DAY 475 IN CAPTIVITY • DAY 5 OF THE CEASEFIRE: Emotionally Charged Days Ahead, Trump on Hostages and Iran, Military Operations Continue in Jenin, Harvard Settles Antisemitism Suit

Tel Aviv Diary, January 23, 2025

∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞

Our Next ZOOM BRIEFING will take place on Sunday, January 26th

6PM Israel Time • 4PM GB • 11AM EST • 8AM PST

Invitations will go out on Sunday morning

∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞

We are heading into a very tense weekend in Israel, filled with emotional peaks and valleys. Tomorrow, Hamas is expected to announce the names of the four women who will be released on Saturday. The entire country will be on edge throughout the day, as families anxiously wait to learn if their loved ones are among those being freed. It’s difficult to convey how deeply Israelis empathize with the families awaiting this news.

Saturday is set to be even more emotionally charged. Not only will it see the release of the four hostages, but it will also bring the delivery of a list that specifies which hostages slated for release in the rest of the first phase are alive or deceased. This will be an especially difficult moment. The release itself is expected to be as poignant as last week's, with the nation collectively holding its breath to observe the physical condition of this second group. While the hostages released last week seemed to be in good physical health, details about what they endured remain sparse, save for vague remarks from family members hinting at a long recovery ahead.

Last week, the released hostages were taken to Tel Hashomer Hospital, where a special private section was prepared for them and their families. This week, the newly released hostages will be taken to Belinson Hospital, which has arranged all the necessary accommodations to welcome them home. Saturday will bring its own additional set of challenges. The three women released last week were civilians, and consequently, the terrorists exchanged for them were not involved in lethal activities. However, because three of the women to be released on Saturday are soldiers, the exchange will carry a greater cost.

The most challenging moment on Saturday is likely to occur when the official list of living and deceased hostages is published. Hopes and fears will converge, maintaining high national anxiety until the list is disclosed. It is hoped that the announcement will bring some measure of relief.

Sunday will also be tense on a different front, due to Israel’s required completion of its withdrawal from Lebanon. However, the Lebanese Army has yet to complete its deployment along the border. This prompted Israel to seek an extension to maintain its presence in certain border areas for an additional 30 days. Israel had reached an agreement with the Biden Administration to remain temporarily and is seeking a similar arrangement with the Trump Administration, which is considered sympathetic. France is believed to support Israel's position, although Hezbollah has issued warnings that Israel seems to be disregarding.

TRUMP ON IRAN & HOSTAGE DEAL

Earlier today, reports suggested that President Trump intended to assign the Iran portfolio to Steve Witkoff, indicating a preference for a diplomatic rather than military solution to the Iran situation. This evening, when questioned by the press about whether he could confirm Witkoff as his envoy, President Trump stated: “No, but he's certainly somebody I would use. He's done a fantastic job, he's a great negotiator and a good person. A popular person, gets along with people,” Trump said.

Trump added: “I have great negotiators with no personality whatsoever, but Steve has a wonderful way about him. People like him, even in this case both sides like him. That deal (Gaza) would have never been made without Steve.”

Asked if the ceasefire deal would hold Trump said: “I think [Witkoff] is great, but it's a very tricky place. Very tricky. If something does happen, they will not be happy. A deal should hold, but if it doesn't, there will be a lot of problems.”

When asked about Israel attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities Trump said: “It would be nice if the issues with Iran could be resolved without Israel attacking its military facilities.”

WEST BANK

Israel has continued its operations in the Jenin area, including inside the city itself. Reports indicate that the IDF is collaborating with the Palestinian Authority (PA), which has reportedly detained some terrorists attempting to flee the area to evade the IDF. Furthermore, the IDF has successfully eliminated the two terrorists responsible for last week’s shooting of three Israelis.

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi visited Jenin alongside Shabak Head, Ronen Bar. They made the following statement there:

We have identified a concentration of terrorism in the northern Samaria region for quite some time. Over the past year, I have led dozens of operations in northern Samaria. These operations have been highly effective, and I believe that once we identified the Jenin refugee camp as a place where individuals planning attacks or those who carried out attacks and are seeking a safe haven converge, it made perfect sense to act decisively against the Jenin refugee camp.

The beginning is promising. As of tonight, we have already neutralized two-thirds of a cell, with two individuals killed. As Ronen mentioned, I am confident that we will also reach the third member, and that it will happen very soon. We must prepare for continued operations in the Jenin refugee camp, maintain pressure, and at the same time, continue with other actions elsewhere. I believe the plans moving forward are very well thought out. Ultimately, offensive determination, highly professional and effective work, and minimizing risks to our forces while maximizing damage to the enemy will send a clear message.

We are demonstrating our ability to execute focused efforts, operate professionally, and avoid giving the enemy easy opportunities to harm our forces. This approach results in minimal casualties on our side, significant losses for the enemy, and the destruction of their infrastructure. I believe such continuity will change the situation in the Jenin refugee camp. I extend deep appreciation for everyone involved, each for their respective efforts, and the results achieved. We’ve operated here and in other areas slightly further east and north, and the appreciation is immense. If this operational spirit continues, we will keep working here. Thank you.

YUVAL RAPHAEL TO REPRESENT ISRAEL @ EUROVISION 2025

Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the brutal Hamas attack on the Nova music festival, will represent Israel at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. Raphael quickly became a fan favorite, not only because of her compelling personal story but also due to her exceptional talent. Despite lacking professional training and formal singing education, her vocal performances are extraordinary

.

HARVARD SETTLES SUIT WITH JEWISH STUDENTS

Harvard University and Students Against Antisemitism have reached a settlement to address allegations of antisemitism on campus. As part of the agreement, Harvard has committed to enhancing measures to combat antisemitism. This includes adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism in its policies and providing clearer guidance on the inclusion of Jewish and Israeli identities in its Non-Discrimination and Anti-Bullying Policies (NDAB). Additionally, an online Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document will be made available, outlining prohibited discriminatory behavior and reaffirming protections for Jewish and Israeli students, as well as those who identify as Zionists.

The agreement also mandates that Harvard prepare annual public reports for the next five years detailing its handling of discrimination complaints, ensuring transparency and assessing whether incidents of antisemitism receive the same prompt attention as other forms of bias. Moreover, Harvard will allocate additional resources to the study of antisemitism, host annual academic symposia on the subject, and offer specialized training for staff and the university community on recognizing and combating antisemitism. The university has committed to enforcing Title VI and NDAB policies uniformly, ensuring a single standard for all students, including Jewish and Israeli individuals. Although Harvard has not acknowledged any wrongdoing as part of the settlement, both parties emphasized the significance of the resolution.

A Harvard spokesman reaffirmed the university’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and safe environment for its Jewish community. Meanwhile, representatives for Students Against Antisemitism praised Harvard for its leadership in tackling antisemitism and implementing significant, enduring changes. The settlement includes monetary terms, but one plaintiff, Alexander (Shabbos) Kestenbaum, opted out and continues to pursue his claims against Harvard separately.

It’s interesting that The New York Times dedicated a considerable part of its article on the Harvard settlement to discuss the university’s classification of the elimination of Israel as antisemitic—a stance the Times implicitly criticized.

ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS @ COLUMBIA

Following up on yesterday's article about Columbia University, a guard was stationed outside the classroom where the Modern Israel course by Israeli historian Dr. Avi Shilon is taught.

U.S. PUBLIC OPINION

TRANSPORTATION

Delta Airlines has officially announced that it will resume flights to Israel starting April 1st. Reports suggest that United Airlines might restart its services even sooner, potentially as early as next month. Additionally, Air India has confirmed that it will resume operations on March 1st, offering five weekly flights to India.

BUSINESS

Majestic Labs

Majestic Labs has emerged as a secretive semiconductor startup spanning Israel and the United States, founded by former Meta and Google executives. The company, developing AI chips to compete with Nvidia, raised $22 million from Lux Capital, Pipeline Capital, and Grove Ventures, including $12 million through a SAFE agreement.

CEO Ofer Shaham, previously head of Meta's global chip development group, leads the company but declined to comment on its operations. At a recent Israel Innovation Authority chip conference, Grove Ventures' Dov Moran revealed that Majestic Labs is preparing to raise an additional $100 million, though he cautioned this might not be sufficient for chip development costs.

Shaham, who led Meta's silicon team for smart glasses and managed the acquisition of Inomize operations in Israel, co-founded Majestic Labs with former Google and Meta colleagues Sha Ravi and Masumi Reinders after leaving Meta in August 2023.

While specific details remain private, Majestic Labs is developing an AI acceleration chip for data centers, aiming to compete with Nvidia's GPUs. The company plans a comprehensive solution including software and hardware, targeting both AI training and inference. It joins other Israeli chip startups like Elements Labs, Dual Bird, and Citagra Labs in challenging the market despite high costs and Nvidia's dominance.

Package.ai

Package.ai has raised $14 million in Series-A funding from Susquehanna Growth Equity (SGE), marking its first institutional investment after years of being largely bootstrapped. Founded in 2017 by Ziv Fass and Yoav Sadeh, Package.ai emerged from their personal frustrations with inefficient shipping processes. They aimed to bridge the gap between delivery operations management and consumer communication by creating autonomous software that integrates the two. This innovative approach ensures both operational efficiency and a personalized customer experience, catering to the growing demands of modern retail logistics. Based in Tel Aviv and New York, Package.ai currently employs 20 people and has built a stable customer base, which prompted its decision to seek institutional funding.

The investment comes at a time of transformative change in the retail sector, driven by AI-enabled tools that combine seamless customer engagement with advanced delivery capabilities. Package.ai’s platform leverages generative AI, last-mile intelligence, and customer engagement data to provide brands with humanlike services at scale while enhancing operational efficiency. This unified AI platform allows retailers to deliver “Amazon-like” customer engagement paired with “Uber-like” delivery experiences, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty. The company serves hundreds of global partner brands, including Ashley DSG, Yale Appliance, and Bob Mills, further solidifying its impact on the evolving retail landscape.

Doti AI

Doti AI, an Israeli startup founded in 2024, has raised $7 million in seed funding to develop what it calls an "organizational brain" for enterprises. The round was led by F2 Venture Capital, with participation from Ineffable Ventures' Jared Kessner and Sola Security CEO Guy Flechter. The company, founded by former Wix employees Matan Cohen and Ofer Hofshi, aims to solve a critical challenge facing modern organizations: the fragmentation of valuable internal data across multiple systems. "At the core of Doti’s technology is an intelligent knowledge graph that links relevant pieces of information from all connected systems," explains Cohen, who serves as CEO. "The result is a comprehensive and unified understanding of organizational data, enabling faster and smarter decision-making.”

Doti's platform stands out in the enterprise software landscape with several distinctive features. The system can process complex analytical questions based on metadata and allows teams to create specialized "sub-brains" (called Spaces) for different user groups. Users can update information in real-time without leaving the platform, and an "Autopilot" feature automatically responds to Slack inquiries.

The startup has also prioritized integration capabilities, offering an API that enables connection with popular enterprise tools such as Salesforce, Confluence, and Jira. Security and data privacy are central to the platform's design, drawing on co-founder Hofshi's background in cybersecurity.

∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞–––––∞

A PIECE OF HISTORY
A Timeline of U.S.—Israel Relations

The current war is the apex of the relationship between the United States and Israel. That relationship has always been complex and includes the relationship between American Jewry and Israel, which I will write about at a later date. This is not a comprehensive accounting of the relationship, but an outline of the major moments.

Before the establishment of the state … One of the most important moments in the relationship took place before the establishment of the state. This was the decision of the US to support the establishment of the state. The famous story revolves around President Truman’s former partner in a clothing store, Eddie Jacobson, who convinced Truman to meet Chaim Weizmann. Weizmann was able to persuade Truman, despite the opposition of the State Department, to support the UN Partition Plan. The US actively supported the Partition Plan, convincing other countries to do the same

.

In the hours leading up to the declaration of Israel’s independence, the US State Department was working on a plan to delay that fateful notification. However, minutes after Israel declared its independence, Truman ordered the State Department to recognize the State of Israel. Although the US was the first country to recognize the new Jewish state, Israel was on its own in terms of arms. As both the US and Great Britain both promptly announced an arms embargo on Israel.

1951-1953: During this period, as American Jews started to buy Israeli bonds, the US government began to give economic aid to Israel.

1956: This year was one of the low points in US-Israel relations. After Israel, in conjunction with France and Britain, attacked Egypt, President Eisenhower was furious at all the parties involved and eventually pressured Israel to agree to a full withdrawal. The events of 1956 caused members of American Jewry to form AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

1962: While the US had secretly agreed to allow West Germany to sell US-made arms to Israel, the first public sale of US arms to Israel was made by President Kennedy, who agreed to sell Hawk anti-aircraft missiles to Israel.

1966: President Johnson agreed to the sale of US aircraft, Skyhawks (subsonic tactical bombers), for the first time. The planes arrived after the Six-Day War.

1967: During the period leading up to the Six-Day-War, the US tried to avoid the conflict and organized a maritime fleet to break the Egyptian blockade of the Red Sea. When that effort failed, the US gave its tacit approval for Israel to begin the war. In light of Israel's overwhelming victory in the war, the US attitude toward Israel began to change. It began to see Israel as a potential ally, and not just as a poor country needing protection. Military cooperation started between the IDF and the US military after this time.

1968: When the War of Attrition broke out, the US agreed to sell the F-4 Phantom to Israel, the mainstay of the US Air Force at the time. During the war, Israel supplied the US with essential information on the capabilities of the Soviet equipment that the Egyptians used.

1973: In the hours leading up to the Yom Kippur War, the US asked Israel not to launch a preemptive attack. Israel requested the US to resupply key equipment. Initially, El Al planes were allowed to pick up equipment from the US, but that proved insufficient. President Nixon ordered a massive airlift of US arms to Israel.

Post-1973: In the immediate aftermath of the Yom Kippur war, US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was actively involved in reaching interim agreements between Egypt, Syria, and Israel.

1974: After the war, President Nixon became the first US President to visit Israel.

1977: Israel received the first of the latest US combat aircraft, the F-16.

1978: Following Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s visit to Israel, President Jimmy Carter hosted Israeli Prime Minister Begin and Sadat at Camp David. There, the leaders worked to reach a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. After the agreement was signed, the US increased aid to Israel to help finance its withdrawal from Sinai.

1980s: The US was active in Israeli defense policy and persuaded Israel to stop producing the LAVI fighter jet.

1985: Israel and the US sign a Free Trade Agreement.

1991: The US deploys Patriot missiles to Israel, to protect Israel from Iraqi Scuds.

1991: The US brokers the Madrid Conference, which was the first peace conference that included Israel and the Palestinians in the same room.

1993: The Oslo Accords between Israel and the PLO are signed, during a ceremony which took place at the White House.

2000: US President Bill Clinton hosts the Camp David Summit, with Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat. The summit ends in failure, when Arafat rejects Barak's proposal without offering a counterproposal

.

2007: The US and Israel agree on a 10-year military assistance deal, which is later extended for another 10 years by President Obama.

2015: US President Barack Obama signs the Iran nuclear deal.

2017: US President Donald Trump recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

2018: The US Embassy opens in Jerusalem.

2020: The US brokers the Abraham Accords.

2023: After the Hamas Attack on Southern Israel, the US sends a carrier battlegroup to the Eastern Mediterranean. The US initiates an airlift of additional arms to Israel, and President Biden visits Israel during the war. President Biden also proposes a $14 billion arms package to Congress.