Netanyahu's Speech

Plus, building a home.

July 25, 2024

The Flag

Good morning and Happy Thursday! Here are the Flag’s Top Five stories that should be on your radar to start the day:

  • US: FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies about Trump rally assassination attempt (Fox News)

  • World: A report says 200,000 people were abused in care in New Zealand over decades in ‘national disgrace’ (AP)

  • Business: Elon Musk now denies he's donating $45 million a month to help Trump (MSNBC)

  • Technology: Microsoft Confirms New Blue Screen Warning For Windows 10 And 11 Users (Forbes)

  • Sports: Paris Olympics men's soccer play begins with chaotic Morocco win as fans storm and trash field (Fox News)

And of course, some good news: Tulane students design, build tiny home for man who didn't have one for nearly two decades: "So grateful.”

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Left: Harris' Strengths and Weaknesses, Harold Meyerson, American Prospect

Left: Democrats' Crisis Isn't Over, Michael Kazin, Politico

Left: Harris Steps Up, Joan Walsh, The Nation

Right: The Cover-Up, the Coup and Harris, Hugh Hewitt, FOX News

Right: CA Republicans Warn Nation About a Harris Presidency, Bradley Devlin, American Conservative

Right: By the Way, Kamala Harris Is a Dangerous Authoritarian, David Harsanyi, The Federalist

ISRAEL-PALESTINE

Netanyahu's Speech

Today’s Top Story in One Sentence: On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu forcefully pushed back against his critics and outlined his post-war vision in a joint address to Congress.

Reporting from the Left: In fiery speech to Congress, Netanyahu defends war in Gaza and denounces protesters (AP)

Reporting from the Right: Harris boycotts Netanyahu, snubs Israeli leader's wartime address to give sorority speech (Fox News)

LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Deep Concern Over Netanyahu’s Leadership

The Top Argument From The Left: I’m the youngest Jewish member of Congress. Here’s why I’m not attending Netanyahu’s address., Rep. Sarah Jacobs, MSNBC: “It’s never easy being Jewish in today’s world, but the past 10 months have been especially excruciating. Like millions of Jews around the world, I’m still grappling with the aftermath of Hamas’ horrific attack on Oct. 7 and the sharp rise in antisemitism that we’ve seen since. And I’ve also been deeply alarmed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s brutal, unrelenting military operation that has reportedly left more than 39,000 Palestinians dead. This response hasn’t been proportional, strategic or effective — and I can’t in good conscience condone it by attending Netanyahu’s joint address to Congress. …there is absolutely no justification for leveling Gaza, displacing nearly its entire civilian population and destroying generations of Palestinian families. … Young Palestinians who have survived this war are spending their childhoods lining up outside food banks and scavenging for makeshift food alternatives. … Unfortunately, Prime Minister Netanyahu doesn’t have a sound plan to avoid that outcome — or a plan to bring the hostages home or secure lasting peace and security. He has lost significant support within Israel, with thousands of Israelis taking to the streets recently to call for his resignation. Many believe that Netanyahu has deprioritized the hostages and continued this war to avoid a looming political reckoning.”

Honorable Mention #2: Why Democrats Should Boycott Netanyahu's Address to Congress, Nathan Hersh, Haaretz.

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Pivotal Moment

The Top Argument From The Right: Netanyahu’s congressional address comes at a pivotal moment, Paul Teller, Washington Examiner: “His speech comes at a fateful moment for the Jewish people and the region. Though the Israel-Hamas conflict has faded from the headlines, Israel’s mission to destroy Hamas and return the hostages is not yet complete. Today, 116 hostages remain in captivity, including eight Americans. And as Israel seeks to eliminate the Hamas threat, it faces increasing dangers from Iran-backed Hezbollah in the north. Netanyahu, who will be accompanied to Washington by freed hostage Noa Argamani and other hostage families, will need to remind Congress and the Biden administration of the stakes and the truth of this war. His speech is even more important given the Biden administration’s tepid leadership and misleading communications throughout the crisis. In the wake of the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, President Joe Biden has proven reluctant in his support, frequently undermining Israel’s right to self-defense and even insinuating at times that it is Israel, not Hamas, that stands in the way of lasting peace. Biden’s recent commentary on the war has been laden with calls for a ceasefire, advocacy for a two-state solution, and critiques of Netanyahu’s wartime leadership. … His remarks continue to advance a false and offensive narrative of moral equivalence between Hamas and the state of Israel.”

FLAG THIS

Netanyahu Losing American Support

According to polling from April, 53% of U.S. adults have little or no confidence in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of world affairs, up from 42% last year. Notably, 25% expressed no confidence at all. Only 9% have "a lot" of confidence in him, down slightly from 8% last year, while 21% have some confidence, down from 24%. The decrease in confidence may be linked to increased awareness of Netanyahu, with only 15% of Americans unfamiliar with him this year, compared to 26% in 2023 (The Hill).

WATERCOOLER

Hudson’s Diagnosis, Debit v. Credit, Junk Food History

On This Day in 1985, Rock Hudson, a quintessential tall, dark, and handsome Hollywood leading man of the 1950s and 1960s who made more than 60 films during his career, announces through a press release that he is suffering from acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). With that announcement, Hudson became the first major celebrity to go public with such a diagnosis.

Today I learned some historians consider Cracker Jack America’s first junk food.

Keep up with AI

How do you keep up with the insane pace of AI? Join The Rundown — the world’s largest AI newsletter that keeps you up-to-date with everything happening in AI, and why it actually matters in just a 5-minute read per day.

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