New Episode of Israel Policy Pod:

On this week’s episode, Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor and Tel Aviv-based journalist Neri Zilber and Israel Policy Forum Director of Strategic Initiatives and IPF Atid Shanie Reichman discuss the recent terror attacks against Jews in America, the safety of the American Jewish community, the controversial new humanitarian aid plan for Gaza and competing narratives over chaos and violence at the aid distribution hubs, growing international pressure on Israel, the latest Israeli domestic political intrigues, and more. 

June Speaking Tour

Israel Policy Forum is hosting a national speaking tour this month featuring Israeli, Palestinian, Saudi, and Egyptian voices offering grounded, firsthand insights into the region they all call home.

These candid discussions will examine the path forward for a post-Hamas Gaza, the unifying threat of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and the deepening tensions amid Israel’s prolonged military campaign. From security and humanitarian crises to prospects for regional normalization, this conversation will explore how shared interests and pragmatic U.S. diplomacy can help guarantee the stability required to ensure a better tomorrow for all peoples and Israel’s future as a secure, Jewish, and democratic state. 

This Week's Koplow Column:

Antisemitism is infinitely adaptable and resistant to political boundaries. We must be willing to transcend our ideological inclinations in order to confront it, argues Chief Policy Officer Michael Koplow in this week's Koplow Column.

Israel Policy Forum Experts in the News:

• Joining Dan Raviv on The Mossad Files, Chief Policy Officer Michael Koplow reflects on the state of the Gaza war, nuclear talks with Iran, coalition politics, and more. 
   

• In The Financial Times, Policy Advisor Neri Zilber wrote on the humanitarian aid situation in Gaza, the rift in Netanyahu's coalition, and more. 

Israel Policy News This Week:

• The IDF continued to expand its operations under Gideon’s Chariots, pushing deeper into Khan Younis and neighborhoods in northern Gaza. Four IDF soldiers were killed in Gaza this week, three by a roadside IED and another in a gunfight. The IDF recovered the bodies of hostages Judith Weinstein Haggai and Gadi Haggai, who were killed during the October 7 attack and whose bodies were held by the Mujahideen Brigades throughout the war. 
   

• The IDF confirmed that Hamas’ military leader in Gaza, Mohammed Sinwar, alongside Rafah Brigade commander Mohamed Salameh and South Khan Younis Battalion commander Mahdi Quara, was killed in a strike in Khan Younis three weeks ago. The military announced the destruction of numerous tunnel complexes, hundreds of strikes, seizure of weapons and rockets, and the killing of numerous militants, including the Hamas operative responsible for the death of 21 IDF soldiers in January 2024, the war’s deadliest single incident. 
   

• The new Gaza aid mechanism backed by Israel—reportedly by at least NIS 700 million ($200 million) from the government—and run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) continued to face major capacity and security challenges, with sites repeatedly closing for maintenance after damage due to overcrowding and looting. A number of violent and contested incidents near aid sites have drawn strong international criticism and damaged the credibility of the operation, with consultant BCG dropping out of the project. Israel Policy Forum has a more detailed assessment of the challenges impacting the new mechanism.
   

• Prime Minister Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel was arming clans primarily in southern Gaza, including the Yasser Abu Shabab Forces—known for their prior affiliation with IS and for looting aid in Gaza—to create an alternative to Hamas. This was done without cabinet approval. Both Arab states and the Israeli opposition sharply criticized the move, with the former warning it would lead to Somalia-style chaos in Gaza and the latter arguing that arming such groups would harm Israel down the road.
   

• The IDF conducted significant strikes throughout Lebanon over the past week, including highly publicized strikes on drone workshops in Hezbollah’s southern Beirut stronghold of Dahiyeh. Other strikes killed operatives and commanders in Hezbollah’s anti-tank and rocket units.
   

• The first rockets were fired at Israel from Syrian territory in over a year, with multiple relatively obscure militant groups claiming credit. Israel said it would hold the new Syrian government responsible and shelled several targets in response, drawing a Syrian condemnation and reiteration that Syria does not want to be drawn into conflict with Israel. Earlier in the week, the IDF struck anti-ship missiles in the Syrian port of Latakia. Israel-Turkey talks mediated by Azerbaijan over deconfliction in Syria are ongoing. 
   

• The Houthis launched at least four ballistic missiles at Israel over the past week, all of which were successfully intercepted by air defense systems. 
   

• Israel denied entry to a Saudi-led delegation of Arab foreign ministers who had planned to visit the West Bank to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, drawing angry condemnations.
   

• U.S.-Iran nuclear talks continued, though a U.S. offer that reportedly allowed for some Iranian uranium enrichment was both disavowed hours later by President Trump and later rejected by Iran. Israel has assured the U.S. that it will not strike Iran, which is working hard to rebuild its air defenses after retaliatory Israeli strikes in 2024, until the U.S. has declared negotiations a failure. In the meantime, Iran continues to rapidly grow its highly enriched uranium stockpile, which the IAEA now estimates contains enough material for ten nuclear weapons, and is purchasing massive quantities of ballistic missile components from China.
   

• Israeli arms exports surged to a record $14.8 billion in 2024, with nearly half coming from air defense systems, missiles, and rockets. 54% of sales went to Europe, 23% to the Asia-Pacific, and 12% to other Middle Eastern countries, mostly in deals worth over $50 million. Despite some contract cancellations, like Spain’s $325 million contract with Rafael for Spike missiles, defense exports are expected to keep rising: Rafael unveiled three laser-based Iron Beam air defense systems this week, which have already been used to shoot down Hezbollah drones. 
   

• The U.S. implemented sanctions against four International Criminal Court justices, the first such instance since ICC prosecutor Karim Khan was sanctioned concurrently with the Trump administration’s establishment of the ICC sanctions regime in February. Two judges were sanctioned over the ICC’s ongoing investigation into Israel’s conduct in the West Bank and Gaza and approval of arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and ex-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and the other two for their involvement in the ICC’s Afghanistan investigation, which includes examination of U.S. conduct there.
   

• Both Haredi parties—the Ashkenazi United Torah Judaism and Sephardic Shas—decided to begin the process of leaving the government due to frustration over the failure to pass a Haredi draft exemption. Combined, the parties are strong enough to bring down the government should they choose to vote in favor of the opposition’s vote of no confidence scheduled for next Wednesday, which would advance new Knesset elections. As Haredi street protests intensify and amid coordinated draft-dodging efforts, the IDF announced plans to send out some 54,000 draft notices to Haredi youth in July. 

Israel Policy Forum in the Community

IPF Atid New York—Policy at the Forefront: A Conversation on Leadership and Strategy in the Middle East With David Halperin

IPF Atid New York partnered with JCC Harlem, Base Harlem, and the YM&YWHA to host a briefing with Israel Policy Forum CEO David Halperin on the evolving landscape of leadership and policy in the Middle East.

IPF Atid Policy Fellowship: Final Cohort Meeting

Our 2024-2025 cohort of IPF Atid Policy Fellows met for the last monthly cohort meeting of the fellowship. The group spoke with Washington Managing Director and Senior Fellow Rachel Brandenburg on the importance of two states at this critical juncture. As many of our fellows graduate, we look forward to working with them as young professionals.

IPF Atid Toronto Film Screening: No Other Land

IPF Atid Toronto Chair Miri Teich hosted a screening of the film No Other Land. This screening was followed by a nuanced discussion unpacking the film, including both criticism and praise, and a conversation on what the audience learned or found uncomfortable.

IPF Atid Bay Area Shabbat Dinner: Reforming the Palestinian Authority 

IPF Atid Bay Area Steering Committee Member Ilan Siegel hosted Policy and Communications Associate Gabriel Epstein in San Francisco for a community shabbat dinner and discussion focused on Israel Policy Forum’s report on reforming the Palestinian Authority. 

IPF Atid in Portland, Oregon

Gabriel Epstein spoke to the Portland Federation about current political trends and developments in Israel. 

IPF Atid Virtual Program: Reforming the Palestinian Authority 

IPF Atid hosted a virtual briefing with Jess Manville, Ibrahim Dalalsha, and Gabriel Epstein, authors of No Time to Lose: A Blueprint for Reforming the Palestinian Authority.

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The Weekly Briefing is a round-up of this week's news and analysis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, U.S.-Israel relations, Israeli politics, and future prospects for a two-state outcome. Included are links or stories from various sources and news outlets, which may contain typos, grammatical errors, or unverified information. Please be aware that any views or opinions presented in this communication are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the policy or position of Israel Policy Forum.

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