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👋 Good Thursday morning!

In today’s Daily Kickoff, we look at the continued embrace of Hasan Piker by elements of the progressive movement, despite the far-left commentator’s recent rhetoric defending Hamas, and interview former Marine Ryan Crosswell about his effort to flip the GOP-held congressional seat represented by Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in Pennsylvania. We have the scoop on Andrew Hale’s departure from the Heritage Foundation to join Advancing American Freedom, and talk to Lishay Miran Lavi, the wife of freed Israeli hostage Omri Miran, about the book she wrote to help children deal with loss. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Sen. Ron Wyden, Jacob Helberg and Rob Satloff.

Today’s Daily Kickoff was curated by Jewish Insider Executive Editor Melissa Weiss and Israel Editor Tamara Zieve, with assists from Danielle Cohen-Kanik and Marc Rod. Have a tip? Email us here.

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Hasan Piker, a popular far-left influencer, has long withstood scrutiny for his antisemitic commentary and justification of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, continuing to boast millions of loyal followers while hosting prominent Democratic elected officials on his Twitch show.

But his recent remarks unequivocally siding with Hamas provide particularly clarifying insight into Piker’s extreme worldview, raising questions about the permission structure in the broader progressive movement that tolerates such views with little to no pushback.

In a social media post last week, Piker came to the defense of anti-Israel protesters who had explicitly expressed support for Hamas while demonstrating outside a synagogue in Queens that was hosting an event promoting Israeli real estate investment.

“Hamas is a thousand times better than the fascist settler colonial apartheid state and the real harm happening here is that another illegal stolen land sale is taking place at another synagogue!” he said on X, describing himself as “a lesser evil voter” who was simply repeating a “harm reductionist credo.”

While the protest drew belated criticism from progressive Israel critics such as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), both of whom have appeared on Piker’s show, the streamer made clear he was not backing down.

In contrast with Ocasio-Cortez, who had accused the protesters of using “disgusting and antisemitic” language while targeting a “predominantly Jewish neighborhood,” Piker issued a defiant retort to his 1.6 million X followers. “‘Hamas is resisting against Israel because they’re antisemitic’ is the funniest lie people tell themselves,” he argued. “If Israel was a Christian nation managing the apartheid and ethnic cleansing they’d still fight. You’re just mad people are fighting back at all.”

Read the rest of ‘What You Should Know’ here.

Daily Overtime brings you what we’re tracking at the end of the day — and what’s coming next.

Middle East policy experts argued on Wednesday that the United States should actively intervene in Iran’s unrest — including through cyber measures, economic pressure and potentially military strikes — amid the regime’s crackdown on nationwide protests. The comments were made during a program hosted by Iran International, one of the largest independent Persian-language news outlets in the world, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Shea reports.

Step by step: “The first thing I would recommend is that we use our very impressive capabilities to shut down the communication system for the government,” said Robert Satloff, executive director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, speaking of a potential retaliation for the regime’s decision to cut internet access to the public. “This will be a huge step.” Satloff said if that did not work, he would then support subsequent U.S. strikes on Iranian military infrastructure.

Read the full story here.

Trump’s tone change: President Donald Trump indicated that his threats to Iran over its use of violence on protesters have had their desired effect, saying on Wednesday afternoon that “the killing in Iran is stopping,” JI's Danielle Cohen-Kanik reports. NBC News reports that Trump told advisors that he would want any strike on Iran to deal a significant blow to Tehran and avoid a sustained war in the region, and that his team could not guarantee that a U.S. strike would prompt regime change in the Islamic Republic.

Rep. Rob Menendez (D-NJ), who faced a heated primary battle in 2024, is facing the prospect of  another primary challenger in 2026, from an outspoken anti-Israel activist, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports. Former Jersey City school board President Mussab Ali, also a former mayoral candidate, is reportedly considering a run against the incumbent Democrat.

History: As early as Oct. 17, 2023 — before Israel’s full ground invasion of Gaza began — Ali accused Israel of ethnic cleansing and genocide, and demanded that American Jews denounce Israel’s actions. He posted on X demanding a ceasefire two days later. He has also called for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel, recognition of Palestinian statehood and a one-state solution. But Menendez scored a major victory in his efforts to pick up progressive votes on Wednesday, landing an endorsement from Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ), whose Senate candidacy helped catalyze the anti-Democratic machine movement in the state. 

Read the full story here.

Ryan Crosswell is hoping his background as a former federal prosecutor and Marine veteran — as well as a former Republican — will provide a road map to flipping a critical swing district in Pennsylvania, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports. The 7th Congressional District, centered around Allentown and Easton and rated by the Cook Political Report as a toss-up, is held by Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA), who himself flipped the seat in 2024. It was previously held by former Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA). 

Meet the candidate: Crosswell, in an interview with JI, characterized himself as a lifelong public servant and patriot, both as a Marine and as a federal prosecutor, who “always put my country first, even when it came at personal costs, as when I resigned from the Department of Justice because I felt I was being asked to do something that was inconsistent with my oath.” Crosswell also said that he’s “uncomfortable with cutting off aid” to Israel, as some in the Democratic Party are advocating, “because Israel is surrounded by historical enemies, and I don't want to put the Israeli people in danger by cutting off aid.”

Read the full interview here.

A senior Heritage Foundation staffer has been hired by Advancing American Freedom, joining more than 20 other former Heritage employees who have departed the conservative think tank for AAF over criticism of President Kevin Roberts’ refusal to disavow Tucker Carlson for platforming neo-Nazi influencer Nick Fuentes and Roberts’ handling of the broader fallout. Andrew Hale, who joined Heritage in 2023, served as the Jay Van Andel senior policy analyst in trade policy at the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies. He began at AAF, former Vice President Mike Pence’s policy shop, on Tuesday as a fellow specializing in economics, trade policy and international relations, Jewish Insider’s Emily Jacobs reports.

Reason for leaving: “I can roll with policy changes, but what I can't roll with is a tolerance or an overlooking of antisemitism or any form of bigotry,” Hale told JI in an interview. “I’ve worked for Democrats, Republicans, Labour and Conservative in the U.K., on both sides of the Atlantic. I can roll with policy changes. This is not about that. For me, I feel obligated because I have the freedom to do so and the means to do so. I'm calling out a problem that exists at Heritage and exists in the conservative movement, and we need to exorcize it in a way that the left has not done well.”

Read the full story here.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced legislation on Wednesday to condemn the Israeli government for allegedly withholding aid in Gaza and to potentially impose sanctions on Israeli government officials, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.

What it does: Under the legislation, any government officials or those acting on their behalf “found to be restricting, diminishing, undermining, or preventing the delivery and distribution of sufficient humanitarian assistance” would be subject to U.S. financial and visa-blocking sanctions. The legislation includes a presidential waiver, though that, or the removal of sanctions, can be overridden by a joint resolution of disapproval by Congress. Senior lawmakers would also be allowed to request an assessment of whether a foreign official meets the criteria for sanctions.

Read the full story here.

The Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel left children living near the Gaza border with significant emotional baggage — whether they themselves were kidnapped, had a loved one taken hostage or killed, or had to evacuate their home — and their parents and caregivers tasked with helping them regain hope and resilience. Lishay Miran Lavi, whose husband, Omri Miran, was held hostage by Hamas in Gaza for 738 days, sought to help children deal with loss and uncertainty related to Oct. 7 and beyond, with her new book, Mojo’s Return: A Story of Resilience and Hope, which was published in Hebrew and English in November, Jewish Insider’s Lahav Harkov reports.

Book’s purpose: “It’s a tool to reflect what happened for the girls and help them deal with the fact that their dad [was] not there,” Miran Lavi told JI last week. “It’s for my girls and for everyone’s children who experienced Oct. 7 with a great loss, like a father or uncle who is not coming back because he was murdered, or fell in the war.” 

Read the full interview here.

Pumping Up the Protesters: The New York Times’ editorial board throws its support behind protesters in Iran, arguing that the regime in Tehran is “irredeemable” over its years of domestic human rights abuses and efforts to sow terror around the world. “The recent brutality of that government underscores what has been clear for decades: It is among the world’s most nefarious regimes, and the people who bear the biggest cost are the citizens of Iran. … The appropriate response from the rest of the world starts with a unified expression of solidarity with the protesters. The Khamenei regime is too depraved to be reformed. It has had plenty of chances to choose a different path. The Obama administration invited Iran to become a regional power so long as it gave up on having a nuclear weapon and followed basic international norms. The ayatollahs chose extremism and subjugation instead. They have shown themselves to be beyond rehabilitation. The protest movement represents the best hope for an Iran that does less damage in the world and better serves its own people.” [NYTimes]

Thanks, Israel: In The Wall Street Journal, Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi praised the “bold step” Israel had taken in recognizing the African nation last month, citing the long history between Jerusalem and Hargeisa. “This recognition didn’t arise from diplomatic calculation alone; it is rooted in a bond forged during Somaliland’s darkest chapter. In the late 1980s, the people of Somaliland endured a systematic campaign of extermination. The Somali dictator, Siad Barre, gave orders that spread through the ranks in the now notorious words ‘kill all but the crows.’ More than 200,000 civilians were killed, and 90% of Hargeisa was destroyed, earning it the name ‘the Dresden of Africa.’ Starting in 1988, some 800,000 people fled into Ethiopia. While much of the world remained silent, Israel raised the alarm at the United Nations in May 1990, drawing attention to the systematic persecution and killing of Somaliland’s population, later referred to as the ‘Hargeisa Holocaust.’” [WSJ]

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White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced the start of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, saying the U.S. “expects Hamas to comply fully with its obligations, including the immediate return” of the body of Ran Gvili, who was killed on Oct. 7, 2023…

President Donald Trump told Reuters that exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi “seemed very nice” but questioned the level of support that Pahlavi has inside Iran; Pahlavi secretly met over the weekend with Witkoff to discuss the situation in Iran…

The Wall Street Journal looks at how the Trump administration’s military buildup in the Caribbean as part of its effort to apprehend ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has limited the U.S.’ naval capabilities in the Middle East…

Israel and Iran quietly exchanged messages through Russia just prior to the onset of protests in Iran that neither country would launch a preemptive attack on the other…

The House voted to pass the finalized 2026 State Department appropriations bill, which includes new restrictions on U.S. funding for the United Nations as well as funding for Israel…

Former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) raised $8.8 in the last quarter of 2025 as he mounts a comeback bid for the Senate… 

Dozens of elected officials and community leaders in California’s Bay Area called on Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez to resign if he refuses to meet with Jewish leaders and publicly apologize for recent comments sharing conspiracy theories about the antisemitic terror attack in Sydney, Australia, last month…

Following an inquiry into the decision of the West Midlands, U.K., police force to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a recent match against Aston Villa, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood called on the department’s head to resign; Chief Constable Craig Guildford acknowledged having used an AI-generated search that pointed the department to false information about the Israeli team… 

The French book publisher Hachette is recalling three high school textbooks that refer to victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks as “Jewish settlers”... 

The board of Australia’s Adelaide Festival apologized to a Palestinian-Australian academic who had been uninvited from the literary event over her past statements about Zionists; the removal of Randa Abdel-Fattah had prompted dozens of speakers to drop out of the annual event, which was ultimately canceled…

Police in Iraq said they arrested a man who is a suspect in a series of arson attacks in Australia, including the December 2024 firebombing of a synagogue in Melbourne…

UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed met on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan…

Chinese officials, citing national security concerns, issued guidance against using software from approximately a dozen U.S. and Israeli cybersecurity companies…

NPR’s Michele Keleman spotlights Akko, Israel, for the broadcaster’s weekly “Far-Flung Postcards” series…

Bloomberg reports on the Saudi-backed LIV Golf's $5 billion struggle to gain a foothold in the sport, as the league is plagued by low attendance rates and TV viewership, as well as the decision by former No. 1 player Brooks Koepka to leave LIV and return to the PGA Tour...

Former Jerusalem Post Managing Editor David Brinn retired from a full-time role at the end of December 2025 after 31 years at the publication; he will continue on a part-time basis doing, among other things, video interviews with Israeli and Jewish musicians and pop culture figures…

Former Los Angeles Controller Ron Galperin was named the interim head of the American Jewish Committee’s Los Angeles office…

STATE DEPARTMENT

Jacob Helberg, the U.S. under secretary of state for economic affairs, and United Arab Emirates Minister of State Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri signed the U.S.-UAE Pax Silica Declaration on Wednesday during Helberg’s trip to the UAE, two days after a similar signing ceremony with Qatar.

STEVEN GARCIA/GETTY IMAGES

Basketball analyst for Fox Sports, he is also the men's basketball head coach at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, Doug Gottlieb turns 50…

Senior counsel at Covington & Burling, he was previously the domestic policy advisor to President Jimmy Carter, U.S. ambassador to the EU and deputy secretary of the treasury, Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat turns 83… Partner in BECO Management LLC and vice chair of the Jewish Policy Center, Michael David Epstein turns 81… University professor at Columbia University, he won the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Martin Chalfie turns 79… President of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev for 16 years, then a member of the Knesset for nine years, Avishay Braverman turns 78… Longtime member of Congregation B’nai B’rith in Santa Barbara, Calif., Madelyn Silver Palley… Founder of Prospect Global, Toni G. Verstandig… Chairman and CEO of Stagwell Global, Mark Penn… Football head coach and general manager, he has worked in both the NFL and CFL, Marc Trestman turns 70… President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, David M. Zaslav turns 66… Rabbi at Bar-Ilan University's Institute of Advanced Torah Studies, he holds a Ph.D. in theoretical physics, Michael Avraham turns 66… Rabbi of Rumson (N.J.) Jewish Center at Congregation B’nai Israel, Douglas Sagal… Cryptographer, computer security specialist, blogger, writer, author of 13 books, he is a fellow and lecturer at Harvard's Kennedy School, Bruce Schneier… Partner in the NYC office of Gibson Dunn, Barry H. Berke turns 62… White House deputy press secretary in the Bush 43 administration, now a podcast host, Adam L. Levine turns 57… Filmmaker and educator, her films are aimed at Haredi female audiences, Tali Avrahami turns 57… Israeli journalist for Maariv, based in Poland, Nissan Tzur turns 53… Former deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Belgium, she was elected as a member of the European Parliament in 2024, Sophie Wilmès turns 51… Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Judge Steven Menashi turns 47… Israeli-Italian model, television personality and actor, Jonathan Kashanian turns 45… Editor emeritus of The Daily Wire and conservative political commentator, Ben Shapiro turns 42… Investigative reporter at The New York Times focused on health care, Sarah Kliff… Real estate investor, Hershy Tannenbaum… Actress, singer and writer based in NYC, she starred as Hodel in Bartlett Sher's acclaimed revival of “Fiddler on the Roof,” Samantha Massell turns 36… CNN's Jerusalem correspondent, Jeremy Diamond turns 36...