President Biden on Friday expressed support for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's critical speech against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and calls for early elections in Israel.
Why it matters: Biden's backing of Schumer's remarks is another sign of the growing divide between the president and Netanyahu over the war in Gaza, and will likely give backwind to other Democrats to publicly criticize the Israeli government more forcefully.
Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant signed on Thursday a letter to the Biden administration assuring Israel will use U.S. weapons according to international law and allow U.S.-supported humanitarian aid into Gaza, two Israeli and U.S. officials told Axios.
Why it matters: The letter of assurances is a requirement under a national security memorandum issued last month by President Biden. The new policy doesn't single out Israel, but it came after some Democratic senators expressed concern over the Israeli military campaign in Gaza.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) speech calling for a new government in Israel landed like an earthquake Thursday, delivering a huge shock to the already tense U.S.-Israel relationship.
Why it matters: In addition to being the most senior Jewish elected official in the country, Schumer has had one of the longest and closest relationships with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of any U.S. politician.
Hamas gave Israel on Thursday through Qatari and Egyptian mediators its response regarding the hostage deal proposal, according to a statement by the group and two Israeli officials.
Why it matters: Israeli officials say Hamas' response to the U.S., Qatari and Egyptian proposal, which they have for weeks been waiting for, is a sign of progress and could allow moving to more serious negotiations on a detailed deal.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas appointed on Thursday the chairman of the Palestinian Investment Fund, Mohammed Mustafa, as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority and tasked him with forming a new government.
Why it matters: Mustafa's appointment and the formation of what is promised to be a technocratic government is the first political step in the effort to reform and revitalize the Palestinian Authority post-Oct. 7.
A coalitionof Latino leaders including civil rights icon Dolores Huerta and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro are demanding answers from the Los Angeles Times about recent layoffs of Latino journalists.
Why it matters: Like many media outlets in recent months, the LA Times was forced to cut about 20% of newsroom jobs amid heavy financial losses and slowing advertising. It has also struggled to diversify staff.
Two U.S. House members want the FBI and CIA to declassify all documents related to the surveillance and harassment of Latino civil rights leaders from the 1950s to the 1970s.
Why it matters: It's widely known that theFBI's COINTELPRO and CIA's Operation CHAOS sought to disrupt the civil rights activities of Black Americans, but how those programs affected Latino activists is largely unknown.
The U.S. Department of Treasury announced new sanctions Thursday against two illegal outposts in the occupied West Bank that were used as a base for attacks by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians, three U.S. officials told Axios.
Why it matters: It is the first time U.S. sanctions are being imposed against entire outposts and not just against individuals.
President Biden on Thursday is expected to express concerns over Nippon Steel's planned $14.9 billion acquisition of Pittsburgh's U.S. Steel, ahead of next month's White House visit by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Why it matters: U.S. Steel picked Japan's Nippon over domestic rival Cleveland-Cliffs, because it preferred a national security review by CFIUS to an antitrust review by the Justice Department.
