Chief Policy Officer, J Street. Former Mideast Advisor to Vice President Harris and Director of Jewish Outreach on the Harris-Walz campaign.
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The geniuses that cooked up GHF - a food distribution system that’s led to starvation & over 1000 deaths at chaotic sites, have a plan for postwar Gaza. GREAT (Gaza Reconstitution, Economic Acceleration and Transformation Trust). You can’t make this up. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
“Two years into this war, Israel continues to weigh the marginal value of killing a Hamas operative against the enormous moral, legal and strategic costs of striking civilian facilities – and keeps choosing to strike.” ✍️ From @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social: jstreetdotorg.substack.com/p/every-bomb...
“Targeting decisions – like bombing a hospital – are not accidents. They are deliberate risk calculations shaped by political directives,” writes J Street Chief Policy Officer Ilan Goldenberg (@ilangoldenberg.bsky.social).
Hitting a hospital isnt just an accident. It’s a function of a failed strategy and a morally bankrupt political leadership. open.substack.com/pub/jeremybe...
58% of Americans believe that every country in the United Nations should recognize a Palestinian state. Thank you @jstreetdotorg.bsky.social for this thoughtful conversation about how we can make this a reality. t.co/qfJg09ywXB
open.substack.com/pub/contrari...
Trump was never going to be the “Nixon goes to China” peacemaker. He dangled ending the Gaza war to chase a Nobel Prize, but instead handed Netanyahu a blank check. @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social on the dire consequences for Israelis and Palestinians:
“Only a government utterly mired in its own political and ideological blinders could make such a calculation.” Chief Policy Officer @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social's observations from the region as things in Gaza and the West Bank go from bad to worse. 📖 ilangoldenberg.substack.com/p/in-gaza-an...
My latest assessment from a trip last week to israel and Palestine. open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
“a sharp disconnect between the Israeli government’s position on Gaza and the rest of the world’s – coupled with a complete lack of understanding of how profoundly this policy is damaging Israel’s standing internationally.” @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social ilangoldenberg.substack.com/p/in-gaza-an...
“The goal is to send a message – to the Israeli government and the Israeli people. The current path in Gaza and the West Bank is dangerous.” Latest from J Street Chief Policy Officer @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social on Substack: ilangoldenberg.substack.com/p/i-never-th...
My latest. open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
Dispelling key myths about the war. Bottom line: There is much more Israel can do to get the hostages out and get aid into Gaza. My latest. open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
Jonathan Dekel-Chen – father of released hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen – joined @jeremybenami.bsky.social and @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social to talk about his efforts to bring his son home and the fight that’s not over yet. 🔴 Watch and share:
Two young Palestinians – including a Palestinian-American – were just killed in an attack by violent settlers. Tell your member of Congress to support the West Bank Violence Prevent Act by signing and sharing this @jstreetdotorg petition: act.jstreet.org/sign/congres...
🗞️ J Street Chief Policy Officer and Former White House Adviser @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social in today's blockbuster @nytimes.com investigation into Netanyahu's role in prolonging the war: “He was not interested in having a serious day-after conversation.” 1/2
Is this visit a key milestone on the way to wrapping up the war? Or just another play by Netanyahu to kick the can down the road? J Street Chief Policy Officer @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social on what to watch for next: ilangoldenberg.substack.com/p/bibi-and-d...
Is Bibi’s visit to Washington the beginning of a breakthrough or just more of the same? I chart the party ahead. open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
Have you ever heard Trump invoke any literary reference? No, because he doesn’t read or consume art in any meaningful way. I imagine “Shylock” slipped off the tongue so easily because he’s been around people who’ve said it so casually for so long. Maybe even dad? And that, friends, is our problem.
Donald Trump just referred to bankers using a centuries-old antisemitic slur & trope. No wonder 52% of American Jewish voters believe he's antisemitic.
Shylock is among the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes. This is not an accident. It follows years in which Trump has normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories — and it’s deeply dangerous.
“What are liberal American Jews to do in this situation where the US government, Israeli government, some progressive allies and some mainstream Jewish organizations are coming up short? There are many good options.” From @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social: open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
10. The reason it’s still going is to keep Bibi’s coalition together. Enough is enough. The war needs to end. And if Trump really wants this ceasefire he needs to push Netanyahu to agree to an end to the war.
9. The IDF and other Israeli security experts are saying at this point the war serves no strategic purpose.
8. There is a better way. 70% of the Israeli public supports a deal for all the hostages and an END TO THE WAR.
7. And when Hamas does reject it, Bibi will just use that rejection to get a green light from Trump to continue perpetuating the conflict.
6. I hope Hamas accepts the deal, but after the experience in January, I doubt they will unless there is a hard commitment to end the war.
5. The problem with this framework is that this is what Hamas agreed to in January. And then Bibi never was willing to seriously negotiate about the end of the war so the ceasefire broke down.
4. Instead it includes a step by step process where at the start Israeli hostages come out, aid goes in, Palestinian prisoners are released. And then Israel and Hamas begin negotiating on a full end to the war.
3. But the offer as described in the press still at its core does not address Hamas’s biggest ask - a clear commitment to end the war.
2. It appears Trump very much wants a deal to end the war, and is putting some heat on Bibi.
1. There has been a lot of reporting about a possible Gaza ceasefire before Bibi’s visit to DC, which would of course be fantastic. Unfortunately I’m skeptical. Let me explain. www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_ent...
I wrote about the failures that liberal Jews are facing rigjt now from multiple institutions. open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
For over a decade, a driving focus of J Street’s mission has been preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. We have some thoughts on where to go from here – now we’ve seen where diplomacy gets us, and where military strikes get us 🧵
This is a deeply troubling report, and a painful read for all who care about Israel’s moral standing and Jewish values. These incidents demand thorough and transparent IDF as well as independent investigations into potential war crimes.
There's an absurd and deeply troubling amount of Islamophobia being leveled against Zohran Mamdani. While we disagree with his positions on Israel, threatening denaturalization and deportation is beyond the pale. This behavior is shameful, undignified, and dangerous.
VIRTUAL EVENT: FRIDAY, JUNE 20 📅 PWH is hosting a virtual event on the state of the Israel and Iran's conflict in its second week. The panel will discuss the impact of the strikes, how the region has responded, the U.S.'s response, and more. Register: www.eventbrite.com/e/israel-and...
Is the U.S. about to be dragged into a war in the Middle East? Wendy Sherman on the Israel-Iran conflict - the single most terrifying and important explanation of what it means to go to war vs. Iran. open.substack.com/pub/contrari...
J Street Chief Policy Officer Ilan Goldenberg (@ilangoldenberg.bsky.social) is live now with Jennifer Rubin and Ben Wikler on Substack to talk all things Iran, Israel and the US. Tune in here 👇
Please join us for Friday’s event with @arashtehran.bsky.social @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social @hbanai.bsky.social and yours truly - link below
The decision to go to war with a country of 90 million people cannot be a unilateral decision. The stakes are too high for congressional and executive brashness. 🎥 @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social
J Street Chief Policy Officer @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social spent years at the Pentagon preparing for – and doing everything possible to avoid – an escalation between Iran and Israel like we're seeing today. Below, what Ilan is watching in the region: open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
Really good, level headed and informed reading of where Israel and Iran are right now by @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
Figuring out how to do this whole podcast thing together with @jeremybenami.bsky.social. We’ll be talking about issues facing the American jewish community, challenges in Israel, and how the interplay all plays out in American politics. open.substack.com/pub/jeremybe...
Steve Sheffey with an excellent wrap of many of the recent pieces in his newsletter. myemail.constantcontact.com/Are-We-In-An...
Mik Moore on the difference between being an anti-Zionist and demonizing Zionists mikrmoore.medium.com/with-zionism...
Have to also give a nod my own piece in response to the attack in Washington two weeks ago open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
@jeremybenami.bsky.social on his recent visit to Vienna with his family’s routes in Vienna and the echoes that he sees today open.substack.com/pub/jeremybe...
Michael Koplow on a number of different factors driving the surge in antisemitism in America israelpolicyforum.org
@sheilakatz.bsky.social on how Jews are feeling isolated from their traditional progressive allies www.nytimes.com/2025/06/03/o...
It’s been a brutal couple of weeks for American Jews. It’s hard to know what to think. Fortunately, we do have many thoughtful writers and leaders who are ready for this moment. With this thread I wanted to highlight some of the most thoughtful reactions I’ve seen. I’ll keep adding pieces
I just spent 10 days in Israel and the West Bank. Israeli society is as unmoored as I’ve ever seen it. Israelis have turned against this war and against this government. What comes beyond that still very unclear. open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
Interesting if probably overly optimistic report on where Israel is today and where it might be going by @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
We are horrified and shaken by yet another brutal attack on our community here in the United States. Our hearts are with the victims. Together, we must make clear that there is no space for such political violence in our country.
More Trump attacks on universities in thr name of fighting antisemtism. Not good for america and not good for Jews. www.politico.com/news/2025/05...
Wrestling with antsemtism on the left after last week’s shooting. My latest. open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
I don't object to Trump cutting NSC staff, even by a lot. I do object to the fact that he is doing so because he neither wants nor thinks he needs advice...and because he does not understand the vital policy coordination role the NSC should be playing (and can't play if it is led by a Sec State.)
This “plan” bears no connection to solving the issue of a 30yo antisemitic man with a gun. It’s just another excuse to go after higher education. www.jpost.com/diaspora/ant...
There can be legitimate opposition to Israel's government and deep anguish over the suffering of innocents in Gaza – indeed, most in our community share these views – but nothing justifies targeted violence in the US, nor can such acts possibly further the Palestinian cause.
Fears of anti-Israel political violence on the left are real, and last night that threat became deadly. We urge all those in the pro-Palestine movement to take stock of this moment and recognize the danger of extreme rhetoric as it hits the ears of unhinged individuals.
We condemn this attack without equivocation, and call on all Jewish and pro-Palestinian groups to do the same. Antisemitic and anti-Israel violence has no place in the United States.
Sarah Milgrim was so much more than someone about to be engaged. She served on the civil society team at the Embassy of Israel, dedicating her life and career to building bridges. (1/2)
We are keeping the victims of this attack and their families in our hearts. Antisemitism is a deadly scourge that has no place in our society and must be unequivocally condemned. 2/2
We are horrified by the shooting this evening outside of an American Jewish Committee event for young professionals at the Capital Jewish Museum in DC that took the lives of two Israeli Embassy staff. 1/2
I said it would get worse very quickly. By tomorrow we will have completed the most dangerous & frightening 24 hours thus far of Trump 2.0. Just to name a few: 1. Defiance of a court order by sending migrants to Sudan without due process (despite clear DP decision SCOTUS) & Dist. CT. order.
I wrote about the historic choices that Israel faces as Trump’s brand of isolationism and transactionalism upends U.S. policy in the Middle East. open.substack.com/pub/contrari...
I wrote about the historic choices that Israel faces as Trump’s brand of isolationism and transactionalism upends U.S. policy in the Middle East. open.substack.com/pub/contrari...
Trump's pivot away from Netanyahu, paired with Democrats’ growing disillusionment, signals the U.S.-Israel “special relationship” is no longer guaranteed. @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social reflects on the historic choice ahead.
I wrote this down when @fieldsmeyer.com said it a couple of weeks ago. It’s good advice for all of us who are Jewish and interested in preserving American democracy: Kishkes are not a strategy. open.substack.com/pub/amifield...
This is probably the right move. Though would be better to pursue a step by step process as Syria reforms. What is most stunning is that again as on every key regional security issue on this trip, Trump doing EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE of what Bibi wants. www.cnbc.com/amp/2025/05/...
Excellent, typically thoughtful and specific thread from @ilangoldenberg.bsky.social on future of US-Israel relationship that is well worth your time.
20. Unfortunately, Netanyahu Smotrich and Ben Gvir will never do any of this. But the next Israeli government over the next year and a half must begin this process. The alternative will be the end of the special relationship as we know it. Maybe not immediately but centrally over time.
19. For Democrats regional integration and a Palestinian state removes the biggest barrier they face in their relationship with Israel.
18. Democrats and republicans will both embrace this vision. For Trump Israel is no longer a headache but instead part of the regional deals and integration he is looking for and a pathway for a Nobel peace prize.
17. There is a way out for Israel with both Dems and Republicans. End the war in Gaza, get the hostages out, and get aid, pursue an Arab supported post conflict plan that becomes the first step towards normalization and an eventual Palestinian state.
16. Ultimately, Israel will find itself neither special in Republican or Democratic eyes. The U.S.-Israel alliance will become a shell of its former self.
15. Meanwhile, Democrats aren’t going to continue to support unlimited security cooperation as Israel moves away from them on the Palestinians. 18 senators already voting to withhold certain weapons & Biden withholding the 2000 pound bombs. On the current trajectory this fissure will only grow.
14. Trump will either just press Israel to deal with it. Or he and the Gulf states will just move on without Israel. After all, the real money is in the U.S. and the Gulf. It’s great to involve Israel but not absolutely necessary if it’s too much of a headache
13. Trump is going to hear from the Gulf states they’d love to do more with Israel, but the Palestinian issue is a headache & stands in the way. as he focuses on regional deals and a future based on AI and major financial investments, Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian will just be an irritant.
12. But this dichotomy isn’t going to hold. If Israel doesn’t reverse course there is a good chance that Trump starts breaking with Israel on the Palestinians and democrats break with Israel on security.
11. Still Trump isn’t really pushing too much on the Palestinian issue and is giving the Israelis free rein in the West Bank while pushing a Gaza plan that displaces millions of Palestinians. It’s the near exact opposite of where Democrats have been.
10. We also have a new MOU that needs to be negotiated for Israel’s security assistance as the current one expires in 2028. Does anyone believe Trump is going to give the Israelis what he would see as this massive freebee without significant concessions - much more than what Obama asked for.
9. He cut his own deal with the Houthis to stop attacks in the Red Sea. negotiating his own deal with Iran. talking about decoupling the U.S.-Saudi deals from Israel-Saudi normalizing. He is going to the Gulf to conduct business while avoiding the security headache of Israel.
8. Trump’s second term policy towards Israel and the middle east is drifting away from traditional Republican hawkishness and religious conservatism support for Israel’s security and towards isolationism and transactionlism as it is in much of the rest of the world.
7. As for Republicans, Netanyahu and Dermer have for years now been putting all their chips in with the Republicans party and burning bridges with democrats. Their bet has been that Republicans will side with Israel both on security and the Palestinians. It turns out it was a bad bet.
6. Biden sent aircraft carriers to in the aftermath of October 7th and deterred Iran. We worked together to defeat two Iranian missile attacks on Israel. Stood by Israel as it conducted operations against Hezbollah and provided a $14 billion supplemental for security assistance after October 7th.
5. Yet despite it all, on security Democrats and Israel have stayed largely aligned. There was the whole disagreement around the JCPOA but Obama still approved billions for iron Dome and a new ten year MOU for nearly $40 billion for Israel.
4. You’ve seen it with Biden with disagreements on humanitarian aid to Gaza, and Executive Order on Settler Violence, and even more so with the opinion of Democratic voters of whom only 33% now have a favorable opinion of Israel.
3. With Israel’s rightward shift on the Palestinians you have seen an increasing gap with Democrats. You saw it with disagreements with Obama that ultimately ended with UNSCR 2234 on settlements.
2. Starting with the Oslo Accords, the U.S. & Israel had their disagreements but were ultimately aligned both on regional security issues (Iran, Syria, Lebanon, US security assistance) & on the Palestinians and the objective of peace. That remained the case until Netanyahu’s election in 2009.
1. As Trump heads to the region, Israel faces a massive bipartisan crisis in its relationship with the U.S. There is a way out, but it requires ending the war, getting the hostages out, pursuing normalization and a Palestinian state. Short of that, the relationship may never be the same.
www.timesofisrael.com/witkoff-said...
Is Elon gone? Out of DC? He seems to have skulked away like a thief in the night with none of the flash, bravura, or coverage of the beginning of his disastrous, failed effort to dabble in governing. Which raises a question:Why? Why has his failure and exit not received the coverage his arrival did.
Laser focused on reducing prices for everyday Americans from Day One, the President has struck a deal that will lower the price of Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Jaguars, Aston Martin's, Range Rovers, and Minis. *No other consumer good received carveouts.
No wonder the Senate is hesitating. Martin has fraternized with neo-Nazis, has no experience as a prosecutor, has failed to make required disclosures to the Senate & on & on. He is not fit. Don't just take my word for it, a leading conservative org has condemned him punchbowl.news/article/sena...
“Once we begin the Rafah operation, the intense phase of the fighting is weeks away from completion. Not months.” That was Netanyahu a year ago. Look where we are today 🧵
“In the past 10 days, our lab technicians began detecting ketones, an indicator of starvation, in one-third of urine samples tested, the first time we have seen such cases in significant numbers since we began testing in October 2024.” www.nytimes.com/2025/05/06/o....
Israel’s reported new plans for a reoccupation of Gaza and new concerning aid mechanism could have severe humanitarian implications in Gaza and are also indications that Israel is stuck in a strategic cut de sac. My latest. open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
Israel’s reported new plans for a reoccupation of Gaza and new concerning aid mechanism could have severe humanitarian implications in Gaza and are also indications that Israel is stuck in a strategic cut de sac. My latest. open.substack.com/pub/ilangold...
The firing of Biden officials from the Holocaust Museum is unprecedented & reprehensible. Museum Board membership a solemn obligation to education, tolerance & preserving the memory of six million lost. As with everything else, Trump is using it for purposes of political retribution. Unconscionable.