William Daroff: What Trump needs to do for that Nobel Prize
With US Jews facing antisemitism from left and right, and with Trump's Middle East vision in the balance, a national Jewish leader discusses Biden, Trump, Vance, and Netanyahu
Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what’s behind the news that spins the globe.
American Jews have plenty to fret about. Facing rising antisemitism even before October 7, 2023, the community has had to deal with a massive spike in threats, defamation, and outright violence since the Hamas attack.
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While Israel was fighting to defeat Hamas and get the hostages home, US Jews were contending with anti-Zionist attacks from both the left and the right.
William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, has been a central player in the US Jewish communities’ responses to October 7 and the subsequent two years of war.
He lays out his explanation for the spike in antisemitism in the US and argues that with domestic focus on the ICE crackdown, Israel has an opening to restart reconnecting with Democrats and young Americans.
He recounts his conversations with the Biden Administration at the start of the war and explains why its relationship with Netanyahu became so strained.
Turning to the White House, Daroff offers insights into Trump’s relationships with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar. He argues that one should take Trump’s threats seriously, both against Hamas if they don’t disarm and Iran if they don’t concede to US demands.
Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.