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Blinken in Israel to push for stabilizing Gaza ceasefire

Secretary of State Tony Blinken landed in Israel on Tuesday, the first stop on his first trip to the Middle East since assuming office.

Why it matters: State Department officials, who are realistic about the current low chances of reviving the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, say the visit will focus on stabilizing the Gaza ceasefire and start discussions on humanitarian aid and reconstruction.


Driving the news: Blinken was scheduled to visit Jerusalem and meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Defense Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi.

  • Later, he will meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh in Ramallah in the central West Bank.

The state of play: State Department officials said the U.S. wants to push forward with the reconstruction of Gaza and humanitarian relief efforts in a way that will not benefit Hamas.

  • They said the U.S. wants to work with both the UN and the Palestinian Authority on those efforts.
  • The Palestinian Authority has no control over Gaza, but the U.S. hopes the reconstruction efforts will help in returning the Palestinian Authority to Gaza in some form.

What they're saying: "Hamas will not have veto power over the reconstruction efforts," a State Department official said.

  • "We can’t fully guarantee it but we will do everything we can to make sure the assistance will go to the people of Gaza and not to Hamas."

What's next: On Wednesday, Blinken will travel to Amman, Jordan, and Cairo, Egypt, for meetings with King Abdullah and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

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New coalition forms to fight Republican legislature in Texas

Texas advocacy and political groups will launch a new coalition Monday to fight Republican efforts to change voting laws in their state and support Texans in need after the pandemic and last winter's paralyzing storm, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: While Democratic lawyers are fighting proposed or enacted changes in voting laws in battleground states, a grassroots response will be critical if the party and its backers hope to have any effects on the 2022 midterms and 2024 presidential election.

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TV star's party takes poll lead ahead of Bulgaria's election

Sunday's snap parliamentary elections in Bulgaria pit the man who has dominated the Balkan country's politics for a decade against an insurgent party led by a popular TV host.

The big picture: Former longtime Prime Minister Boyko Borissov failed to form a government after an inconclusive election in April, which followed massive protests last year over corruption and Borissov's alleged mafia ties.

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Migration trends between the U.S. and Mexico have flipped upside down

Data: Pew Research Center; Chart: Danielle Alberti/Axios

The past few years have seen a marked decline in the number of people migrating from the U.S. to Mexico, according to a new Pew Research Center report.

Why it matters: Mexico has long been the largest country of origin for immigrants in the U.S. However, there was even more migration from the U.S. to Mexico in the 2000s and early 2010s— a trend that reversed in the years before the pandemic.

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Israel becomes first country to offer COVID-19 vaccine booster shot

Israel on Monday will begin offering a third dose of Pfizer and BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine as a booster shot for people with weakened immune systems, according to the Times of Israel.

Why it matters: It's the first country to offer booster shots to bolster protection against the rapidly spreading Delta variant. The Israeli Health Ministry is still determining whether an extra shot should be offered to the general public.

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