Jewish Insider

29/10/2025

Daniel Rosen earned a unique distinction when he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate early this month to be Minnesota’s top federal prosecutor.

The 60-year-old lawyer and Orthodox Jewish community activist is one of the few Orthodox Jews to serve as U.S. attorney. And he is almost certainly the only chief federal law enforcement officer in the county who regularly studies the Talmud, a text, he says, that shares a “phenomenal” range of common principles with the American legal tradition.

“The more you study the Talmud, the more you see how rooted in our [Jewish] traditions American law, and the British law from which it emerged, really is,” Rosen explained in an interview with Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel.

As he acclimates to his new role, Rosen, who had previously worked in private practice, said that one of his “primary motivations” for seeking the position was the “rapid escalation of violent antisemitism” in the United States, calling the “prosecution of violent hate crimes” a top priority for his office.

“Jewish history tells us that Jews fare poorly in societies that turn polarized,” he said, arguing that Jewish Americans, in particular, “have a profound and immediate interest in reversing the direction of the violent hatred that’s being expressed in many directions.”

Full story: https://ji.news/4c889

29/10/2025

Qatar’s prime minister acknowledged on Wednesday that Hamas violated the ceasefire with Israel the day prior by striking IDF troops in Gaza, calling the incident “disappointing and frustrating.”

Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said that, though Tuesday’s violation was highlighted by the media, “this is something that is expected throughout the ceasefire.”

Al-Thani called the attack on Israeli troops by Hamas ‘disappointing and frustrating’

29/10/2025

As a deal to split off TikTok’s U.S. business is set to be finalized, antisemitism experts were divided over how likely the agreement will be in transforming the social media platform’s approach when it comes to combating the spread of antisemitism in its algorithm.

Among the expected new owners of TikTok is technology company Oracle, which has Jewish ownership and has consistently expressed support for Israel.

“We are optimistic about this moment,” Eric Fingerhut, CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, said while moderating a panel discussion on Tuesday about the deal, hosted at the organization’s headquarters in Washington.

Full story: https://ji.news/4c73m

29/10/2025

Trump defended Netanyahu’s decision to order what the prime minister called “forceful” strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza in response to ceasefire violations by the terror group, dismissing concerns that the actions could upend the deal.

“They killed an Israeli soldier, so the Israelis hit back and they should hit back. When that happens, they should hit,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday evening. “Hamas is a small thing, but they kill people. They grew up killing people, and I guess they don’t stop. Nobody knows what happened to the Israeli soldier, but they say it was sniper-fire and it was retribution for that. I think they have a right to do that.”

“Nothing’s going to jeopardize that [the ceasefire],” he continued. “Hamas is a very small part of peace in the Middle East, and they have to behave. They’re on the rough side, but they said they would be good, and if they’re good, they’re going to be happy. If they’re not good, they’re going to be terminated. Their lives will be terminated, and they understand that.”

Initial reaction to Netanyahu’s decision to strike in Gaza fell largely along party lines, with Israel’s Republican allies in the Senate defending Israel's actions as self-defense while Democrats expressed concerns that the ceasefire in Gaza could be in jeopardy.

Full story: https://ji.news/4c6nj

29/10/2025

The White House has told Republicans that Trump will not pull the nomination of Amer Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, Mich., to be U.S. ambassador to Kuwait and wants the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to hold a vote, despite the growing bipartisan opposition to his nomination, Jewish Insider has learned.

White House officials have communicated to committee Republicans in recent days that Trump would not withdraw Ghalib’s nomination because the president credits the Democratic Hamtramck mayor with helping him turn out Michigan’s Arab-American vote and win the state in last November, two sources familiar with the ongoing discussions told Jewish Insider.

“We were told Trump believes he [Ghalib] helped him deliver Michigan. He doesn’t want to abandon him,” one GOP senator on the committee said of the White House’s characterization of the president’s thinking.

Full story: https://ji.news/4c64c

29/10/2025

Read today's :

🚧 Trump's Kuwait ambassador pick hits GOP wall

Full briefing 👇

Plus, meet Minnesota's new U.S. attorney

29/10/2025

Former Deputy National Security Advisor Dina Powell McCormick said recent regional reforms and alliances, including the 2020 Abraham Accords, have been instrumental in the Middle East’s development and its response to the Oct. 7 attacks and ensuing war in Gaza.

“I think we are moving too fast sometimes, and don’t pause on how critical it is that even after October 7, not one of the signatories of that peace treaty got out,” Powell McCormick said in comments made at the Future Investment Initiative Summit in Saudi Arabia.

“And I believe it’s thanks to President [Donald] Trump, thanks to Jared Kushner, thanks to [Special Envoy] Steve Witkoff, the reason that we saw the ceasefire happen, the release of the hostages and Inshallah, God-willing, a more stable Gaza so the humanitarian suffering can end.”

Full story: https://ji.news/4c45h

29/10/2025

After an agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas to initiate the first stage of Trump’s ceasefire proposal in mid-October, the IDF retreated to an “initial withdrawal line,” leaving Israeli forces in control of 58% of the enclave as Israel and mediators push Hamas to release the remaining deceased hostages and comply with the rest of the agreement, including disarmament and relinquishing power.

The line divides Gaza in two: an “East,” controlled by the IDF and serving as a buffer zone to Israel, and a “West,” run by Hamas and host to the concentrated Palestinian population.

In interviews with Jewish Insider, experts painted a picture of two Gazas, explaining that the area Israel holds can be used strategically to root out Hamas and maintain leverage if hostilities resume. But challenges lie ahead in rebuilding the enclave and moving Palestinians back into the eastern region.

Full story: https://ji.news/4c3x7

28/10/2025

Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller, is actively weighing a challenge to Rep. Dan Goldman in next year’s primary election, according to people familiar with the matter, raising the prospect of a competitive race between an ally of far-left Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani and a pro-Israel incumbent.

Lander had, until recently, been widely expected to land a top job in a potential Mamdani administration, with whom he cross-endorsed during the June primary.

But following reports of an emerging strain in their alliance, Lander, a 56-year-old Jewish Democrat, is more closely eyeing Goldman’s seat, which covers Lower Manhattan and a section of Brooklyn that includes the progressive enclave of Park Slope.

Full story: https://ji.news/4c3ib

28/10/2025

Sen. Lindsey Graham expressed skepticism that Hamas will comply with disarmament requirements in its U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement with Israel, saying that finishing off the terrorist group may require further confrontation from Israel.

The South Carolina senator offered rare Republican skepticism of Trump’s plan, expressing doubt that Hamas will fully disarm without further engagement

28/10/2025

SCOOP | Rep. Claudia Tenney will introduce a resolution this week affirming Israel’s sovereignty over the Temple Mount, a sacred site for Jews, Christians and Muslims, and demanding equal freedom of worship for all, Jewish Insider has learned.

The resolution describes the Temple Mount as “the holiest site in Judaism” and “a holy site for Christians and Muslims,” and makes note of the impediments faced by Jews and Christians in accessing the site that have restricted their prayer rights.

Full story: https://ji.news/4c39a

28/10/2025

Whereas in previous congresses, different parties and groups would be more willing to reach across the aisle and collaborate on shared goals, organizers and participants said that no such sense of camaraderie and shared purpose are expected this year.

The 39th World Zionist Congress kicks off in Jerusalem on Tuesday, with more than 2,500 people — voting delegates, observers and staff members — in attendance. Over the course of three days, the congress will debate and vote on the budgets, appointments, committee makeups and resolutions that wi...