Israel

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. For journalist Yardena Schwartz, the massacre was a chilling echo of the 1929 Hebron Massacre—the brutal slaughter of nearly 70 Jews, incited by propaganda that Jews sought to seize the Al Aqsa Mosque. At the time, she was writing her first book, "Ghosts of a Holy War: The 1929 Massacre in Palestine That Ignited the Arab-Israeli Conflict". Yardena shares how history repeated itself, how the October 7 attack reshaped her book, and why understanding the past is essential to making sense of the present.

More than 18 months after Hamas' massacre of Israelis, Palestinian terror groups are still holding 59 men and women—including five Americans—captive in Gaza.

Mass protests in Israel, initially sparked by judicial reforms, have escalated due to the Gaza war and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s attempts to remove top officials, including the attorney general and Shin Bet chief. Critics argue these moves threaten democracy and prioritize Netanyahu’s political survival over national security, while supporters see them as necessary to restore governance. As tensions rise, opposition leaders and legal experts warn of deepening political turmoil, with implications for Israel’s future stability and its war strategy.

UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, who has a long history of espousing vile antisemitism, attacked AJC a recent interview in Ireland. AJC CEO Ted Deutch responds to her outrageous claims.

Former Israeli hostage Shoshan Haran, abducted during the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023, shares her harrowing story of survival and resilience. Shoshan was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Be’eri alongside her family, including her son-in-law Tal Shoham, her daughter, and her young grandchildren. While she and the other women and children were released after 50 days in November 2023, Tal remained in Gaza for 505 days and was released in February 2025.

To ensure Israeli scholars and their American colleagues can collaborate freely, and foster research and innovation that benefits all of humanity, 2 scientists at MIT formed The Kalaniyot Foundation, named after Israel's national flower. Drs. Or Hen and Ernest Fraenkel speak on the impact of anti-Israel boycotts on academic collaboration with Israeli scholars, and what they’re doing to rehabilitate the reputation of Israeli researchers in the eyes of the world.

As part of AJC’s Center for a New Middle East introductory event in Washington, D.C., Jason Isaacson, AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer, and Steven Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East, hold a wide-ranging conversation on the importance of bringing every single hostage home, President Donald Trump’s priorities in the Middle East, expanding the Abraham Accords, and more pressing issues that matter to Israel and the Jewish people.

As we begin the 119th Congress and President Trump’s second term, I urge everyone to recognize the bipartisan work displayed between senior officials in the outgoing Biden Administration and the then-incoming Trump Administration to make a breakthrough in an agreement to secure the release of 33 of the remaining hostages brutally abducted from Israel during Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023. We cannot take for granted the unique power of senior officials from the Biden and Trump administrations working together.

When will the next hostages be released? Discover the details of the Israel-Hamas hostage and ceasefire deal, including the release of 33 hostages and ongoing negotiations for remaining captives. Learn about the phases of the agreement, the American hostages held by Hamas, and how families have endured months of advocacy and uncertainty. Stay updated on this pivotal development in the Israel-Gaza conflict

What lessons can be drawn from the post-October 7 era? Amid growing isolation and antisemitism, where do opportunities for hope and resilience lie for the Jewish people? AJC CEO Ted Deutch and Bernard-Henri Lévy—renowned French philosopher, public intellectual, and author of Israel Alone—explore these critical questions.

The Syrian Civil War has reignited, with Islamist rebels seizing Aleppo and threatening Assad’s government, as his allies—Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah—face their own conflicts. This instability poses risks for Israel, including heightened security threats from radical groups near its border, while also impacting U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the region.

Donald J. Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on November 5, 2024, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. His record includes strong support for Israel, highlighted by initiatives such as recognizing Jerusalem as its capital, advocating for expanded peace agreements like the Abraham Accords, and taking a firm stance on Iran with sanctions and military actions. Trump has pledged to make advancing the Abraham Accords a top priority and maintain a rigorous approach to countering Iranian influence in the region.

AJC CEO Ted Deutch reacts to the heartbreaking news of six Israeli hostages found dead in Gaza, including one Israeli American. Ted emphasizes the ongoing threat posed by Hamas, a terrorist organization responsible for the deaths of over 35 Americans since October 7.

Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, and Morgan Ortagus, former Spokeswoman for the Department of State under the Trump administration, engaged in a debate on the 2024 presidential election and its impact on the global Jewish community, Israel, and the future of democracy-live on the AJC Global Forum 2024 stage.

Israel’s global standing has been greatly damaged since Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack. With the expansion of the Israel Defense Force’s (IDF) counter-offensive against Hamas and the increasing death toll in Gaza, Israel has now become the object of severe international criticism. These condemnations sharply contrast with the past decade, which had largely been positive for Jerusalem on the global stage.

In the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led terrorist attack and massacre in Israel, American Jews were engulfed in a maelstrom of grief, anger and alienation. Now, five months into the Israel-Hamas war, Jewish New Yorkers stand at the forefront of an escalating societal crisis.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) is outraged by the revelations that twelve employees of UNRWA – the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East – were involved in the horrific October 7 terror attacks perpetrated by Hamas against Israel.

In the largest pro-Israel gathering in American history, an astounding 290,000-plus people descended upon the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to show their solidarity with Israel, demand the release of hostages held by the Iran-backed terror group Hamas, and call out surging antisemitism.

We stand in total solidarity with the people of Israel following a massive, unprovoked attack by Hamas.

Dozens of terrorists infiltrated Israel in the early hours of Saturday, storming communities and homes, kidnapping and murdering civilians.

At least 22 people have been killed, with hundreds more injured, many in critical condition.

More than 2,500 rockets were fired into southern and central Israel, putting millions of Israelis at risk.

All Israelis have been called up to defend their country, including AJC staff.

Israel has every right to defend itself against these deplorable attacks.