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In a New York Times article published today, Katie Glueck reported on the Republican Jewish Coalition's significant ad buy of $1 million in the GOP primary for Indiana's 8th congressional district. She wrote:

The Republican Jewish Coalition is planning a significant campaign opposing former Representative John N. Hostettler, who served in Congress from 1995 until 2007, and is now in the state’s Eighth District.

The RJC has reserved $1 million for advertising on broadcast and cable television in the district to defeat Mr. Hostettler and support one of his opponents, State Senator Mark Messmer, said Matt Brooks, the RJC’s chief executive.

"We want to send a message to everybody, loud and clear, that if you don’t stand with the Jewish community, if you don’t stand with Israel, Republican or Democrat, the RJC is going to work to do what we can to defeat you," Mr. Brooks said.

The airtime reservation begins April 10.

In a press release, the RJC explained the reason for the decision to oppose Hostettler: "We are deeply troubled by John Hostettler's past record and RJC is committed to ensuring he does not get back to Congress. Hostettler has consistently opposed vital aid to Israel, trafficked antisemitic conspiracy theories, and voted against a 2000 resolution which supported Israel and condemned Palestinian leadership over the violence of the second Intifada."

The New York Times article continued:

… It is a notable example of Republicans policing their own on the subject of Israel, which has in recent years roiled many Democratic races, even before the war in Gaza.

… Mr. Brooks said the last Republican whom the organization advertised against was Steve King, a former Iowa congressman with a history of racist comments, who was defeated in 2020.

"We’re going to do everything we can not to allow anti-Israel voices to come to Congress," Mr. Brooks said.

Marc Rod at the Jewish Insider writes about strongly worded objections from Senate Republicans to the Biden administration's continued policy of waiving sanctions on Iran:

A group of 13 Senate Republicans raised concerns on Thursday about the Biden administration’s decision last month to renew a sanctions waiver allowing Iraq to purchase electricity from Iran, which could allow Iran to access up to $10 billion in funds.

Writing to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Tony Blinken, the lawmakers said that the waiver "makes restricted Iranian funds more accessible” to potentially support malign activities and that “the administration appears to be disregarding congressional intent that any payments made to Iran remain severely restricted."

They called it "unfathomable" for the administration to waive the sanctions on Iran in light of its proxies' activities throughout the region.

… Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, led the letter, joined by Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID), Katie Britt (R-AL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Todd Young, (R-IN), Rick Scott (R-FL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and John Cornyn (R-TX).

The RJC responded this week to remarks by President Joe Biden after the accidental deaths of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza. President Biden lectured Israel, saying, "Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers…Israel has also not done enough to protect civilians." The RJC's response was quoted in several outlets, including the Jewish Press and the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS):

• Jewish Press: Biden uses aid workers’ accidental death to attack Israel

The Republican Jewish Coalition on Tuesday released a statement titled, "Joe Biden Must Stop Undermining Israel," saying:

..."Mister President, let’s be clear: 1. Hamas is the party that intentionally and indiscriminately targets civilians in Israel and in Gaza, and 2. Based on everything we know, Israel has done more in this war to prevent civilian casualties than any military in modern history, including our own.

"When the US military botched an airstrike in Kabul killing ten civilians, on Joe Biden’s watch in 2021, he dismissed criticism, offered no apology, and went to the beach for the weekend. Needless to say, Israel issued no statements of condemnation. That’s not how you treat an ally – unless you’re Joe Biden and the Democrats."

• JNS: ‘Israel has also not done enough to protect civilians,’ Biden says

Matt Brooks, CEO of the Republican Jewish Coalition, stated that the deaths of the aid workers "is a tragedy, which appears to have been a terrible mistake."

"Israel has responded as a professional military should when it makes a mistake: accept responsibility, transparently investigate the causes, adjust its practices and potentially discipline those who made a reckless error," Brooks stated.

In the Jewish Policy Center's latest InFOCUS magazine, Middle East expert Harold Rhodes discusses the fundamental misunderstandings that damage Western efforts to confront Iran:

Periodically, the United States or Israel makes a concession to an adversary, planning – or hoping – for reciprocity. The underlying assumption is that, as the stronger party, they can afford to be generous and even, on occasion, to miscalculate. This is a fundamental misreading, not of the strength of the American or Israeli position, but of how the Muslim world will understand the concession. In the Muslim world, only weak people make concessions. An offer to compromise is a sign of weakness, encouraging those receiving one not only NOT to reciprocate, but to increase the pressure against their adversaries.

The frameworks are different… Sadly, we don’t understand how people in that part of the world think. And more importantly, we seem almost never interested in learning. And in this case, our policy is based on a misunderstanding of how Iran sees itself.

The RJC PAC is committed to helping Republicans win majorities in the House and Senate and take back the White House this year!

Visit the RJCPAC Portal and support Republican candidates in key battleground states, including the RJC PAC's most recent endorsees:

Bernie Moreno (Sen-OH), Nick LaLota (NY-1), Virginia Foxx (NC-05), Dave McCormick (Sen-PA), August Pfluger (TX-11), and Tony Gonzales (TX-23).

When you donate to a candidate through the RJC PAC Portal, your entire donation goes to the candidate your chose and they will know that they have the support of an RJC member who cares about our priority issues.

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Hirsch: After five months of war

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue on the Upper West Side of New York City, gave a stirring sermon last month on "where we are" five months after the attack of October 7 in Israel. His message is about keeping our humanity in a time of war, the existential nature of this war for Israel, the western, liberal values we must protect, and the resilience and courage of the Jewish people.

Washington Free Beacon: Biden admin hails 'revitalized' Palestinian Authority. But new ministers support murder of Jews

The White House on Friday welcomed the formation of a new Palestinian Authority government, suggesting the West Bank-based PA was on track to take over administration of Gaza from Hamas… However, at least two of the newly installed PA ministers have advocated Palestinian terrorism against Jews.

Daroff: Where is the world's outrage on behalf of the hostages in Gaza?

The six-month milestone of the Hamas pogrom is fast approaching. On April 7, we will mark half a year since Hamas massacred 1,200 Israelis and abducted another 250 to the Gaza Strip. Over 130 of those captives remain in the terror army’s dungeons.

The plight of the hostages has outraged the Israeli public and the global Jewish Diaspora, who are plastering streets with hostage posters and organizing empty Shabbat tables and vigils to symbolize the absence of loved ones. Every single Sunday, you will find dozens of Jews and Israelis rallying in New York’s Central Park, on DC’s National Mall, and in cities around the globe to continue raising awareness.

But where is the rest of the world?

Mandel: What Chuck Schumer has wrought

Congratulations to Chuck Schumer, this year’s true April Fool. The predictably vile consequences of his public attacks on Israeli democracy are here, and no doubt there will be more coming… Schumer has helped to open the floodgates of Jew-baiting when he called for regime change in an allied country.

… The Jamaal Bowmans and Jeff Merkleys of the world are bothered by the fact that survival is popular with the Israeli public. And Chuck Schumer has given all such demagogues the green light to continue preaching against the legitimacy of the Jewish state.

Newsweek: Donald Trump Is winning back anti-Trump Republican donors

A top Republican donor who previously backed Donald Trump's rivals Tim Scott and Nikki Haley in the GOP primary has now confirmed he will be voting for the former president in the 2024 election.

Eric Levine, who has frequently said he wouldn't vote for Trump in the wake of the January 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021, has written a memo which has been shared on social media confirming he is switching allegiances, while stating that "the adage of 'never say never' is a wise one."

… "Unfortunately, as much as I—like 70% of my fellow Americans—wanted something better, the November election will present us with the binary choice between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The question becomes: as between the two, who will leave a better, safer, and more prosperous America for my grandchildren? Hands down, the answer is Trump."

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