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Democratic leaders under heightened pressure to back Israel cease-fire on November 17, 2023 at 10:50 am
Democratic leaders in Washington are facing increasing pressure to prod Israel to scale back military operations in Gaza, where rising civilian casualties have triggered human rights protests around the U.S. and sparked heightened calls for a cease-fire from Democratic lawmakers, administration officials and the party’s liberal base.
Behind President Biden, Democratic leaders have pressed for billions of dollars in humanitarian assistance for civilian victims of the conflict — Israeli and Palestinian alike. But they’ve rebuffed the entreaties of their left flank to back a cease-fire, citing Israel’s right to defend itself in the wake of Hamas’s brutal terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, which left roughly 1,200 people dead.
“Hamas has already said publicly that they plan on attacking Israel again,” Biden said Wednesday during a rare press conference in California. “And so the idea that they’re going to just stop and not do anything is not realistic.”
That position is growing more contentious as the civilian casualties continue to grow in Gaza, where more than 11,000 Palestinians — many of the children — have been killed since the war began, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The rising toll has eroded public support for Israel’s handling of the conflict, according to recent polls, which is manifesting itself on a number of domestic fronts, all of which are creating political headaches for Democratic leaders.
In Boston, protestors this week blocked a well-trafficked bridge, in part to urge Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) to back a cease-fire. On Capitol Hill, Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) on Thursday became the first Jewish lawmaker to support an immediate end to hostilities, reversing her initial position to join roughly two dozen of her House colleagues supporting a cease-fire. And hundreds of administration officials have reportedly written to Biden to protest his position on the conflict.
Some liberal activists, meanwhile, are warning Democrats of an electoral backlash in 2024 if they don’t endorse a cease-fire, saying the party’s continued support for Israel’s military operations will deflate the base to the advantage of former President Trump and Republicans.
“As someone who has personally worked to mobilize voters — particularly young voters — to vote for the Democratic Party in these elections, I know how crucial motivation and faith in the party is to being able to turn out people to vote,” Eva Borgwardt, the national spokesperson for IfNotNow, said Thursday. “And right now I know so many young voters, including Jewish voters, who are looking at the actions of our Democratic leadership and being completely, completely horrified and disillusioned by the response of our party to refuse to call for a cease-fire and end this horrific war.”
Borgwardt, who is Jewish, was among the activists who rallied Wednesday night at the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) headquarters near the Capitol, where protestors challenged Democratic lawmakers to support a cease-fire — a demonstration that devolved into a violent altercation with U.S. Capitol Police, who evacuated lawmakers from the building.
The details of that clash are highly contested. The Capitol Police maintain that the protestors were violent, ignoring commands and pepper-spraying officers in an aggressive display that left six officers injured.
“We have handled hundreds of peaceful protests, but last night’s group was not peaceful,” the agency said.
The protestors deny those allegations, saying they were staging a peaceful candlelight vigil for victims of the conflict when the officers attacked them unprompted.
“That act of peace and moral act of civil disobedience was violently shut down by police who escalated against us and injured 90 of our community members,” said Jessica Rosenberg, a rabbi representing Jewish Voice for Peace. “The police officers gave no dispersal warning.”
A number of Democratic lawmakers who were at the DNC on Wednesday sided squarely with the Capitol Police, praising the officers on hand and denouncing the protestors for instigating the violence. The clash also forced House Democratic leaders to issue a statement Thursday, which condemned the protestors for “[escalating] their activity in a manner that exceeded a peaceful demonstration.”
“We strongly support the First Amendment right to freedom of expression and encourage anyone exercising that right to do so peacefully,” said the statement from Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), Katherine Clark (Mass.) and Pete Aguilar (Calif.).
The altercation was representative of the broader divisions within the Democratic Party when it comes to U.S. policy on Israel — differences only exacerbated by the Hamas attacks and Israel’s response — and emotions are getting more and more raw as the violence has entered its second month.
Those divisions cropped up in the recent vote to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Congress’s only Palestinian American member, for her sharp criticisms of Israel — a measure supported by 22 pro-Israel Democrats. They’re surfacing in recent polls, which reveal that sympathy for Israel is waning as the conflict drags on, particularly among younger voters. They’ve been evinced by the efforts of pro-Israel Democrats, who have been scrambling to prevent any further erosion of support by highlighting the atrocities committed by Hamas against civilians, including children, on Oct. 7.
And they’re revealing themselves among liberal activists who are increasingly willing to confront their Democratic allies on the topic.
“Eighty percent of their base support a cease-fire and an end to the loss of life, [but] Democratic leadership and the Democratic Party is not aligned and is not listening to us,” said Dani Noble, an organizer with Jewish Voice for Peace Action.
The fiery debate is expected to continue in the weeks and months to come, as the number of casualties in the conflict rises each day, and as Congress is forced to revisit the thorny issue when lawmakers take up an emergency aid package upon their return to Washington after the long Thanksgiving break.
Biden has proposed a $105 billion supplemental funding package that earmarks $14.3 billion in aid to Israel, largely in the form of missile defense systems, and more than $9 billion for humanitarian assistance for civilians across several global hotspots, including Ukraine, Israel and Gaza.
Foreshadowing the coming conflict over that aid, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), one of three Muslims in Congress, introduced a resolution Thursday to block the sale of certain U.S. weapons to Israel.
Democratic leaders in Washington are facing increasing pressure to prod Israel to scale back military operations in Gaza, where rising civilian casualties have triggered human rights protests around the U.S. and sparked heightened calls for a cease-fire from Democratic lawmakers, administration officials and the party’s liberal base. Behind President Biden, Democratic leaders have pressed for…
GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT RETURNS FOR ITS 5TH EDITION AT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT – HOUSE OF LORDS, PALACE OF WESTMINSTER
Theme: “People, Planet, and Profit in the Age of AI and Innovation”
London, United Kingdom — The Global Sustainability Summit (GSS) is officially back for its landmark 5th Edition, continuing its legacy as one of the leading international platforms driving sustainable development, climate action, ethical investment, innovation, and global collaboration.
Convened annually at the prestigious British Parliament, House of Lords, Palace of Westminster, by Ambassador Canon Chinenem Otto, the Summit has, over the last four years, successfully fostered international dialogue and partnerships that have contributed to the advancement of global sustainability goals, the establishment of sustainability-focused ministries, departments and policy structures across national and subnational governments, and the attraction of major investors into sustainable development projects, corporations and emerging economies.
This year’s summit, themed “People, Planet, and Profit in the Age of AI and Innovation,” will explore how emerging technologies, responsible leadership, sustainable finance, innovation, and global partnerships can shape a more inclusive, resilient and environmentally conscious future.
The 5th Edition promises to be the most impactful yet, bringing together world leaders, policymakers, diplomats, investors, academics, innovators, climate experts and youth leaders from across the globe to discuss actionable solutions toward achieving a sustainable and equitable future.
Among the distinguished speakers, delegates and honorees already lined up for the Summit are:
• His Excellency Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq — Executive Governor of Kwara State, Nigeria and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum
• His Excellency Senator Prince Bassey Otu — Executive Governor of Cross River State, Nigeria
• Ambassador Patricia Espinosa Cantellano — Former Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Former Foreign Minister of Mexico
• Lord Marvin Rees, Baron Rees of Easton OBE — Member of the House of Lords, United Kingdom
• Hon. Neema K. Lugangira — Secretary-General of Women Political Leaders (WPL), Brussels and Former Member of Parliament
• Her Excellency Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah — President of the Republic of Namibia
• His Excellency Nangolo Mbumba — Former President of Namibia
• Former President of Tanzania
• Her Excellency Ambassador Professor Olufolake AbdulRazaq — First Lady of Kwara State, Nigeria and Chairperson of Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum
• Your Excellency Dr. Dikko Umar Radda, PhD, CON — Executive Governor of Katsina State and Chairman of the Northwest Governors Forum, Nigeria
• Hon. Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma — Governor of Khomas Region, Namibia
• H.E. Mr. Veiccoh Nghiwete — High Commissioner of the Republic of Namibia to the United Kingdom
• Her Excellency Ms. Macenje “Che Che” Mazoka — High Commissioner of Zambia to the United Kingdom
• Ms. Danielle Newman — Partner Lead, ICT, World Economic Forum
• Leanne Elliott Young — Co-founder, Institute of Digital Fashion & CommuneEast
• Ms. Chloe Russell — Producer & Presenter, Art, Science and Nature
• Professor Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger — University of Cambridge & University of Waterloo
• Dr. Alexandra R. Harrington — IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL)
• Professor Payam Akhavan — Massey College, University of Toronto
• Mr. Mallai C. E. Sathya — President, Dravida Vetri Kazhagam and International Movement for Tamil Culture Asia
The Summit will feature high-level panel discussions, strategic investment conversations, sustainability awards, policy dialogues, innovation showcases, youth engagement sessions and international networking opportunities focused on climate resilience, ethical financing, food-water-energy sustainability, circular economy, artificial intelligence, diplomacy and sustainable development.
Speaking ahead of the Summit, Convener Ambassador Canon Chinenem Otto noted:
“As the world rapidly evolves through artificial intelligence and technological innovation, we must ensure that sustainability remains people-centered, environmentally responsible and economically inclusive. The Global Sustainability Summit continues to serve as a bridge connecting governments, institutions, innovators and investors to accelerate practical sustainability solutions globally. Our fifth edition is not only a celebration of progress made over the years, but also a renewed call for global collaboration and actionable impact toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Net Zero ambitions.”
The Global Sustainability Summit continues to position itself as a catalyst for transformative partnerships and sustainable global progress, reinforcing the urgent need for collective action toward a more resilient and sustainable future.
More announcements regarding additional speakers, partners and summit activities will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
President Donald Trump says the United States might one day get rid of federal income tax because of money the government collects from tariffs on imported goods. Tariffs are extra taxes the U.S. puts on products that come from other countries.
What Trump Is Saying
Trump has said that tariff money could become so large that it might allow the government to cut income taxes “almost completely.” He has also talked about possibly phasing out income tax over the next few years if tariff money keeps going up.
How Taxes Work Now
Right now, the federal government gets much more money from income taxes than from tariffs. Income taxes bring in trillions of dollars each year, while tariffs bring in only a small part of that total. Because of this gap, experts say tariffs would need to grow by many times to replace income tax money.
Questions From Experts
Many economists and tax experts doubt that tariffs alone could pay for the whole federal budget. They warn that very high tariffs could make many imported goods more expensive for shoppers in the United States. This could hit lower- and middle‑income families hardest, because they spend a big share of their money on everyday items.
What Congress Must Do
The president can change some tariffs, but only Congress can change or end the federal income tax. That means any real plan to remove income tax would need new laws passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. So far, there is no detailed law or full budget plan on this idea.
What It Means Right Now
For now, Trump’s comments are a proposal, not a change in the law. People and businesses still have to pay federal income tax under the current rules. The debate over using tariffs instead of income taxes is likely to continue among lawmakers, experts, and voters.
Former President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing federal agencies to declassify all government files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier whose death in 2019 continues to fuel controversy and speculation.
The order, signed Wednesday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, instructs the FBI, Department of Justice, and intelligence agencies to release documents detailing Epstein’s network, finances, and alleged connections to high-profile figures. Trump described the move as “a step toward transparency and public trust,” promising that no names would be shielded from scrutiny.
“This information belongs to the American people,” Trump said in a televised statement. “For too long, powerful interests have tried to bury the truth. That ends now.”
U.S. intelligence officials confirmed that preparations for the release are already underway. According to sources familiar with the process, the first batch of documents is expected to be made public within the next 30 days, with additional releases scheduled over several months.
Reactions poured in across the political spectrum. Supporters praised the decision as a bold act of accountability, while critics alleged it was politically motivated, timed to draw attention during a volatile election season. Civil rights advocates, meanwhile, emphasized caution, warning that some records could expose private victims or ongoing legal matters.
The Epstein case, which implicated figures in politics, business, and entertainment, remains one of the most talked-about scandals of the past decade. Epstein’s connections to influential individuals—including politicians, royals, and executives—have long sparked speculation about the extent of his operations and who may have been involved.
Former federal prosecutor Lauren Fields said the release could mark a turning point in public discourse surrounding government transparency. “Regardless of political stance, this declassification has the potential to reshape how Americans view power and accountability,” Fields noted.
Officials say redactions may still occur to protect sensitive intelligence or personal information, but the intent is a near-complete disclosure. For years, critics of the government’s handling of Epstein’s case have accused agencies of concealing evidence or shielding elites from exposure. Trump’s order promises to change that narrative.
As anticipation builds, journalists, legal analysts, and online commentators are preparing for what could be one of the most consequential information releases in recent history.
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