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Republican Jewish Coalition Announces ‘Praise Israel’ Challenge for Democratic National Convention Speakers

Matt Brooks, CEO of the Republican Jewish Coalition, holds a kippah in support of former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump as he speaks on Day 2 of the Republican National Convention, at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, July 16, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Mike Segar

The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) has issued a challenge to speakers at the upcoming Democratic National Convention (DNC), calling on them to ask the crowd to cheer if they support Israel.

The RJC, a group which advocates for closer ties between the Republican Party and the Jewish community, announced the “Praise Israel” challenge on Monday, one week before the DNC is set to begin in Chicago.

“The RJC is officially challenging every speaker at the Democratic Convention in Chicago to ‘Praise Israel’: If you speak from the main stage and ask the crowd to cheer if they support Israel, the RJC will donate to plant 1,800 trees in Israel in your name, to showcase your standing with the Jewish state,” the group said in a press release.

RJC CEO Matt Brooks said in a statement that the challenge was inspired by his experience speaking at the Republican National Convention (RNC).

“Last month in Milwaukee, I spoke at the 2024 RNC Convention from the main stage at Fiserv Forum,” Brooks said. “I opened my remarks with a simple rallying call to everyone in the arena: ‘Let me hear you cheer if you support Israel!’ The crowd erupted in rapturous applause, demonstrating deep and widespread support for America’s best ally in the Middle East. I followed this by saying: ‘Now if you tried that at the Democrats’ convention, you’d be booed off the stage.’”

In its press release, the RJC noted that its vow to plant 1,800 trees was not arbitrary, noting that chai, the Hebrew word for “life,” is associated with the number 18.

“For those wondering ‘why 1,800?’ — it is 100 x 18, which stands for chai, ‘life’ in Hebrew,” the group stated. 

The RJC statement came amid a strained relationship between the Democratic Party and the Jewish state that has deteriorated in the months following Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel. Most Democrats initially expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself from Hamas terrorists, but prominent figures in the party have, in recent months, adopted a more adversarial posture toward the Jewish state, often citing the humanitarian situation in Gaza as a key reason.

High-profile Democrats such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (MA) have suggested that Israel has perpetrated a “genocide” against Palestinians in Hamas-ruled Gaza, where Israel has been waging a military campaign targeting terrorists since the Oct. 7 atrocities. Earlier this year, a group of dozens of Democratic lawmakers, including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), sent a letter to US President Joe Biden, urging him to “reconsider” approving offensive arms shipments to Israel.

Meanwhile, Jews, a traditionally liberal voting bloc, have shown signs of shifting to the political right. Recent polls suggest that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump might see a historic surge in Jewish support in November, although it remains highly unlikely that he will win a majority of the Jewish vote.

Jewish voters prefer Democratic nominee Kamala Harris over Trump by a margin of 52.7 percent to 45.9 percent, according to a survey conducted by pollster Richard Baris. The poll indicated a softening of support for Democrats among Jewish voters, potentially stemming from dissatisfaction over the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war.

The post Republican Jewish Coalition Announces ‘Praise Israel’ Challenge for Democratic National Convention Speakers first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Lebanon Must Disarm Hezbollah to Have a Shot at Better Days, Says US Envoy

Thomas Barrack at the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., November 4, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

i24 News – Lebanon’s daunting social, economic and political issues would not get resolved unless the state persists in the efforts to disarm Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy behind so much of the unrest and destruction, special US envoy Tom Barrack told The National.

“You have Israel on one side, you have Iran on the other, and now you have Syria manifesting itself so quickly that if Lebanon doesn’t move, it’s going to be Bilad Al Sham again,” he said, using the historical Arabic name for the region sometimes known as “larger Syria.”

The official stressed the need to follow through on promises to disarm the Iranian proxy, which suffered severe blows from Israel in the past year, including the elimination of its entire leadership, and is considered a weakened though still dangerous jihadist outfit.

“There are issues that we have to arm wrestle with each other over to come to a final conclusion. Remember, we have an agreement, it was a great agreement. The problem is, nobody followed it,” he told The National.

Barrack spoke on the heels of a trip to Beirut, where he proposed a diplomatic plan for the region involving the full disarmament of Hezbollah by the Lebanese state.

The post Lebanon Must Disarm Hezbollah to Have a Shot at Better Days, Says US Envoy first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Report: Putin Urges Iran to Accept ‘Zero Enrichment’ Nuclear Deal With US

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of a cultural forum dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the birth of the Turkmen poet and philosopher Magtymguly Fragi, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Oct. 11, 2024. Photo: Sputnik/Alexander Scherbak/Pool via REUTERS

i24 News – Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Iranian leadership that he supports the idea of a nuclear deal in which Iran is unable to enrich uranium, the Axios website reported on Saturday. The Russian strongman also relayed the message to his American counterpart, President Donald Trump, the report said.

Iranian news agency Tasnim issued a denial, citing an “informed source” as saying Putin had not sent any message to Iran in this regard.

Also on Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that “Any negotiated solution must respect Iran’s right to enrichment. No agreement without recognizing our right to enrichment. If negotiations occur, the only topic will be the nuclear program. No other issues, especially defense or military matters, will be on the agenda.”

The post Report: Putin Urges Iran to Accept ‘Zero Enrichment’ Nuclear Deal With US first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Syria’s Al-Sharaa Attending At Least One Meeting With Israeli Officials in Azerbaijan

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 7, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/Pool

i24 News – Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is attending at least one meeting with Israeli officials in Azerbaijan today, despite sources in Damascus claiming he wasn’t attending, a Syrian source close to President Al-Sharaa tells i24NEWS.

The Syrian source stated that this is a series of two or three meetings between the sides, with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani also in attendance, along with Ahmed Al-Dalati, the Syrian government’s liaison for security meetings with Israel.

The high-level Israeli delegation includes a special envoy of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, as well as security and military figures.

The purpose of the meetings is to discuss further details of the security agreement to be signed between Israel and Syria, the Iranian threat in Syria and Lebanon, Hezbollah’s weapons, the weapons of Palestinian militias, the Palestinians camps in Lebanon, and the future of Palestinian refugees from Gaza in the region.

The possibility of opening an Israeli coordination office in Damascus, without diplomatic status, might also be discussed.

The source stated that the decision to hold the meetings in Azerbaijan, made by Israel and the US, is intended to send a message to Iran.

The post Syria’s Al-Sharaa Attending At Least One Meeting With Israeli Officials in Azerbaijan first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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