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In New York City, Israeli President Isaac Herzog encounters protesters — and tough questions
(New York Jewish Week) — On New York’s Upper East Side, a crowd of a few dozen holding Israeli flags chanted “de-mo-cra-tia,” the Hebrew word for “democracy.” Some held signs playing on the 1982 song by Ehud Manor “I Have No Other Country” that has become a theme song of their movement. One sign read, “President Herzog, don’t sugarcoat our plight.”
The protesters had gathered on Thursday in advance of Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s appearance at a UJA-Federation event, as part of his New York visit marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel and concluding his three-day diplomatic trip to the United States. Earlier in the week, Herzog had given an address to Congress touting the strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship, eliciting multiple standing ovations, and met with President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C.
The protesters have been setting up shop outside the public appearances of all Israeli government officials visiting the United States for the last six months, in a show of opposition against legislation that would sap the power of Israel’s Supreme Court. Herzog — whose political party is not in the ruling coalition and who has said the legislation could instigate a “civil war” — has been trying to broker a compromise over the legislation.
On Thursday, even as the first pieces of the judiciary changes neared completion, Herzog expressed optimism about those talks during his conversation with CNN senior global affairs analyst Bianna Golodryga before an audience of Jewish leaders from across New York City. (The event was held at the Midtown headquarters of UJA-Federation. The group is a funder of 70 Faces Media.) Golodryga pressed him judicial reform, the relationship between the U.S. and Israel, aid to Ukraine and antisemitism.
“Right now there are efforts to try and find solutions and I hope that leaders would be responsible and attentive to the ability of finding amicable solutions and live consensus on this issue,” Herzog said on the judicial reform issue. “If one side wins, Israel will lose.”
On claims that Israel has not done enough to support Ukraine, Herzog said that an early detection alert system “like every Israeli has” is set to be deployed in Ukraine sometime next month to warn citizens of imminent attacks. “This is vital to their well-being and their protection,” he said.
Protesters gather outside of an event where Israeli President Isaac Herzog was scheduled to speak July 20, 2023. (Jackie Hajdenberg)
The live conversation followed meetings earlier in the day with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. People who attended said they appreciated Herzog’s message, even as they remain concerned about Israel’s future.
“What could he have said that would have satisfied this audience? I don’t know,” said Jamie Maxner, director of strategic partnerships and community engagement at Hannah Senesh Community Day School, who attended with others from Brooklyn.
“I did appreciate that from what he shared, that we need to be talking, we need to hear all of the perspectives,” Maxner added.
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The post In New York City, Israeli President Isaac Herzog encounters protesters — and tough questions appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Germany’s Halt to Arms Exports to Israel Is Response to Gaza Expansion Plans, Chancellor Says
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends a cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Aug. 6, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Liesa Johannssen
Germany’s decision to curb arms exports to Israel comes in response to Israel’s plan to expand its operations in the Gaza Strip, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday in an interview with public broadcaster ARD.
“We cannot deliver weapons into a conflict that is now being pursued exclusively by military means,” Merz said. “We want to help diplomatically, and we are doing so.”
The worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel’s plans to expand military control over the enclave have pushed Germany to take this historically fraught step.
The chancellor said in the interview that the expansion of Israel’s operations in Gaza could claim hundreds of thousands of civilian lives and would require the evacuation of the entire city of Gaza.
“Where are these people supposed to go?” Merz said. “We can’t do that, we won’t do that, and I will not do that.”
Nevertheless, the principles of Germany’s Israel policy remain unchanged, the chancellor said.
“Germany has stood firmly by Israel’s side for 80 years. That will not change,” Merz said.
Germany is Israel’s second-biggest weapons supplier after the US and has long been one of its staunchest supporters, principally because of its historical guilt for the Nazi Holocaust – a policy known as the “Staatsraison.”
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Newsom Calls Trump’s $1 Billion UCLA Settlement Offer Extortion, Says California Won’t Bow
California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks at a press conference, accompanied by members of the Texas Democratic legislators, at the governor’s mansion in Sacramento, California, U.S., August 8, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Barria
California Governor Gavin Newsom said on Saturday that a $1 billion settlement offer by President Donald Trump’s administration for UCLA amounted to political extortion to which the state will not bow.
The University of California says it is reviewing a $1 billion settlement offer by the Trump administration for UCLA after the government froze hundreds of millions of dollars in funding over pro-Palestinian protests.
UCLA, which is part of the University of California system, said this week the government froze $584 million in funding. Trump has threatened to cut federal funds for universities over anti-Israel student protests.
“Donald Trump has weaponized the DOJ (Department of Justice) to kneecap America’s #1 public university system — freezing medical & science funding until @UCLA pays his $1 billion ransom,” the office of Newsom, a Democrat, said in a post.
“California won’t bow to Trump’s disgusting political extortion,” it added.
“This isn’t about protecting Jewish students – it’s a billion-dollar political shakedown from the pay-to-play president.”
The government alleges universities, including UCLA, allowed antisemitism during the protests and in doing so violated Jewish and Israeli students’ civil rights. The White House had no immediate comment beyond the offer.
Experts have raised free speech and academic freedom concerns over the Republican president’s threats. The University of California says paying such a large settlement would “completely devastate” the institution.
Large demonstrations took place at UCLA last year. Last week, UCLA agreed to pay over $6 million to settle a lawsuit by some students and a professor who alleged antisemitism. It was also sued this year over a 2024 violent mob attack on pro-Palestinian protesters.
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Trump Nominates State Dept Spokeswoman Bruce as US Deputy Representative to UN
FILE PHOTO: U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce speaks during her first press briefing at the State Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 6, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
President Donald Trump said on Saturday he was nominating State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce as the next US deputy representative to the United Nations.
Bruce has been the State Department spokesperson since Trump took office in January.
In a post on social media in which Trump announced her nomination, the president said she did a “fantastic job” as State Department spokesperson. Bruce will need to be confirmed for the role by the US Senate, where Trump’s Republican Party holds a majority.
During press briefings, she has defended the Trump administration’s foreign policy decisions ranging from an immigration crackdown and visa revocations to US responses to Russia’s war in Ukraine and Israel’s war in Gaza, including a widely condemned armed private aid operation in the Palestinian territory.
Bruce was previously a political contributor and commentator on Fox News for over 20 years.
She has also authored books like “Fear Itself: Exposing the Left’s Mind-Killing Agenda” that criticized liberals and left-leaning viewpoints.
In a post after Trump’s announcement, Bruce thanked him and suggested that the role was a “few weeks” away. Neither Trump nor Bruce mentioned an exact timeline in their online posts.
“Now I’m blessed that in the next few weeks my commitment to advancing America First leadership and values continues on the global stage in this new post,” Bruce wrote on X.
Trump has picked former White House national security adviser Mike Waltz to be his U.N. envoy. Waltz’s Senate confirmation for that role, wherein he will be Bruce’s boss, is still due.
Waltz was Trump’s national security adviser until he was ousted on May 1 after he was caught up in a March scandal involving a Signal chat among top Trump national security aides on military strikes in Yemen. Trump then nominated Waltz as his U.N. ambassador.