Politico

Some other things you should know: 👉Biden admin officials have spent weeks quietly drafting a multiphase postwar game plan that envisions a revamped Palestinian Authority ultimately taking over the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may not like the plan, but he also may not get a say. 👉The White House warned party leaders that time is running out to approve more Ukraine aid. Inaction on funding before the end of the year will threaten to “kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield,” the Biden admin warned lawmakers. 👉The war in the Middle East is now spilling into the West’s cyber front as federal agencies sound the alarm on Iranian state-linked hackers hitting water facilities in the United States.

The Biden admin’s patience with how Israel is retaliating against Hamas seems to be wearing thin. To date, more than 15,000 Palestinians have been killed, with Gaza’s Hamas-controlled health ministries claiming most were women and children. “You can only win in urban warfare by protecting civilians,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned. The U.S. still supports Israel’s goal of militarily defeating Hamas, but now wants Israel to shift course, particularly as operations move into southern Gaza, where many of the territory’s 2.3 million fled to escape fighting in the north. The question now is if Israel will heed America’s advice.

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Friday is finally upon us, folks. Here are three stories you should know as you head into the weekend: 👉The U.S. is playing a much more active role than previously disclosed in trying to calm the conflict in eastern Congo, where Congolese forces and rebels backed by neighboring Rwanda is threatening to escalate into all-out war between the countries. 👉The United Auto Workers became the highest-profile union in the country to call for a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas. This sets UAW apart from much of the labor and Dem establishment, including President Biden. 👉There are no indications Israel shared secret Hamas war plans laying out a detailed blueprint for the Oct. 7 attacks with the U.S. intelligence community, according to three U.S. officials.

The U.S.-prescribed approach is unlikely to comfort many on either side of the political spectrum. Democrats want to lengthen the current cease-fire and are wary that Israeli forces won’t again strike established safe zones in Gaza. Meanwhile, opponents of Biden’s Middle East policy say the admin’s stance would inevitably help Hamas and that the restrictions on Israel are unworkable. Read more in today’s National Security Daily

Hey there 👋 Now that the GOP presidential field is narrowing, we’re pivoting this channel to update you on the biggest news affecting national security — starting with the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. The Biden admin revealed what it’s been telling Israel behind closed doors: to not advance its military operation in southern Gaza until it has accounted for all displaced Palestinians in the area, the White House said. This is the latest call by the U.S. for Israel to minimize civilian harm. No one we spoke to, however, could detail exactly what Israel would need to show the U.S. before Washington would give implicit approval for the next phase of Israel’s anti-Hamas operation.

Where does Trump stand in all this? When the candidates were asked if they would support the former president if he wins the GOP nomination again, most of them said yes. And while Trump was absent from the debate last night, our reporters think he’ll likely continue to be the GOP frontrunner in the 2024 presidential race.

Now, on to the other candidates🔻 In a surprising twist, Ron DeSantis was largely ignored by his lower-polling rivals as the debate turned into a pile on Ramaswamy. Meanwhile, Mike Pence spoke more than anyone else last night and made clear that he chose conviction over politics. He embraced standing up to Trump on Jan. 6 and promised to refuse pardoning him. He forcefully defended the importance of arming Ukraine. And he staked out the most anti-abortion rights position of all the candidates. Nikki Haley and Chris Christie also delivered strong performances — though they’re unlikely to meaningfully shake up the race. Bottom-tier candidates Asa Hutchinson and Doug Burgum didn’t have the break-through moments they needed — and this may be the last time we see them on stage. Similarly, Tim Scott didn’t do enough to make a case for himself as the religious conservative in the race.

If Vivek Ramaswamy’s goal was to get the attention of Republican voters who still haven’t heard of him, he certainly made the most of his debate night. Taking most of the fire from his rivals, the 38-year-old political newcomer was at the center of key clashes over funding for Ukraine (no), sending military troops to the Mexican border (yes) and whether to pardon Trump (hell yes) — all while delivering populist one-liners with knack. By the end of the night, Ramaswamy tied with Trump in the number of attacks he received from his opponents, according to the New York Times — a clear sign of his rise.

Meanwhile, Democrats will have counterprogramming of their own, such as a TV blitz, a social media “war room,” and several billboards, including flying a plane around Milwaukee — where the debate is happening — with a banner that says “GOP 2024: A Race for the Extreme MAGA Base.”

The first 2024 GOP presidential debate is tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET. For the eight candidates who will be on stage, Wednesday night will be incredibly important; It’s their best chance to get their message in front of a massive national audience. Notably absent from the lineup: Donald Trump. The former president is skipping the debate, citing his lead in the polls. (He also refused to sign a pledge to support the eventual nominee — an RNC requirement to participate.) Trump’s counterprogram includes: 👉 A Tucker Carlson interview that airs on Wednesday 👉 Turning himself in to law enforcement in Georgia on Thursday.

Special counsel Jack Smith is seeking to put Donald Trump on trial on Jan. 2, 2024 on charges related to his bid to subvert the 2020 election. That aggressive timeline would guarantee an extensive airing of the allegations against him just before Republican primary voters head to the polls. Trump’s legal team is expected to file its own proposed trial timeline next week. His attorney John Lauro has predicted it could take years to review and organize evidence, well past the 2024 election in which Trump is favored to be the Republican nominee.