Trump to announce Gaza Peace Council members in early 2026
(JNS) — President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday evening that the appointment of a Gaza Peace Council will take place next year.
The council will be composed of leaders of the world’s most influential countries, said Trump, adding, “Everyone wants to be part of the council.”
When asked when an announcement could be expected on the council’s leadership structure, Trump replied that the move would take place early next year. The Gaza Peace Council, he said, will be “one of the most legendary councils ever.”
“We did not think of it at first,” he continued, “but it will be led by the most important countries. It was not planned this way. We thought we would receive very important people who do this sort of thing for a living, but the candidates now include kings, presidents and prime ministers. They all want to be on the Peace Council.”
House passes $900 billion defense bill with ‘critical pro-Israel provisions’
(JNS) — The U.S. House of Representatives voted 312-112 on Dec. 10 to pass the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, with 18 Republicans and 94 Democrats voting against it.
The bill, which is now bound for the Senate and which authorizes more than $900 billion, includes “critical pro-Israel provisions,” according to AIPAC.
“The bill critically prioritizes U.S.-Israeli defense cooperation to further enable both nations to counter missile, drone and emerging high-tech threats,” the pro-Israel group said. “Importantly, the bipartisan defense measure authorizes $500 million in fiscal year 2026 for U.S.-Israel missile defense cooperation.”
“This includes funds for Israeli procurement of Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow and for bilateral research, development testing and evaluation,” AIPAC said.
The bill includes $80 million for a joint American and Israeli anti-tunneling program, $35 million for the two nations to work together on areas like artificial intelligence and cybersecurity and increases authorization on funding to counter drones by $15 million — to $70 million — AIPAC said.
It also raises the prospect of Israel entering the National Technology and Industrial Base, states that the Pentagon should skip global defense events that boycott Israel and directs the defense secretary, secretary of state and national intelligence director to “continually assess the impact of international arms embargoes on Israel,” AIPAC added.
Bari Weiss names Tony Dokoupil, who defended Israel on-air in closely scrutinized interview, to top CBS News anchor job
(JTA) — Bari Weiss, the polarizing new editor-in-chief of CBS News, has named the longtime network personality Tony Dokoupil to anchor the evening news chair, in a potential sign of how Weiss’ pro-Israel views may be reshaping the network’s news priorities.
The move came amid a rash of prominent vacancies at the venerable network since new Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, who is also Jewish and pro-Israel, appointed Weiss top editor earlier this year.
The elevation of Dokoupil is notable in the aftermath of his debate with bestselling author Ta-Nehisi Coates about Israel in a viral interview last fall that was rebuked by CBS top brass at the time, prior to Ellison’s appointment.
“We live in a time in which many people have lost trust in the media. Tony Dokoupil is the person to win it back,” Weiss said in a statement announcing the move. “That’s because he believes in old school journalistic values: asking the hard questions, following the facts wherever they lead and holding power to account. Americans hungry for fairness will see that on display night after night.”
The release touts Dokoupil’s CBS experience with particular emphasis on his Israel coverage.
Dokoupil is a convert to Judaism and is married to Jewish MS NOW anchor Katy Tur.
Democrat senators, rep accuse Israel of ‘systematic targeting’ of journalists since Oct. 7
(JNS) — Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) plans to hold a press conference on Dec. 11 calling for the Israeli government to be held accountable for what he said is its “systematic targeting of members of the press since Oct. 7, 2023.”
The senator intends to make that point alongside Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.), the Committee to Protect Journalists, Amnesty International USA and Dylan Collins, a Vermonter who works for Agence France-Presse.
Welch stated that he will, “for the first time,” share his office’s correspondence with the U.S. and Israeli governments “on the status of its probe into the attack on his constituent, U.S. citizen and AFP video journalist Dylan Collins.”
The senator alleges that Collins was hurt in what he called an Israeli “double-tap” attack in southern Lebanon on Oct. 13, 2023, in which he said that Collins was part of “a group of seven journalists clearly identifiable as members of the press.”
A Reuters videographer was killed and an AFP photographer was “gravely wounded, resulting in the amputation of her right leg,” Welch said.
Kurt Schwartz, CEO of the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis, told JNS that “Israel’s usual detractors have again rushed to cursory conclusions of Israeli guilt.”
Hecklers urge Israel’s president to pardon Netanyahu at American Zionist Movement conference in NYC
(JTA) — At the American Zionist Movement conference in New York City on Monday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog declined to respond to hecklers urging him to accept Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request for a pardon.
The calls came after Herzog’s talk at the AZM Biennial National Assembly where he lamented growing antisemitism in the United States and condemned the city’s new Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who has faced criticism for his anti-Zionist advocacy.
When the audience was asked to direct questions at the Israeli leader, a delegate from the right-wing Zionist Organization of America rose and said, “Israel needs unity now, not vengeance. I’m calling on you to issue an immediate, unconditional pardon of Prime Minister Netanyahu.”
The audience erupted in shouting and several people called “shame” in Hebrew at the delegates, one of whom held a sign reading “Please, Pardon Natanyahu!”
“We made it very clear that we should focus on the challenges of the Zionist movement in America,” replied Herzog to the delegates, before moving onto the next question.
Netanyahu is currently facing three legal cases against him, including charges of fraud, bribery and breach of trust. Last month, Netanyahu formally requested a pardon from Herzog, weeks after President Donald Trump made an identical request on his behalf.
