s new spokesman, Omer Dostri, who accompanied Netanyahu abroad for the first time this week. Dostri’s previous job was a defense analyst on the pro-Netanyahu Channel 14 and a fellow at right-wing Israeli think tanks; he replaced longtime Netanyahu aide Topaz Luk who recently decamped to a less demanding role as Likud spokesman.
Read the full story here.
Community concerns: American Jewish leaders are voicing divergent views on what they want to hear from Netanyahu in his address to Congress at this delicate moment in U.S.-Israel relations, with some even suggesting that the visit could actually set back those relations, eJewishPhilanthropy’s Haley Cohen reports for Jewish Insider.
Bibi boycott
Capitol Hill braces for significant anti-Netanyahu protest, lawmaker boycott
Capitol Hill is girding for disruptions and unrest today, ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress. And at least 35 lawmakers have confirmed they’re planning to boycott the speech — although the final number is likely to be higher, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.
State of play: Capitol Police are restricting access to the congressional campus today, in anticipation of an influx of protesters, while House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) sent a warning to lawmakers against disruptions to Netanyahu’s speech. More than 30 lawmakers are expected to boycott the speech, with others’ plans still unknown. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who is skipping the speech, said she won’t be protesting due to “the threat environment” around the Hill, planning to be “pretty hunkered down.” Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), who publicly floated the idea of protesting inside the chamber, was coy about his plans. “I’m probably having a Snickers bar,” he said, when asked about his approach to the speech.
Read the full story here.
Pressure push: The families of hostages being held in Gaza urged lawmakers across the political spectrum to place pressure on Netanyahu while he’s in the United States to agree to a hostage deal. They also called on Democrats to press President Joe Biden to aggressively pursue a hostage deal before leaving office, framing it as a potential legacy-maker,Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod and Emily Jacobs report.
hate watch
Candace Owens no longer attending Trump event following backlash
Candace Owens, a far-right pundit who has frequently broadcast antisemitic commentary, is no longer attending an event sponsored by the Trump campaign later this week, a source familiar with the event confirmed to Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel on Tuesday — after her scheduled participation faced backlash from conservative critics and Jewish allies of the former president.
Name scrubbed: Owens, 34, had been scheduled to appear with Donald Trump Jr. on Friday in Nashville, Tenn., for an event that will coincide with the annual Bitcoin Conference, according to an online promotional flier that listed her as a guest of the event until Tuesday afternoon, when her name was suddenly removed. The inclusion of Owens had become a headache for former President Donald Trump on Tuesday, as his campaign privately faced pressure to remove her from the event.
kelly candidacy
Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly emerges as top veepstakes contender
With reports suggesting Vice President Kamala Harris is closely looking at Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) to be her running mate, Kelly’s boosters and Arizona politicos keep leaning on the same argument: He’s an astronaut. Kelly, a former Navy fighter pilot who flew combat missions during the Gulf War, spent 15 years as an astronaut at NASA before retiring in 2011. But while his backers might agree that it’s hard to go against an astronaut, their reasons for championing Kelly as a Democratic running mate go deeper, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports.
Brief background: Arizona is a key swing state, and President Joe Biden’s victory there in 2020 helped propel him to the White House. Kelly has been a reliable ally of Israel in the Senate, though he has lately been a critic of some of Israel’s military operations. “Even though he himself is not Jewish, it is really comforting for me knowing that someone who believes in Israel’s right to exist and defend herself is someone who is being considered,” said Alma Hernandez, a Jewish state representative from Tucson, who goes to the same synagogue as Kelly and his Jewish wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ). “I just feel like he is someone who’s very moderate, very just grounded in his beliefs and truthfully, I feel like he’s someone that could unite the country.”
Read the full story here.
Bonus: Also reportedly on Harris’ shortlist is Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was profiled in JI last week. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is also a contender; JI’s Gabby Deutch talked to Kentucky Jewish leaders on Tuesday about their relationship with the popular Democratic governor, who has worked closely with the state’s Jewish community to address antisemitism.
Labor’s love lost
Major labor unions call on Biden to halt military aid to Israel
Several major labor unions on Tuesday called on President Joe Biden to halt all military aid to Israel, in a joint letter sent to the president the day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Wednesday. “We believe that immediately cutting U.S. military aid to the Israeli government is necessary to bring about a peaceful resolution to this conflict,” reads the letter, which was signed by seven unions representing millions of American workers, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports.
Signatories include: The Service Employees International Union, National Education Association, United Auto Workers, Association of Flight Attendants, the American Postal Workers Union, the International Union of Painters and the United Electrical Workers. The unions declared that “the Israeli government will continue to pursue its vicious response to the horrific attacks of Oct. 7th until it is forced to stop,” and argued that Israel “refus[es] to minimize civilian harm.” The UAW is leading a “labor contingent” at today’s anti-Israel rally on Capitol Hill.
Read the full story here.
influence peddling
A deep dive into the world of Jewish influencers
Social media influencers have long been seen as apolitical players associated with fashion, food or fitness, but this has changed amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Hundreds of influencers have amassed internet fame for either promoting Israel or speaking out against the Jewish state, but the value of paying to enlist these public figures — many of whom charge in the mid to upper five figures for appearances — in campaigns and events has come under heightened scrutiny in recent months, eJewishphilanthropy’s Haley Cohen reports.
Influencer expectations: Take, for instance, the case of Andy Cohen, the host and executive producer of “The Real Housewives” franchise. Cohen delivered the keynote address at “Voices for Truth: Influencers United Against Antisemitism,” a two-day summit sponsored by the Combat Antisemitism Movement and Consulate General of Israel in New York that drew more than 200 pro-Israel influencers to its swanky midtown Manhattan venue on June 30 and July 1. While Cohen drew praise from some attendees for his participation, the fact that he did not post about the event on social media or share footage of the eight-minute speech in which he professed he is a “proud American Jew” raised eyebrows — both because of ambiguity from event organizers around who paid Cohen, as well as the value of influencer culture and whether the money was well spent.
Read the full story here and sign up for eJewishPhilanthropy’s Your Daily Phil newsletter here.
Worthy Reads
Bibi’s Blunders: The Atlantic’s Franklin Foer considers Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s missteps on his path to his record fourth address to a joint session of Congress. “Biden comes from a different generation, one that considered Israel to be a great liberal cause. In the marrow of his bones, he believes that the Jewish state is essential to the preservation of the Jewish people. Aside from evangelical Christians, most American politicians no longer have such a profound commitment to Zionism. And during the current war, with the images of terrible suffering in Gaza, American attitudes toward Israel have shifted quickly, especially on the left. Supporting Israel is hardly the obvious political choice it once was. If American politicians become reluctant to throw their being into the defense of Israel, it is because they will have studied this object lesson. They will be intimately familiar with Netanyahu’s shabby treatment of Biden — and Netanyahu will bear responsibility for the consequences.” [TheAtlantic]
Harris, the Moderate: For National Review, Noah Rothman makes the case that anti-Israel activists who anticipate that Vice President Kamala Harris will better serve their cause “succumb to a failure of imagination when they decline to rule out the possibility that their psychological torment has only just begun. An NBC News report published late last night promulgated the notion favored by the Biden White House that, even if Harris’s instincts incline her toward a more confrontational posture vis-à-vis Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the vice president will continue to support Israel. Indeed, the views of her foremost adviser on national-security matters, Philip Gordon, ‘are believed to be broadly in sync with those of moderate, left-of-center foreign policy experts.’” [NationalReview]
Thirty-year Wait for Justice: In Jewish News Syndicate, William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, reflects on a recent mission that he led, representing the American Jewish community at the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the bombing of AMIA, the Jewish center in Buenos Aires. “Unfortunately, justice continues to evade the victims and their families. We cannot forget the fact that 17 years after prosecutor Alberto Nisman concluded that Iran and its proxy Hezbollah were responsible for the attack, the murderers have not been held accountable. Though Interpol issued ‘red notices’ for the arrest of the terrorists responsible, no arrests have ever been made. Meanwhile, the investigation of Nisman’s own murder nearly a decade ago remains mired in government complacency and conspiracy. Nor do the terror attacks in Argentina 30 years ago and in Israel nine months ago exist in a vacuum. The ayatollah’s regime and its tentacles of terror threaten Israel and the Jewish people everywhere.” [JNS]
Word on the Street
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential bid; the two were among the last Democratic leaders to back Harris…
The Wall Street Journal reports that Harris is unlikely to retain President Biden’s key foreign policy appointees, including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin…
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters yesterday that Harris has been “very much engaged in many of the foreign policy challenges we’ve had over the last four years” and has “the confidence of our allies in conversations I’ve had with them.” Asked if she’ll continue Biden’s policies on Israel, he said, “As far as the fundamental strength between our two nations, absolutely. We’ll see what the circumstances are on the ground and how we can adjust so America’s impact can lead toward a more secure and peaceful Middle East.” …
Former President Donald Trump shared a letter on social media that Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas had sent him expressing concern about the assassination attempt against him; Trump responded with a handwritten note of thanks and wrote on social media that he is looking forward both to meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and to peace in the Middle East…
Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) are jointly inviting Ruby and Hagit Chen, the parents of fallen IDF soldier and hostage Itay Chen, to attend Netanyahu’s address to Congress, Jewish insider’s Marc Rod reports. Blumenthal said he’s “in awe of Ruby and Hagit Chen’s strength and courage,” adding that he wants to hear Netanyahu offer an “unwavering commitment” to freeing all the hostages. Ernst said that the Chens’ “story is a reminder that every second truly does count for the hostages and their families.” Both said they’d do everything in their power to bring the hostages home…
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) told Punchbowl News that he plans to visit Israel after the 2024 election…
Washington Post columnist David Ignatius talks to Arab, Israeli and U.S. officials about an “Abraham Redux” initiative led by the United Arab Emirates for postwar Gaza following an Axios report on a secret meeting held in Abu Dhabi last week…
The Associated Press explores the implications of Tuesday’s announcement that Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah had agreed to form a unity government…
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) wrote a letter to Biden administration officials alleging that the majority of drone parts used in Houthi and Iranian attacks against Israel have been “built almost entirely from components produced by U.S. companies.”…
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) informed aides that he will resign from the Senate on Aug. 20; the New Jersey Democrat was convicted last week on 16 federal charges related to a bribery scheme that involved Menendez’s position as a leader on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee…
Harvard gave diplomas to 11 of the 13 students whose degrees it had withheld over their participation in the anti-Israel encampment at the school this spring…
The Anti-Defamation League filed a complaint with the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights accusing the Philadelphia school district of not protecting Jewish students from what it describes as “a virulent wave of antisemitism”…
A new survey of Jewish Israelis commissioned by the Council for a Secure America and conducted by Panels LTD found overwhelming support — 75% — for normalization with Saudi Arabia. The poll also covered support for a two-state solution (65% oppose), the potential for escalation in activity and ground invasion of Lebanon (57% support) and U.S.-Israel relations (93% say that the relationship is somewhat or very important)…
GothamistspotlightsBukharian Jewish restaurant Cheburechnaya, in the Rego Park neighborhood of Queens…
Legislation labeling the U.N. Relief and Works Agency a terrorist organization passed a first reading in the Knesset…
X owner Elon Musk announced that his Starlink satellite internet service is now active in a hospital in the Gaza Strip with the support of Israel and the United Arab Emirates…
The International Criminal Court accepted dozens of briefs relating to the decision by the court’s chief prosecutor to seek arrest warrants for top Israeli officials, likely delaying any court rulings on the issue by several months…
Eighteen passengers on a flight from Kathmandu, Nepal, were killed in a plane crash that only the pilot survived…
Rabbi Shmuel Butman, a key figure in the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, died at 81; New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said that Butman’s work “brought Hanukkah and its message of light to millions of New Yorkers each year”…
Pic of the Day
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, met last night in Washington with U.S. evangelical community leaders. The prime minister expressed his appreciation to the community leaders for their strong and constant support of Israel.
Birthdays
Former U.S. ambassador to Romania, now senior counsel at Covington and Burling and a leading philanthropist, Alfred H. Moses turns 95…
Founder and chairman at Chicago-based housing developer The Habitat Company, Daniel Levin turns 94… Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter who worked for ABC News and CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Lowell Bergman turns 79… Israeli physician, author and playwright, he is the younger brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Iddo Netanyahu turns 72… Political consultant known for his role in both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns, Joel Benenson turns 72… Los Angeles-based business and real estate attorney, Michael Jeffrey Bordy… Radio anchor and reporter on both CBS nationally and NYC’s WCBS, Michael Sugerman… Member of Congress (D-FL) until 2022, he previously served as the governor of Florida, Charlie Crist turns 68… Real estate investor in Russia and chairman of the Board of Patrons of The Conference of European Rabbis, Boris Mints turns 66… Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Judge Patty Shwartz turns 63… Director of donor development for AIPAC, he is a retired NFL player who played for the Packers and the Cowboys where he won in Super Bowl XXVII, Alan (Shlomo) Veingrad turns 61… Founder of the Migdal Oz seminary for women in Gush Etzion, she is a granddaughter of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Esti Rosenberg turns 59… Partner in the Kentucky-based law firm of Frost Brown Todd and author of The Liberal Case for Israel, he was the first-ever Jewish statewide elected official in Kentucky, Jonathan Miller turns 57… Author, he writes the My Ride column for The Wall Street Journal on exotic cars, A.J. Baime turns 53… Mayor of Asheville, N.C., Esther E. Manheimer turns 53… Actress, writer, podcaster and comedian, Jamie Denbo turns 51… President of Access Computer Technology in West Bloomfield, Mich., he is a rabbi, entrepreneur and social media expert, Jason Miller turns 48… President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Noah Zvi Farkas… EVP and CFO of Morgan Stanley, Sharon Yeshaya turns 45… Actress, screenwriter and director, she is married to Seth Rogen, Lauren Miller Rogen turns 42… Past member of the board of directors of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, Aviva M. Futerman… Co-founder and partner at Orfin Ventures, Adam Finkel… Media director at Access Brand Communications, Sarah Citrenbaum… Actress, best known for her role as Nomi Segal on the Freeform comedy drama “Grown-ish,” Emily Taryn Arlook turns 34… CEO and founder of Learned Hand, building AI tools for judges, Shlomo Klapper…
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