Archiv: moderates / centrists


27.07.2026 - 20:25 [ Common Dreams ]

How Hakeem Jeffries and J Street Teamed Up for Arming Genocide

When House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries sent out a recent “dear colleague” letter, its second sentence cited “the position articulated by
 pro-peace organizations like J Street.” The congressman and J Street were opposing an amendment to block $3.3 billion in military shipments and other aid to Israel.

Jeffries (NY) contended that the measure was “overly broad.” On the same day, using the same phrase “overly broad,” J Street issued a statement declaring that “we support Leader Jeffries’ decision to oppose the amendment.”

Both Jeffries and J Street respectfully noted that many members of Congress had understandable reasons to back the measure. The next day, July 15, a record 103 Democrats voted in favor of blocking weaponry to Israel.

25.06.2026 - 18:00 [ Associated Press ]

Mamdani slate sweeps Democratic primaries in New York, ousts 2 incumbents from Congress

U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who leads the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and is in his fifth term, was defeated by Mamdani’s most polarizing pick, Darializa Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist who once helped organize pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.

U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman, a two-term incumbent, was beaten by the Mamdani-backed former city Comptroller Brad Lander, a fixture among New York progressives who has often shown sympathy to the democratic socialist movement. And another Mamdani ally, democratic socialist state Assembly Member Claire Valdez, defeated the handpicked successor of retiring U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez.

23.06.2026 - 16:16 [ New Yorker ]

New York Primary-Elections Map: Live Results

A number of Democratic strongholds are hosting competitive congressional primaries, with establishment incumbents and candidates trying to fend off left-wing challengers.

23.06.2026 - 16:10 [ Axios ]

Democrats‘ Jeffries and Mamdani wings face off in New York

State of play: In the state‘s 10th district, Jeffries is supporting Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) while Mamdani is backing NYC comptroller Brad Lander.

In the 13th district, Jeffries-backed Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) faces a spirited challenge from Mamdani-endorsed democratic socialist Darializa Avila-Chevalier.

Mamdani is also supporting democratic socialist State Assembly member Claire Valdez in the 7th district over Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, though Jeffries hasn‘t endorsed in that race.

26.05.2026 - 16:10 [ +972 Magazine ]

The farce of Israel’s ‘liberal’ investigative journalism

Two weeks ago, the investigative program HaMakor on Israel’s Channel 13 aired a 60-minute report on the December 2023 killing of three Israeli hostages — Yotam Haim, Alon Shamriz, and Samer Al-Talalka — who were shot by Israeli soldiers in Shuja’iya, eastern Gaza City, after emerging from a hiding place carrying a white flag.

Even without intimate knowledge of the details, one thing should have been clear from the outset: When soldiers fire from inside buildings at three shirtless men carrying a white flag, kill two of them, then pursue the third, call him out of hiding, and shoot him dead, the issue is not merely “mistaken identity.” The issue is that Israeli soldiers routinely shoot innocent people. One would have to be extraordinarily naïve to believe that the single time this happened, the victims just happened to be Israelis.

28.04.2026 - 06:46 [ Communist Party of Israel ]

MK Cassif: “Right has found its right-hand man”

When asked if a government could be formed “without the support of MKs Ahmad Tibi or Aida Touma-Sliman” from the Hadash-Ta’al faction, Bennett replied: “We have a large majority even without them.” This statement comes despite a series of recent polls indicating that the Zionist parties opposing Netanyahu are unlikely to secure a majority without the support of Hadash and the Arab parties. (…)

Following the unification, Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the new “Yashar” party, called this morning for a meeting of opposition leaders excluding Hadash and Islamist Ra’am, “in order to ensure victory through Zionist and statesmanlike votes without Arabs.” In his announcement, Eisenkot mentioned the leaders of the “Together” list, Bennett and Lapid, as well as Yisrael Beiteinu chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman and The Democrats leader Yair Golan.

28.04.2026 - 06:34 [ Associated Press ]

Two former Israeli prime ministers join forces against Netanyahu in upcoming elections

(April 26, 2026)

Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid served as prime ministers in a rotation agreement as part of a coalition government they formed in 2021, ending 12 years of Netanyahu’s rule. Now they plan to merge their parties into single faction headed by Bennett, calling it a partnership between the center and the right.

Bennett said if elected, the new government on its first day would establish a state commission of inquiry into the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel that started the war, an issue that has dogged Netanyahu.

There have been calls in Israel for a public inquiry into the failures around the Oct. 7 attack, the deadliest on Israel in its history.

09.02.2026 - 19:42 [ Times of Israel ]

Yair Golan says party will seek communications portfolio amid government’s attacks on media

“Netanyahu wants mouthpieces. He wants media outlets that will applaud him while he evades responsibility, praise him while he sacrifices Israel’s security, and remain silent while he protects advisers and aides who betrayed the state and received money from Qatar, the same Qatar that funded Hamas and the October 7 massacre,” Golan says, referring to the ongoing investigation into senior Netanyahu aides accused of lobbying on behlaf of Qatar during Israel’s war against Hamas while being employed by the premier’s office.

“He knows that a free and independent press poses a real threat to a corrupt government built on cover-ups. That is why he seeks to turn news channels into obedient, hollow mouthpieces that avoid criticizing him and his government,” he says.

08.02.2026 - 19:53 [ Ron Kronish / Times of Israel ]

A political party with a vision for our future

(February 5, 2026)

Among other things, he told us that the Democrats already have 60,000 members registered in the party, and are shooting for 100,000 now, which will make us the second-largest political party in Israel in terms of numbers. In addition, he stressed the need to reach out to the Arab citizens of Israel, who make up 22 percent of our population:

There is no future for Israel without Jewish-Arab cooperation in Israeli politics.

This is a critical issue in the political discourse right now, since it is obvious that a new government will not be able to be formed if the so-called “centrist” political parties don’t agree to welcome Arab political parties into the next coalition. So far, only The Democrats have agreed to do so!

08.02.2026 - 19:45 [ Times of Israel ]

Yair Golan vows not to fund settlements if he comes to power

(February 2, 2026)

Asked by the media later in the day about his comments, Golan clarified that he was referring to illegal outposts and unauthorized settlement activity.

“The settlement blocs are part of Israel,” he said after leading a faction meeting in the Knesset. “They will be, because there is no other possibility. We will strengthen settlements along the border, but there will be no illegal activity.”

The international community — with the notable exception of the United States under President Donald Trump — considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law.

08.02.2026 - 19:33 [ New York Times ]

‘We Are Going to Live With Scars’: Yair Golan’s Battle for a Two-State Solution

(February 4, 2026)

We were sitting in his modest office behind a Pizza Hut in a quiet neighborhood in Tel Aviv last September. On the wall was a framed photograph of Rabin shaking the hand of King Hussein of Jordan. I asked Golan whether the rift could be repaired. “We’re like a body that’s been injured. We are going to live with scars. But OK.” He rolled up his shirtsleeves and pointed to a spot where a bullet from the Hezbollah sniper had sliced through his arm. “It’s possible to live with scars,” he said.

29.01.2026 - 19:22 [ Common Dreams ]

US Senate, Do the Right Thing and Refuse to Fund ICE

More Americans now support abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, than keeping it.

29.01.2026 - 19:13 [ New York Times ]

Trump and Schumer Move Toward Possible Deal to Avert a Shutdown

The Senate would pass those bills before a Friday midnight deadline, and Congress also would consider a short-term extension for homeland security operations, which would prevent an interruption of services by the Transportation Security Agency, Coast Guard and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

That stopgap bill would provide time for talks between lawmakers and the White House to draft a new homeland security spending bill that would include new restrictions that Democrats have demanded on the tactics of immigration enforcement officers and more accountability for those accused of using excessive force.

29.01.2026 - 19:12 [ CNN ]

Trump administration considers new guidelines for immigration officials in Minnesota

The Trump administration circulated a draft memo this week regarding potential new guidelines for federal immigration officers on the ground in Minnesota, including plans to avoid engaging with “agitators” and only targeting immigrants facing criminal charges or convictions, officials familiar with the talks told CNN.

The draft memo comes as the White House and Department of Homeland Security have had multiple behind-the-scenes discussions this week about how to best conduct immigration operations in the state moving forward.

27.01.2026 - 18:10 [ Congressman John Fetterman ]

Fetterman Calls on President Trump to Fire DHS Secretary Noem

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, following the tragedies in Minnesota and the incompetence of the Department of Homeland Security under Secretary Noem, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) released the following statement:

“President Trump: I make a direct appeal to immediately fire Secretary Noem.

“Americans have died.

“She is betraying DHS’s core mission and trashing your border security legacy.

“DO NOT make the mistake President Biden made for not firing a grossly incompetent DHS Secretary.”

05.12.2025 - 02:53 [ The New York Times and New York Times Events / Youtube ]

DE Sign in Erika Kirk on Why She Forgave Her Husband‘s Killer | 2025 Dealbook Summit

Erika Kirk’s passionate advocacy for conservative values, alongside her husband Charlie, has long placed her in the public eye. In the wake of tragedy, how does she think about responsibility, resilience — and the work still to come? Watch this conversation about leading through uncertainty and how to turn hardship into purpose.

Guest: Erika Kirk, C.E.O. and Chair of the Board of Turning Point USA

Interviewer: Andrew Ross Sorkin, Founder and Editor at Large of DealBook

05.12.2025 - 02:40 [ Vanity Fair ]

Erika Kirk Speaks to the Liberal Elite—and Almost Sticks the Landing

Though Kirk has become a national figure since the death of her husband, her selection as the closing speaker at the annual summit for the Times’ business vertical was unexpected. But Sorkin explained the reason for the decision after the two got onstage. About a year ago, he said, he met and befriended Charlie. The two texted and emailed frequently about their political disagreements.

“Charlie Kirk was supposed to be here today. He was supposed to be part of a task force that we had been talking about for quite some time,” Sorkin said. He decided to instead extend the invitation to Erika Kirk after she spoke ahead of President Donald Trump at her husband’s televised memorial service. “I sat and watched the funeral by video, and I watched you, and I sat in awe
when you forgave the assassin
. It was at that moment I said to myself, I need to talk to Erika,” Sorkin explained.

03.07.2025 - 01:25 [ Orly Noy / +972 Magazine ]

The Knesset vs Ayman Odeh

On Monday, the Knesset House Committee voted to impeach Palestinian parliamentarian Ayman Odeh, head of the predominantly Arab Hadash-Ta’al list. His crime? In January, as the two-month Gaza ceasefire came into effect, Odeh tweeted: “I am happy about the release of the [Israeli] hostages and [Palestinian] prisoners. From here, both peoples must be freed from the yoke of the occupation. We were all born free.”

As I watched the committee’s hearing, I felt like my eyes were bleeding. It was physically unbearable. Knesset members from across the political spectrum — who aren’t worthy of the dust on Odeh’s shoes when it comes to humanism, morality, and democratic integrity — competed to see who could spew the vilest rhetoric against him.

No one paid attention to the Knesset’s legal adviser — who, after the obligatory lip service condemning Odeh’s “disgusting statements,” concluded that there was no legal basis for his impeachment. And it goes without saying that no one listened to Odeh’s attorney, Dr. Hassan Jabareen, who explained why the proposal was procedurally flawed, legally unsound, and morally bankrupt.

From the first sentence to the last, the hearing was a farce.

03.07.2025 - 01:07 [ Jerusalem Post ]

MK Ayman Odeh decries Knesset House Committee as ‚fascist‘ after impeachment vote

The impeachment was not just a response to specific statements but directed against “Odeh as a person and everything he represents,” Boaron said in his closing argument. At the end of the hearing, committee chairman Ofir Katz (Likud) said Odeh was a “bitter enemy” of Israel, and in a “normal country,” he would “rot in jail.”

Only Ra’am MK Waleed Taha and Hadash-Ta’al MK Ahmad Tibi voted against his impeachment.

30.06.2025 - 20:59 [ Middle East Monitor ]

Israeli Knesset committee approves motion to impeach Arab lawmaker Ayman Odeh

The motion will now move to the Knesset’s plenary session for a majority vote of 90 members out of 120 to complete Odeh’s impeachment.

Even if his impeachment is approved, the Arab MK will still be able to file a petition against the decision with the Supreme Court.

Palestinians of 1948 (Arabs inside Israel) constitute 21% of Israel’s nearly 10 million population.

30.06.2025 - 20:54 [ Times of Israel ]

Panel votes to impeach Arab MK Ayman Odeh, paving way for possible ouster from Knesset

While a similar effort to oust Hadash-Ta’al MK Ofer Cassif failed in the Knesset plenum in February 2024 due to insufficient support from the opposition, opposition representatives on the committee were very much in favor of the motion this time around, with both Yesh Atid MK Simon Davidson and National Unity lawmaker Pnina Tamano-Shata voting in favor of impeachment.

26.06.2025 - 03:45 [ Communist Party of Israel ]

Knesset Holds Impeachment Hearing for Hadash MK Ayman Odeh

The Knesset Home Committee held an impeachment hearing against Hadash-Ta’al chair MK Ayman Odeh on Tuesday morning, June 24, after far-right Likud MK Avihai Boaron in recent weeks collected 70 signatures from MKs in favor of launching the procedure who received the support of opposition MKs from three Zionist parties – Yisrael Beytenu, National Unity, and Yesh Atid.

23.01.2024 - 04:44 [ Times of Israel ]

No-confidence motion against Netanyahu fails in Knesset, with only 18 votes in favor

With the government’s popularity plummeting, a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nevertheless garnered only 18 votes in the Knesset on Monday evening, falling far short of the necessary majority to pass in the 120-strong Knesset plenum.

The vote was boycotted by the coalition, whose heads stated earlier in the day that they would “not take part in political theater during wartime.”

23.10.2023 - 04:45 [ Reuters ]

Argentina‘s Peronists post shock election win to seal run-off with libertarian Milei

Argentina‘s ruling Peronist coalition smashed expectations to lead the country‘s general election on Sunday, setting the stage for a polarized run-off vote next month between Economy Minister Sergio Massa and far-right libertarian radical Javier Milei.

23.10.2023 - 04:30 [ MercoPress.com ]

No president-elect in Argentina

Economy Minister Sergio Massa received 35.9% of the vote, followed by La Libertad Avanza (LLA) Congressman Javier Milei (30.51%), who had emerged as the winner of the Aug. 13th Mandatory, Open and Simultaneous Preliminary Elections (PASO).

Juntos por el Cambio (JxC) of former President Mauricio Macri saw its candidate Patricia Bullrich with 23.61% of the vote.

14.07.2023 - 08:28 [ Haaretz ]

Netanyahu‘s Ministers Are Lashing Out Against Biden. This Isn‘t the First Time

After New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wrote that a „reassessment“ of U.S.-Israel relations is inevitable and „a necessity before [Israel] truly does go off the rails,“ in light of the judicial overhaul on Wednesday, Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu joined the chorus of detractors on Wednesday.

Eliyahu told the Ynet news site that he believed Biden was being „fed by the radical left in the United States.”

14.07.2023 - 08:15 [ Haaretz ]

Biden Isn’t Reversing Trump’s Major Settlement Move – Yet

(Jun 27, 2023)

The Biden administration took its most decisive action against Israel’s settlement enterprise this month, telling Jerusalem it will not be transferring any funds to research institutes or scientific and technological projects taking place in the West Bank.

Yet despite its change of policy regarding academic institutions across the Green Line (it told Israelis officials of the decision a few weeks ago, but the news only broke on Sunday), the White House has not overturned the Trump administration’s policy that the United States no longer views Israel’s settlements as illegal.

14.07.2023 - 08:12 [ Haaretz ]

‚Antisemitic Boycott of Israel‘: Republicans Threaten Retaliation Over Biden Settlement Policy

(Jul 12, 2023)

Republican members of Congress and presidential contenders are amplifying their criticism of U.S. President Joe Biden‘s Israel policy, largely centered around Biden‘s decision to stop transferring funds to research institutes or scientific and technological projects in the West Bank.

This is despite the fact that Biden stopped short of reversing the majority of Donald Trump‘s doctrine on Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

14.07.2023 - 07:31 [ Times of Israel ]

Herzog receives formal White House invitation, with PM still waiting on invite

US President Joe Biden on Thursday formally extended an invitation for President Isaac Herzog to visit the White House on Tuesday, July 18, in an embrace of Israel’s head of state as Washington’s ties with the current government in Jerusalem remain icy.

Herzog will be in Washington to give an address on Wednesday to a joint session of Congress in honor of Israel’s 75th anniversary.

14.07.2023 - 07:22 [ New York Times ]

The U.S. Reassessment of Netanyahu’s Government Has Begun

(July 11, 2023)

Whenever people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them that I’m a translator from English to English.

16.01.2023 - 12:05 [ Ynetnews.com ]

Netanyahu brushes off mass protests; calls justice reform ‚will of the people‘

„My friends and I, many of whom are here around the table, have said this countless times, and millions of citizens who voted for the right-wing camp knew about the intention to reform the judicial system comprehensively,“ the prime minister added. „More than that, they demanded it from us. Anyone who was at our election rallies, in the city centers, in the neighborhoods, we heard the voice rising from the crowd.“

11.01.2023 - 13:32 [ Haaretz ]

‚Police Promised They Won‘t Be Violent Against Protesters‘ in Tel Aviv This Weekend

Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai met on Wednesday with former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya‘alon, former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo, and attorney Eliad Shraga, chairman of The Movement for Quality Government, in light of the protest against planned judicial reforms in Israel and ahead of the Saturday demonstration in Tel Aviv.

19.12.2022 - 02:55 [ J Street / YouTube ]

‚I am worried for my own children‘ | Hadash Leader Ayman Odeh Addresses #JStreet2

(04.12.2022)

„It is not despite these challenges, but because of them, that I have not given up.“

J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy advocates.