As the Israeli cabinet is set to convene to approve the current ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas, Jason Greenberg, whose cousins were taken captive by terrorists on Oct. 7, said that every day the hostages are not returned home is a day too long. 

“Israel has an exemplary history of not leaving anyone behind,” he told JNS. “ It’s a bad deal for Israel, but it’s a deal that should have been done a long time ago.” 

“These hostages have to come home,” he said.

Greenberg, who lives in the greater Boston area, was in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and started receiving “frantic messages from family members that were victims of the attack.” Those relatives included Noya and Carmela Dan, whom Hamas terrorists killed that day. Hamas also took Ofer Kalderon and his two children Sahar and Erez—Greenberg’s cousins—hostage from their house in Kibbutz Nir Oz. 

Greenberg told JNS that he feels “a heavy sense of skepticism” about the incoming deal.

“I won’t believe it until I see his face emerge,” he said, of his cousin Ofer. “There is just no doubt that it won’t be a joyous reunion. These are going to be shells of people, who have had to endure the unimaginable.” 

“It’s just my ardent hope that these people are able to claw their way back into living some semblance of normalcy,” he said.

Kalderon’s children were released on Nov. 27, 2023 after 52 days in captivity, as part of a prior deal between Israel and Hamas, but Ofer remains captive. 

“When my family members were released, it was nothing short of a miracle,” Greenberg said. “They are already trying to put their psyches and their lives back together both as minors, but one big piece of the puzzle that’s still missing for them is their dad.”

Greenberg described the current agreement on the table as a “deal with the devil.” 

“You are letting out hundreds and hundreds of violent Palestinian prisoners that have committed egregious crimes and would commit them again if given the opportunity,” he said. “But it’s a necessary evil to get these hostages back.” 

The first phase of the deal is set to take effect on Sunday at 12:15 p.m. and will see 33 of the remaining hostages released. Ofer, who is above military age, is reportedly on the list to be released in the first phase. 

“We don’t know the vital status of any of these hostages,” Greenberg said. “I don’t know if my cousin will even come back alive.” 

He described Ofer as “a family man” and “peace loving,” adding that “he’s got one of the most good-natured, easy-going personalities you’ll ever meet.”

Greenberg told JNS that he considers the Israeli government’s strategy to the war, which he described as prioritizing destroying Hamas over freeing hostages, as a “very morally repugnant approach.” 

“From a militaristic point of view, it’s one that you can understand at least,” he said. “But it doesn’t change the fact that there are thousands and thousands of people, who have been holding their breath collectively since Oct. 7 for the return of their loved ones.” 

“There are players on both sides that would like nothing more than to see this deal torpedoed,” he added.

“It’s good to remember how disgusting it is that Hamas is using potentially dead bodies as bargaining chips to get what it wants,” Greenberg told JNS. “People are well-advised to remember that we are not dealing with a rational organization here, or one that plays by the rules.”

But Greenberg also thinks that a “very ultra, right-wing sect of the Israeli government” is trying to shut the deal down. He described Bezalel Smotrich, the Israeli finance minister who has threatened to leave the government, as “hawkish as it gets.”

He also thinks that the Jewish state has “objectively failed these hostages,” noting that the country released thousands of Palestinian prisoners, including Hamas leader and Oct. 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar, for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

“Any more time that these people have to spend in captivity suffering is too much,” he said. He added that “the deal has almost materialized a few times and then Hamas blew it up.”

As the start date for the deal approaches, Greenberg said it is important for him, as someone with strong ties to Israel and a strong Jewish identity, to continue to speak out for the hostages. Especially in America, people do not know what it is like to live with the imminent, existential threat that Israelis face every day, he believes.

“We can’t conceive of what an Oct. 7 is like,” he told JNS. “I felt obligated to help people understand that these are real people. They’re not just news stories. They’re not just numbers.” 

“This could be your cousin,” he said. “This could be your brother or sister that was a victim of this attack.”

For every hostage that was released in the November 2023 ceasefire, Greenberg notes that there were more than 100 who did not return home. The current agreement is “not a good deal,” he thinks, but “one that has to be taken.” 

“Where there are glimmers of hope, they’re tempered by the reminder that there are others that still need to come back,” he said.

The University of Maryland School of Medicine suspended a talk by the chief medical officer of the Israel Defense Forces, citing security concerns.

Brig. Gen. Elon Glassberg, a physician, was slated to speak to faculty, fellows, residents and students at the school on Jan. 16 as part of the “surgery grand rounds academic sessions,” the school told JNS.

The lecture by Glassberg, whom the school called a “distinguished scholar,” was “intended to focus exclusively on medical advances in trauma care,” the school stated. “Two days before the planned event, we became aware of potential safety concerns, and it became clear that they could not be sufficiently addressed in such a short time frame to allow us to proceed.”

“Given the primary concern of the safety and security of faculty and students and the protection of the educational environment, the surgical leadership decided to postpone this grand rounds session,” the school told JNS.

It intends to invite the Israeli physician in the future, “while working to ensure a safe learning atmosphere for our surgical teams,” the school stated, adding that it is “committed to hearing all voices when it comes to saving lives.”

Caren Leven, executive director of the Baltimore Zionist District, told JNS that she is “deeply disappointed” by the university’s decision.

“This move feels like a surrender to political pressure rather than a commitment to academic freedom and open dialogue,” she said. “The IDF Medical Corps is world-renowned for its innovations in emergency medicine and humanitarian aid, saving lives across borders. Excluding their voice deprives students and faculty of invaluable insights and expertise.”

The public school’s decision “doesn’t just undermine academic integrity, it alienates those of us who believe in fostering understanding and learning from diverse perspectives,” Leven said. “I urge the university to reflect on the values it wants to uphold and consider how this choice aligns with them.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, an anti-Israel group whose Maryland chapter had pushed to have the event canceled, applauded the school’s decision. The school didn’t respond to a JNS query about whether pressure from CAIR led it to scrap the event.

The former CIA analyst Asif William Rahman, 34, of Vienna, Va., pleaded guilty on Friday to leaking classified information about Israel’s military response to Iran’s Oct. 1 missile attacks.

“Mr. Rahman betrayed the trust of the American people by unlawfully sharing classified national defense information he swore an oath to protect,” stated Matthew Olsen, a U.S. assistant attorney general in the Justice Department’s national security division.

“Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that the Justice Department will spare no effort to swiftly find and aggressively prosecute those who harm the United States by illegally disclosing our national security secrets,” Olsen added.

Robert Wells, executive assistant director of the FBI national security branch, stated that “with today's plea, Asif Rahman acknowledges he betrayed the trust of his country by sharing classified information in spite of the risk to the United States and our allies.”

“Government employees who are granted security clearances and given access to our nation's classified information must promise to protect it,” Wells added. “Rahman blatantly violated that pledge and took multiple steps to hide his actions.”

The Justice Department announcement didn't mention Israel. On Oct. 1, Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel—its second direct attack on the Jewish state. Israel intercepted most of the missiles with U.S. and Jordanian military support. 

It stated that per court documents, Rahman accessed and printed two top secret documents on Oct. 17 about "a U.S. foreign ally and its planned actions against a foreign adversary."

"Rahman removed the documents, photographed them and transmitted them to individuals he knew were not entitled to receive them," per the department. "By Oct. 18, 2024, the documents appeared publicly on multiple social media platforms, complete with the classification markings."

Rahman also "deleted and edited journal entries and written work product on his personal electronic devices to conceal his personal opinions on U.S. policy and drafted entries to construct a false narrative regarding his activity," the Justice Department stated.

"Rahman also destroyed multiple electronic devices, including a personal mobile device and an internet router he used to transmit classified information and photographs of classified documents, and discarded the destroyed devices in public trash receptacles in an effort to thwart potential investigations into him and his unlawful conduct," it added.

Rahman also accessed and printed secret national defense information "repeatedly" between spring 2024 and that November and took the documents to his home, where he copied them and "altered them in an effort to conceal their source and his activity," per the Justice Department.

"Rahman then communicated top secret information that he learned in the course of his employment to multiple individuals he knew were not entitled to receive it," it added.

A grand jury indicted him on Nov. 7, and he was arrested when he came to work on Nov. 12. "He has remained in custody since his arrest," the Justice Department said.

Rahman faces 10 years in prison for the two counts to which he pleaded guilty, of "willful retention and transmission of classified information related to the national defense." His sentencing is scheduled for May 15.

As a preamble to his farewell address earlier this week, U.S. President Joe Biden took credit for the recently negotiated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. 

While the terms of the current deal mirror those of one Biden proposed back in May, Hamas refused to agree because they understandably believed Biden would pressure Israel into making more concessions. They also held out hope that Iran and its terror proxies would come to their rescue. 

In contrast, Israel reluctantly agreed to Biden’s proposal last spring. Its hesitation was based on the reasonable belief that if they rejected the deal, the Biden administration would undermine Israel’s war effort. But, because American support for Israel’s war effort is so critical, and bringing home as many hostages as possible is such a priority, Israel signed onto the deal in May. 

Needless to say, circumstances have changed since May.

Yahya Sinwar is dead. Hezbollah has been neutered (literally and figuratively.) Bashar Assad is gone, and Iran has been dramatically weakened. But not even those changes in circumstances alone were enough to persuade Hamas to accept the current deal. Hamas could still count on the appeasement, surrender and “de-escalation” model of foreign policy advocated by the Biden administration and the ascendancy of the antisemitic progressive wing of the Democratic Party for their salvation.  

And while degrading its enemies has enhanced Israel’s security, these new facts on the ground alone were not sufficient to persuade Israel that America had its back. Much of its success against Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iran has been achieved by ignoring the advice and objections of the Biden administration.  

The realization that President-elect Donald Trump is taking the oath of office on Monday is the difference maker for both Hamas and Israel. Hamas now believes this is the best deal they can hope for. Israel now feels secure knowing they are dealing with an Administration that has its back. Trump’s record on Israel in his first term speak for itself. 

However, as it relates to the current hostage deal, words matter. 

Trump made clear, “there will be hell to pay … ” if the hostages are not released by Jan. 20, inauguration day. 

Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security advisor, when asked about the arrangement stated: “We’ve made it very clear to the Israelis, and I want the people of Israel to hear me on this, if they need to go back in, we’re with them … . If Hamas doesn’t live up to the terms of this agreement, we are with them.”

During his confirmation hearing to be the U.S. secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth told his Senate inquisitors that he supports “Israel destroying and killing every last member of Hamas.”

Similarly, Marco Rubio, Trump’s nominee for secretary of state has built his reputation as a foreign-policy expert in large part on his unwavering support for the Jewish state. 

Compare these words and deeds to the pathetic record of the Biden White House. History will not treat the Biden administration kindly. 

It is not possible to know today if this is a good deal for Israel and Palestinian civilians. Those are the only people who matter in this equation. 

Prospectively, there are three factors to consider when passing final judgment on the deal. 

First, is Hamas destroyed as a fighting force and governing entity? No deal can be considered a success unless Hamas has been vanquished. 

Remnants of the terrorist organization will undoubtedly linger. The issue is whether they are relevant to the rebuilding and governing of Gaza. It is currently unknown who will fill the void left by Hamas’s defeat. Regardless of who that is, only Israel can provide security for itself and the Palestinians. Therefore, for the foreseeable future, Israel cannot agree to fully withdraw from Gaza or agree not to re-enter it should the need arise. It must always be free to bring the war to Hamas, its terrorist allies, or any other organization that threatens Israel’s national security.

In particular, Israel must maintain control over the Philadelphi Corridor, the border between Gaza and Egypt. It is through that border that most of Hamas’s weapons were smuggled. Israel cannot rely on Egypt or any international body to be the guarantor of its security. 

Second, have the hostages been freed? It is believed there are 98 hostages left in Gaza, seven of whom are Americans. It is not known precisely how many are dead or alive. Thirty-three are to be returned in the first phase of the agreement. In exchange, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many of whom are serving life sentences for murdering Israelis. 

The first 33 hostages are the easy part. As the negotiations enter Phase 2, questions of Israeli troop withdrawals and who will govern Gaza in the wake of Hamas’s defeat will become more prominent. It is difficult to see how any more hostages will be freed by Hamas without the promise of a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and guarantees of a Hamas role in governing Gaza. Israel will never agree to either. 

While the Biden administration would likely pressure Israel into making these concessions, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is convinced Trump will not. This, more than any other reason, is why the deal possible. 

It is during Phase 2 that the deal may fall apart requiring the Israel Defense Forces to fully re-engage in Gaza. History has shown that only brute force can convince Hamas to surrender and give up the hostages.

Finally, will there be regime change in Iran? Even if Hamas is irradicated, unless there is regime change in Iran, this cycle will only repeat itself. The ayatollah is laser focused on destroying Israel. He principally relies on proxies to advance that goal. We should never forget that Oct. 7 was an attack by Iran on Israel.  Hamas was only its weapon of choice. 

Hopefully, there is a side agreement between Israel and the incoming Trump administration to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities and further weaken the regime.  It will then be up to the Iranian people to topple the mullahs. If there is regime change in Tehran, Hamas and its fellow terror proxies will be mortally wounded.  Without a benefactor, these groups have no future. In short, whether or not there is a hostage deal with Hamas, regime change in Iran is essential for the security of Israel and the region. 

It makes sense for Israel to do this deal. At a minimum, it is an opportunity to gain the release of 33 hostages without compromising its national security. It will further demonstrate how Israeli society is a culture of life and a beacon of Western civilization surrounded by nihilistic death cults and evil savages. 

Biden may have dreamed up the deal, but Trump is its true architect. Time will tell if it succeeds, but it is certainly worth the effort. 

A Brooklyn Supreme Court judge told four Chassidic students who tunneled under the Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters in Crown Heights in January 2024 that they were wrong to refuse plea agreements in court on Jan. 13.

The four—Yisroel Binyamin, Yerachmiel Blumenfeld, Menachem Maidanchik and Yaakov Rothchild—will face trial in April, with charges that carry prison terms up to seven years, ABC reported.

“If these young gentlemen, if these kids think they’re exercising power over this court, they are sadly mistaken,” judge Adam Perlmutter said. “You’re a shame to your family. You’re a shame to the worldwide Chabad movement.” 

“It is not becoming of followers of Jewish faith in a synagogue,” the judge added, noting that they should have talked to Chabad leadership before trying to enter the property at 770 Eastern Parkway. (The news of the tunnels led to an “explosion” of conspiracy theories on social media.)

“If you want to expand 770, they know how to do it. They built buildings all over the world,” he said. “They know it involved raising money, getting building permits, adjusting the zoning laws as necessary.”

The deal that the four students rejected included agreeing to avoid the site for three years. “Being banned from 770 for three years is worse than jail,” one of the students told the New York Post in October.

The latest chapter in Israel’s ongoing struggles presents a profound test of endurance and unity for its people. Following the unprecedented Oct. 7 Hamas attack—deemed the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust—Israel finds itself navigating a complex post-conflict landscape. While a ceasefire has been reached, it comes at a steep emotional and political cost. The anticipated release of some of the hostages, enabled by Israel’s military triumph and bolstered by U.S. support under President-elect Donald Trump, marks a bittersweet milestone.

Yet, a new battle begins now: facing the unimaginable suffering endured by the freed captives—scarred by abuse, deprivation and the torment of loss. This ordeal echoes the harrowing days immediately following Oct. 7 that left Israel reeling from the horrific massacres of families. Israel will once again be called upon to lift up its people, embracing grief and trauma, as some families receive only the tortured remains of loved ones.

Adding to the strain, the sight of jubilant Palestinian crowds celebrating the release of militants through televised images fuels deep-seated anger and pain. Resisting the instinct for vengeance will test Israel’s moral fiber. As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu navigates the fragile ceasefire, provocations from Gaza and beyond loom large. His leadership faces scrutiny, balancing international expectations and internal pressures to secure national safety and justice.

Netanyahu’s resolve has been tested in Gaza and Syria, and against Hezbollah and Iran. Now, he embarks on a broader strategy, shifting focus to a Middle Eastern coalition with the United States to combat terrorism and counter Iran’s nuclear ambitions. This marks a critical pivot, emphasizing a united front against shared threats.

Domestically, Netanyahu faces criticism for potential risks posed by released militants, coupled with opposition from both political extremes. However, the reality of the Middle East necessitates a pragmatic approach. The battle against Iranian-sponsored terrorism must be recognized as a regional issue, not confined to Gaza.

The resilience of Israel’s people will be paramount. Soldiers who risked their lives in Gaza, inspired by the dream of rescuing captives, exemplify the collective courage required. Their sacrifices have paved the way for this moment, enabling Western nations to secure the tenuous truce.

The challenge Israel faces extends to maintaining solidarity amidst political divides. Europe’s absence in condemning Hamas or championing the captives underscores Israel’s isolation. Yet, the nation remains resolute, striving to heal its wounds while adapting to a shifting geopolitical landscape.

Ultimately, this is a battle of hope, requiring a strength that only those awaiting their loved ones can truly fathom. Israel’s journey forward demands courage, unity and a renewed commitment to its people and their future.

Those saying farewell to Michael Herzog on Thursday said he was the right man to helm an unsteady ship as U.S.-Israel relations ebbed and flowed during the Israel-Hamas war.

The Israeli embassy in Washington held a tribute event to the envoy as Herzog’s term, which began in November 2021, nears its end. His successor, Yechiel Leiter, takes over next week, coinciding with the changing of the guard in the White House.

“It was a very emotional event for me,” Herzog told JNS, following speaker after speaker heaping praise on him. “I did my best to serve my country and my people. I leave, first of all, hopeful that we’ll see all the hostages come back. Strategically, we have new opportunities that we should pursue.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told those in attendance that Herzog “navigated this tension” within the relationship between Washington and Jerusalem.

“The Biden administration is under tremendous pressure from the left to restrict weapons. On the right, there’s been tremendous pressure to do no deal at all about anything, to play like the Palestinians don’t exist,” Graham said at the event. 

“Michael, you have been the most steady, even-keeled representative at a time when we needed steady and even keel,” he said. “It takes a warrior, I think, to make peace.”

Amos Hochstein, a special adviser to U.S. President Joe Biden on energy and investment who stepped in as negotiator of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire agreement, noted that both he and Herzog entered their respective posts with “very different expectations of what the job will ultimately be.”

Herzog, brother of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, was appointed by then-Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and stayed on even after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came back to power. 

Herzog and Netanyahu don’t align philosophically on many issues, and Netanyahu declined to grant Herzog an often customary fourth year in the position.

Hochstein praised Herzog, a former Israel Defense Forces general, researcher, think tank analyst and Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiator, as uniquely efficient.

The envoy “transformed from a peacetime consigliere to a wartime consigliere,” he said, using terminology popularized by The Godfather. “These are two very different roles. Usually where you hire very different people to accomplish those tasks.

“I can’t think in 30 years of working in this town with ambassadors from many countries and every ambassador from Israel of anyone who could have made that transition that seamlessly and that effectively,” Hochstein said.

Isaac Herzog sent a recorded message, telling attendees that his brother “earned the admiration of the administration, of policymakers, of opinion makers as well.”

“He has navigated sensitive diplomatic terrain with integrity, skill, wisdom and grace and deepened the singular U.S.-Israel alliance at a critical moment for our nation and our world,” Isaac Herzog said.

Ron Dermer, Israel’s strategic affairs minister and a former ambassador to Washington, also delivered pre-recorded remarks.

“Diplomats are usually renowned for speaking a lot of words and actually saying very little. Great rabbis are supposed to actually say a lot with few words,” Dermer said. “I think Mike Herzog’s rabbinic gene is actually stronger than his diplomatic gene because one of the things I most appreciate about Mike is that when I read a cable that he sends in half a page, he can sum up probably a day full of conversations.”

“I think that is a unique skill set, and it shows just how sharp he is and his ability to understand the situation and to be able to convey it in such a succinct fashion,” Dermer said.

The rabbinic remark alludes to Herzog’s grandfather, Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog, who was chief rabbi of both Ireland and Israel.

Michael Herzog told attendees his service was motivated by his experience in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, seen before the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, as the most devastating attack Israel has ever suffered.

“That war broke out against the background of a major intelligence failure, our version of Pearl Harbor, and serious mistakes by our political leadership for which we paid a very heavy price,” the envoy told attendees. 

“I came out of this war wounded physically and psychologically, and I vowed to myself back then that if I ever get into the decision-making circle, I will always speak truth to power and do my utmost to prevent mistakes that might cost human lives,” he said.

Rather than being a paper-pusher, “I did not confine myself to delivering messages between our capitals, but rather strive to impact policies in both Washington and Jerusalem,” he said.

Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), who just became chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee after serving as its ranking member for four years, told JNS that Herzog has “been just superb.”

“The relationship between Israel and America is strong,” the senator said. “I think what’s happened over the last 457 days has made it even stronger, and he truly has been part of that.” 

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), who made waves in the last Congress when the House Education and Workforce Committee she chaired went after Jew-hatred on college campuses, told JNS she’s “a huge fan” of Herzog’s.

“I think he has done a fabulous job. On the whole, Israel sends great ambassadors to the United States,” Foxx told JNS. “I’ve been very, very impressed with him, and I wanted to show my appreciation to him.”

Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), who co-chairs the House Abraham Accords Caucus and serves on the panel’s Gaza Working Group, told JNS that Herzog has been “supremely effective because he has all the attributes you look for in an ambassador.”

“He’s a great listener. He’s a great advocate for his country. He knows the message that needs to be heard, whether it’s meeting with members of Congress and members of the community,” Schneider said. “He just was the perfect emissary for Israel at this moment in time.”

One of Herzog’s keys to success, according to Schneider, was his ability to listen to criticism of Israel and “absorb it, but he would then reflect back why Israel was doing what it was doing, and he was as good of an advocate for Israel as I’ve ever seen.” 

Miriam Adelson, an Israeli-American businesswoman, philanthropist and political donor, attended the tribute along with political operatives and Jewish and communal leaders.

JNS asked Michael Herzog what he plans to do next. Herzog took a breath, smiled and looked at his wife, Shirin Herzog. “Still figuring it out,” he told JNS.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told Israeli media on Thursday evening at the Israeli embassy in Washington that he trusts the judgement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on accepting the ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas.

“There’s no such thing as a perfect deal,” Graham said, during a ceremony honoring Michael Herzog, the outgoing Israeli ambassador in Washington and brother of Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

In a press gaggle, Graham told reporters that he wasn’t aware of all the details of the agreement, which both the incoming Trump administration and the outgoing Biden administration have claimed as their own major victory.

“I do believe Hamas has been decimated, that people being released from the Israeli jails are less likely to regenerate Hamas now than they were before, that Israel has the right under this deal, as I understand it, to go back in if they need to,” Graham said. “I’m not going to second guess Bibi’s support for this deal.”

A journalist asked Graham about reports that Steve Witkoff, President-elect Donald Trump’s named Middle East envoy, pressured Netanyahu to accept the terms of a deal that the Biden administration crafted. 

The president-elect “wanted the Americans and Israelis back,” Graham said. “It’s not just Bibi.”

“The vast majority of Israelis realized they had to do a deal with a terrorist group to get their people back,” he added. “Anytime you’re dealing with a terrorist group, it’s not easy. Your choices were to just forsake the hostages and keep fighting, or try, after you decimate Hamas, to get them back.”

Trump was “moved” by relatives of the hostages when he met with them, according to Graham.

“He’s a very human-focused individual. He does not like pain. He is strong. You don’t want to trifle with Trump, but he understands the pain and the suffering,” the senator said. “We all met with the hostages, and I feel like, on balance, this was the best way to get them out.” 

Graham is a strong proponent of the push for normalized relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and has made multiple trips to the region meeting with leaders to try to make progress on the issue.

JNS asked the senator if there is a worry that Trump, if indeed he pressured Netanyahu to sign the deal, might do the same with a deal with Saudi Arabia, which has demanded a Palestinian state in exchange for normalization. 

“I think what’s going to happen here is that the market right now for a Saudi deal is very difficult. The Democrats have no political cover,” Graham said. He told JNS that it will be “a tough sell to our Democratic friends to vote for a treaty sponsored by Trump that helps both Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Now is the time to complete a defense agreement between Washington and Jerusalem, according to Graham.

“To my friends in Israel, support for Israel is going in the wrong way. If you ever wanted to deal with the United States, now’s the time to do it,” he said, noting that 53 Republican senators are “very pro-Israel.”

He thinks the two allies should renew and improve the terms of the memorandum of understanding signed under the Obama administration, which provides billions in annual defense aid for Israel.

“I’ll leave it up to Israel to decide what to do next, but from my point of view, I want to focus on securing Israel’s future by increasing the memorandum of understanding,” he said, “more money, more weapons, and if Israel wants a strategic existential threat agreement, I would be glad to push that.”

The next challenge, the senator told reporters, is to “make sure the Iranian nuclear program, which is an existential threat to Israel, is dealt with.” That includes a U.S.-Israeli “plan to defang” Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, he said.

Rabbi Ari Berman, the president of Yeshiva University in Manhattan, considers it “truly a privilege” to represent Jews and deliver a blessing to the United States immediately after President-elect Donald Trump’s finishes his inaugural address on Jan. 20.

Berman, 54, called it “a momentous time in our history” and told JNS that he has addressed large crowds, but “nothing really matches the scale of the inauguration of the United States.”

“This is definitely a large moment and a true, true honor,” he said.

The Teaneck, N.J., native, who has led Yeshiva as its fifth president since 2016, will be one of four faith leaders to address the country from the U.S. Capitol on Monday. The clergy are supposed to deliver messages rather than sermons.

Berman, who holds a college degree and rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva and who holds a doctorate and who led a Modern Orthodox synagogue for 14 years, intends to discuss his patriotism. 

“I love America. I believe in America. America is both a beacon of hope and a progress in humanity,” he told JNS. “I think by remaining true to our foundational biblical values, we’ll accomplish great things together.”

“I worked through my words about our foundational values and how that can help all of us in our individual prayers—to ask God to grant us lives filled with peace and plenty, compassion and contribution, only great success, that people can live out their dreams,” he said.

He added that he is excited to share his gratitude “and to speak to what is the purpose of our nation.”

“It has not been lost on me that I’m the only university president that’s speaking,” he said. “I definitely will address a message of education, of how we need to raise our next generation on the values of truth and virtue.”

“It’s an opportunity,” he said. “I’m just excited to be able to do it.”

A survey conducted by the Commentator, a Yeshiva student publication, published on Oct. 30 found that 87% of students intended to vote for Trump.

A Forward reporter recently resurfaced a social media post from Jan. 6, 2021, in which Berman wrote that he “was heartbroken today watching the attempt to tear asunder the very fabric of our democracy. Such acts of violence have no place in our country.”

Trump has said that he did not urge followers to violently storm the Capitol that day, but he has also denied repeatedly that the events of that day threatened democracy. (At press time, Berman’s social media posts returned no results for “Trump,” and a lone one for “Biden,” also from Jan. 6, in which he wished the president well.)

After Trump speaks, Berman will be the first to follow, after which the controversial imam

Of a Dearborn, Mich., mosque will speak. Rev. Lorenzo Sewell of a Detroit church and Rev. Frank Mann of the Brooklyn, N.Y., Catholic diocese, will also speak. Timothy Cardinal Dolan, the New York Catholic archbishop, and Franklin Graham, the son of the late pastor Billy Graham, will deliver invocations before Trump is sworn in.

Rabbis have delivered many benedictions at inaugurations, since the blessings were first offered in 1937.