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Hakeem Jeffries Announces He Will Not House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has come out against a bid to cut off US military aid to Israel, while calling for a “major reset” of Washington’s relationship with the Jewish state. In a “Dear Colleague” letter to fellow Democrats on Tuesday, Jeffries said he would vote against an amendment led by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), and co-sponsored by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), that would strip roughly $3.3 billion in annual military financing for Israel — while preserving $500 million for missile-defense programs such as Iron Dome — from the fiscal 2027 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act. The House could vote on the measure as early as this week. Aligning himself with the ranking Democrats on the Appropriations and Foreign Affairs committees, Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Gregory Meeks (D-NY), as well as the advocacy group J Street, Jeffries called the proposal too sweeping. “As written, it is overly broad in that it prohibits or would limit the use of funds for longstanding initiatives related to humanitarian aid, refugee resettlement, peace-building and US Embassy operations,” he wrote, adding that the “so-called Massie amendment” would restrict US efforts to confront Hamas, Hezbollah “and other terrorist organizations in the region who are sworn enemies of both the United States and Israel.” Citing deep divisions within the party over Israel, Jeffries said leadership would not pressure members to follow his lead. “There are good faith reasons that will result in Members voting in a variety of different ways with respect to the amendment,” he wrote, noting that the caucus was not whipping the vote. At the same time, Jeffries argued that US policy toward the region “must change,” tying his call for a “major reset” to criticism of what he termed the “far-right Netanyahu government.” He wrote that America’s commitment to “Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state and homeland for the Jewish people must remain ironclad,” while urging strong US support for the creation of an independent Palestinian state. Israeli governments have long rejected the establishment of a Palestinian state along Israel’s borders, warning that it would pose an existential security threat and leave major population centers exposed to attack. Jeffries also said Gaza must undergo “complete reconstruction and modernization” and that “Hamas must be disarmed and removed from power.” Jeffries further signaled that the next US-Israel aid agreement should require Israel to cover more of its own defense costs. The current 10-year memorandum of understanding, signed under President Barack Obama in 2016, provides Israel about $3.8 billion annually — $3.3 billion in military financing and $500 million for missile defense — and expires in 2028. “Israel has an advanced economy and is capable of paying for its own sophisticated weapons, as the Prime Minister recently acknowledged,” Jeffries wrote, adding that any future arrangement should mirror US defense agreements with other Western allies and “strictly adhere to our human rights laws and values.” His stance placed him between the two poles of a party increasingly split over Israel. Hours after his letter circulated, the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX), sent a competing letter urging Democrats to back the Massie amendment, and progressives including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said they would vote to cut the aid. Support for Israel among Democratic voters has fallen sharply during the war in Gaza. An Associated Press-NORC poll conducted in June found that 52 percent of Democrats say Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians, while a Pew Research Center survey found that roughly 80 percent of Democrats hold a negative view of Israel. In April, a majority of Senate Democrats — 40 of the caucus’s 47 members — voted for at least one of two resolutions to block certain arms sales to Israel, though the measures failed. Supporters of continued assistance say it preserves Israel’s qualitative military edge and bolsters a key US partner against Iran-backed groups, while critics want aid conditioned on Israeli policy changes, particularly over the conduct of the war in Gaza. The upcoming vote is expected to underscore the widening gap between the party’s pro-Israel wing and its growing bloc of aid critics. for Amendment to Strip Israel Aid

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August 19, 2021 10:19 am
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Israeli Study: ‘Smart’ Signposts Increase Driver Alertness by 70%

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avatar by James Spiro / CTech

Traffic on an Israeli highway. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

CTech – A “smart” signpost that was installed at a busy intersection in Israel reported a 70% increase in awareness for drivers of e-bikes and scooters, according to a study carried out by Ben-Gurion University and Autotalks. By equipping the signpost with Autotalks’ V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) chipset, it lights up when a scooter is nearby while also notifying any vehicles that contain the V2X chip.

“As a company dedicated to saving lives on the roads using V2X technology, Autotalks understood that a major factor was to prevent accidents involving electric bikes and scooters,” said Onn Haran, founder and CTO of Autotalks. “In addition, we understood that the global deployment of V2X must begin with two-wheelers. The smart signpost that we successfully tested with Ben-Gurion University serves as an important first milestone in equipping dangerous intersections with a comprehensive platform that will help prevent accidents involving two-wheeled electric vehicles.”

Following the study, it is understood that smart signposts are especially relevant at intersections where 75% of accidents involve cyclists and scooters. Drivers are 70% more likely to brake for bikes at an intersection with a smart signpost, compared to 20% from a regular one. This improvement did not come at the expense of attention given to others at or near the intersection.

“As a researcher of driving behavior, I understand how a driver divides his or her attention at an intersection is critical,” added Dr. Avinoam Borowsky, who oversaw the study alongside Noa Zangi. “Our study determined that the smart signpost does, in fact, increase driver’s alertness. The smart signpost has great potential in reducing electric bike accidents and we recommend a pilot study measuring the improvement at real intersections in cities as a next step.”

The Human Factors Engineering division in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev helps researchers understand human capabilities and limitations to improve environments. The division’s aim is to better understand the research, planning, and construction of sophisticated technology systems. Autotalks, founded in 2009, is a V2X chipset maker which aims to help reduce road collisions.

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