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Joanna: Tonight on "NJ Spotlight News," as the calls for a cease-fire intensify, Israel's prime minister makes his case to Biden, Harris, and Trump.

>> Prime Minister Netanyahu came to the United States mostly to play to his constituency back home and play for time.

But he is under huge pressure first and foremost from the Israeli people.

Joanna: Come IRS -- Kamala Harris's run for president breaks new ground for South Asians.

>> I know our ancestors would be so proud of her and her leadership, and I definitely am so proud of her.

Joanna: The Attorney General on his vision for reshaping how the justice system handles young offenders.

>> We have made tremendous progress in New Jersey on youth justice both in terms of how we provide opportunities to our youngest residents and also how we keep our state say.

Joanna: And climate change preparedness, building flood protection all along New Jersey's coast.

>> This is about being stewards of the environment we all live in.

It's about ensuring that the next generation of Americans can lead lives of dignity.

Joanna: "NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

♪ >> From NJ PBS Studios, this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Briana Vannozzi.

Joanna: Hello, and thanks for joining us.

I am Joanna Gagis, in for Briana Vannozzi.

While the relationship between Israel and the United States has been on full display this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressing a joint session of Congress and meeting with President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Former President Donald Trump, thier first meeting since the end of Trump's term as president.

It comes amid ongoing tension in the U.S. around the war in Gaza, with the families of hostages demanding a deal for their release and continued calls for humanitarian support to Gaza and an end to the war.

It is an issue that is galvanized voters, some critical of America's continued support of Israel, others urgent to see the U.S. maintain a strong relationship with our Middle East ally.

And then there are folks like Tom Allen out ski, who -- Tom Malinowski, who understands both of those arguments.

He worked in the State Department under the Obama administration before becoming a two-term Congressman in New Jersey.

He joins me now.

Great to have you with us tonight.

We are talking all things Israel.

President Biden met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday.

The president has been consistent in his support for Israel but also his push for a deal, a peace deal, and the release of the hostages.

Where does it look like we are right now in terms of moving towards that goal?

>> I think that Prime Minister Netanyahu came to the United States mostly to play to his constituency back home and to play for time.

But he's under huge pressure, first and foremost from the Israeli people.

Two thirds of Israelis right now say that getting a cease-fire, getting the hostages home should be the priority, not continuing the war in Gaza.

From his own security establishment, his own defense minister has publicly said that Netanyahu is putting Israel's long-term security in jeopardy by continuing the war and refusing to embrace a long-term solution for Gaza that would include a Palestinian leadership presence there.

And of course he is under pressure from the United States.

I think President Biden, who really is the most pro-Israel president we have ever had, is taking the correct pro-Israel position, to stand with the Israeli majority and not necessarily Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Joanna: It's interesting, we are going to get to the meeting with Vice President and potential nominee Kamala Harris as well as a Trump, meeting schedule tonight with Former President Trump.

But I want to go back to the speech we heard earlier this week from Netanyahu to the joint session of Congress, where he pushed back on anyone who has been critical of his response.

He called any protestors Iran's useful idiots, and he said Israel's hands would never be tied and if Israel's hands are tied, America's hands are tied.

What do you make of that position amidst the criticism from even within his own country?

>> Any protesters who are spray painting "Hamas is coming" on Washington centers or burning the American flag deserve to be criticized by all of us.

But I think he was very disdainful in a way that offended me of Americans who support Israel but who believe that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is unacceptable, that this war does not need to end, that continuing it is not in Israel's best security interests, and that Israel needs to embrace the future relationship with its neighbors that allow us for, for example, Arab countries to rebuild Gaza to do you radicalize -- to deradicalize it but also requires Israel to move towards two states.

His own defense minister, not a piece ni-- peacenik, as accused Netanyahu of leading Israel to a dangerous place.

A lot of folks suspect he is prolonging this war because he is worried that if it ends, his governance of Israel ends, that he risks prosecution for corruption, that he would go to jail.

That's his problem, not our problem.

Joanna: We know that he did meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and meeting with Trump tonight.

What did we get in terms of those two administrations, whoever should be elected into office, in terms of Harris's approach or Trump's approach to putting pressure on Netanyahu or not to end this war?

>> Harris is physically on the same place as Joe Biden, she is put -- basically on the same place as Joe Biden, she is pro-Israel but wants to see a cease-fire deal yesterday that gets the hostages home and believes very strongly that there can be no security for a democratic Jewish state of Israel if there is no credible pathway to a Palestinian state.

Joanna: She did say in her meeting with him -- sorry to interrupt you -- that she will not be silent about the suffering in Gaza and that it is time to get a deal done.

Those were two things that came out of that meeting.

>> Exactly.

And Trump, who knows, he is all over the place, but he also said today the war has got to end.

I think the important thing about the Harris part of this is that Netanyahu now has to recognize that she may win this race.

I think part of his plan, may be part of his hope, was that Trump would be the next president and I can go back to dealing with Jared Kushner to turn Gaza into, you know, a beach resort for wealthy Arabs, and I don't have to worry about pressure for two states or a real peace process.

Now he has got to contend with the fact that we may have a normal administration in Washington for another four and a half years, and I think that is got a changes calculations, too.

I hope in a good way, I hope in a way that leads him to accept the deal on the table and even more important to seize the deal that could really secure Israel's long-term future, with recognition from Saudi Arabia and its Arab neighbors, with real partners to fight Hamas and terrorism, to rebuild Gaza.

He can't get that unless he is willing to embrace a pathway to two states.

Joanna: So what is the response from the U.S. regardless of who the president is?

We know there is continued support, continued weapons sent overseas.

Do you see a time in which the U.S. needs to ever withdraw that support or perhaps a more targeted line of support?

What is the right answer?

>> Look, we are rightly committed to defending Israel against its enemies, which are America's enemies, too.

President Biden is the only president in American history who has put American troops into combat to protect Israel, as he did when Iran launched those missiles a few months ago.

But that kind of partnership, which so many of us support, is only possible if the Israeli government is willing to meet the United States at least halfway on these issues.

And again, this is a profoundly pro-Israel American president.

I think for Netanyahu to simply refuse to listen, as he has been doing for the last few months, not only bad for Israel's long-term security, but bad for the relationship with the United States and for all of us who want to continue.

Joanna: You mentioned that "Hamas is coming" graffiti we saw the same day Netanyahu gave his speech and an American flag burned and Palestinian flags raised.

Getting to the protester piece, are we seeing a shift in the U.S. that is more sinister than just humanitarian calls for the war to end?

>> Yeah, look, I think it's disgusting.

In some ways the extremist protesters in the United States are the mirror image of extreme iss in Israel.

They are all against two states, "River to the sea", people except one group once a Palestinian state from the river to the sea and the other once a Jewish state from the river to the sea.

This is a moment where the center, where I take most of us are, needs to assert itself.

We have got to reject people who want to delegitimize Israel and wanted to cease to exist, but Israel also needs to confront the extremists in its midst, some of whom are in Netanyahu's cabinet, who also rejected the values of the heart of the partnership between our two countries.

Joanna: Thank you so much for such a thoughtful discussion, Tom Malinowski former official in the Obama administration and former Conner Smith from New Jersey.

>> thank you.

Joanna: The candidacy of a Vice President Kamala Harris took a big step forward with the endorsement of former President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama.

Barack had held off his endorsement, indicating he wanted a more open nomination process.

But as all the dominoes of endorsement fell into place, from House and Senate leadership to the Clintons and others, the Obamas have put the full support behind the vice president.

Harris extends to be the first woman of color at the top of the ticket and the first woman of South Asian descent.

Usha Vance, wife of Republican vice presidential nominee J.D.

Vance, is also of South Asian descent.

How is New Jersey's South Asian community reacting to the representation?

Brenda Flanagan takes a look.

>> good afternoon!

Brenda: The Kamala Harris campaign galvanized communities of color presentation, as a first-generation daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, Paris celebrates her heritage, and it resonates deeply for many New Jersey residents with South Asian roots feel she is one of their own, like this activist.

>> My parents are from the same part of India and I know our ancestors would be so proud of her and her leadership, and I definitely am so proud of her.

>> Her grandmother and I have the same name and her families from the same area of India that my family is from.

It is pretty emotional and for the amazing.

Brenda: The states and rose South Asians comprise one of New Jersey's fastest growing minorities, close to 5% of New Jersey residents, more than any other state.

403,000 of them are from India, clustered mostly in Middlesex County towns, but gaining economic and political influence statewide.

>> We are seeing more judges, more police officers, college presidents.

It's really an incredible area at this moment.

That is why as generations go, we are going to see more.

>> I think would be a very much-needed positive change.

It's a time when we need a woman.

>> I will work for her.

She is a good person.

Brenda: That support translates into campaign funds for Harris.

Recent Zoom fundraiser for Native American and Pacific Islander women raised a quarter million dollars.

Similar events Rick didn't even more cash-- raked in even more cash.

Electing Kamala Harris to the Oval Office with chatter several glass ceilings, and one hopes she can heal some of the racial anger plaguing America and New Jersey.

>> I think if we can come together on issues of common concern, racial justice, especially after the pandemic where you see anti-Asian hate, it's something that any Asian American, Republican, Democrat, or independent can relate to as it impacts their families.

Brenda: India is a vital diplomatic and economic partner, the world's largest democracy.

But Josie's salvation -- Jersey's salvation voting block is by no means monolithic, and a former Nikki Haley supporter of South Asian descent things Harris cannot handle international affairs.

>> She doesn't have the global background.

I just don't feel like she is qualified candidate to be president of this United States, especially with every thing going on in the world.

Brenda: She prefers the Republican slate, noting J.D.

Vance's wife is also Indian American.

Donald Trump visited India in 2020 and hosted its controversial prime minister.

He is already attacking Harris and mispronouncing her name.

>> Lying Ka-MAH-la Harris has been the ultraliberal force behind every Biden catastrophe.

>> I love her, and her name is not Ka-MAH-la, it is Kamala, Kamala Harris.

She is fabulous, fantastic prosecutor who will fight the felon.

>Brenda: Her followers posted this, Kamala means Lotus in Sanskrit and POTUS in the United States.

I am Brenda Flanagan, "NJ Spotlight News."

Joanna: the Murphy administration has made changes to reform the way that young people interact with law enforcement in New Jersey.

This one part of the effort, the state announced in 2017 that two youth detention facilities would close, the tourney school for juveniles and the female secure care and intake facility.

That begs the question, what should happen with those spaces?

As part of the broader reform effort, New Jersey's Attorney General announced his office is quitting a new working group to work towards what he calls a more affirmative vision for our children.

Attorney General Platkin is here to explain.

Great to have you with us tonight.

What can you tell me about the working group and how you plan to take their perspective on things like decisions about closing the facility and what comes next with it?

>> We have made tremendous progress in New Jersey on youth justice both in terms of how we provide opportunities to our youngest residents and how we keep our state safe.

This goes back several years, dating back to 2017, when the initial announcement of a funding to build new secure care facilities and the closure was announced, supported throughout his administration by Governor Murphy.

Now we are in the final stages of that, and we want to listen to communities that have been affected about how we can learn from history of this site once the site of excellence for Black kids, how these can be repurposed for the next generation.

Joanna: Who are the voices that sit on this working group?

Let's start there.

>> It includes a diverse range of perspectives, our juvenile justice commission, representatives of my office will be represented, advocates like the Institute for social justice and salvation and social justice, who have been part of advocacy on this work for many years.

It includes people with rich ties to the sites we are talking about, including the granddaughter of the Reverend who founded the school.

And includes a number of other youth justice advocates, and will of course grow and expand as we do this work.

But the idea is to provide recommendations to the administration and to the governor and to me as to how we can use these facilities in ways that provides more opportunity for our kids.

Joanna: So there are two pieces of this.

One is how you repurpose those old centers, and the other is the new facilities you mentioned that are going to be built.

Talk us through those new facilities and how they are going to be different.

>> Those facilities come out of a recommendation from the task force that the governor stood up in 2018, and the results were announced by the late great lieutenant governor Sheila Oliver back in 2022.

These are smaller facilities that are designed based on best practices from across the country to ensure that relatively few young people who we have in our custody are provided every opportunity to get their life back on track and succeed.

They are facilities that will be smaller, closer to home, and built on best practices, and that work is well underway.

Joanna: You mentioned the few people you have in custody, and it is a point that has raised some criticism from law enforcement and others around the state who say that young people are feeling emboldened knowing that New Jersey has moved away from detention, even at times where the crimes committed -- I note the state has maintained violent crimes will be prosecuted.

But what do you say to those critics who say young people are emboldened to engage in bad behavior right now?

>> Look, I think everyone is entitled to their perspectives, and we care and I care first and foremost with keeping our state safe and providing security to our residents.

But the fact is the state of New Jersey has never been safer.

Last year we had the lowest number of shootings on record since we have been tracking it this year we are down another 20%.

That is hundreds of people fewer shot this year and last year then would have been shot in prior decades.

That is not just numbers.

Those are birthday parties and weddings that are not funerals.

We always have to keep that perspective.

We work very closely with our Mayors and police chiefs throughout the state.

The state is safer than frankly it has ever been.

Joanna: New Jersey's Attorney General Matt Platkin, thanks for being with us tonight.

>>>> thank you for having me.

Joanna: New Jersey is getting a major infusion of federal cash for when the next major storm hits.

$72 million is coming as part of a project called "building a climate-ready New Jersey."

It was chosen as a winner in a contest that was part of the Biden administration's 19 winners -- Biden administration's inflation reduction act.

19 winners were announced across the U.S.

Oyster Reese along the shoreline to water-permeable parking lot that absorb runoff.

Ted Goldberg is seeing what is coming to a waterfront that was once underwater.

Ted: New Jersey is getting $72 million to build projects for flood protection.

U.S. deputy secretary of commerce Don Graves joined leaders to celebrate the new source of funding.

>> this is about keeping coastal communities safe.

It is about being stewards of the environment we all live in.

It's about ensuring that the next generation of Americans can lead lives of dignity.

>> Millions of our residents live and work in these communities, so investing in their ability to respond to the challenges of climate change is an investment in our shared future.

>> We've experienced routine flooding the families out of their home and risks losing livelihoods on such a frequent basis.

Ted: It is one of the places that stands to benefit.

>> If you had been here after hurricane Sandy, this waterfront was completely destroyed.

Ted: The waterfront was rebuilt with the disaster relief funds after Superstorm Sandy.

Resiliency project that will pop up statewide will vary based on where they are booked.

Kindest been Frank Pallone -- Congressman Frank blown shared some of the plans.

>> Permeable pavements to tackle flooding and urban heat.

Imagine walking on a sidewalk that soaks up water like a sponge.

>> It will sort Port-au-Peck plan of resilience projects to restore ecosystem -- support a pipeline of resilience projects to restore ecosystems.

Ted: The money is scheduled to fund resiliency projects in municipalities statewide including places that drew up projects for after Superstorm Sandy but never got the funding.

>> That planning work enabled us to do community-based, grassroots thinking and engagement, and as our colleagues have said, that work on the page gets to jump off the page and become concrete, become actionable.

Ted: The project will spend more than half $1 billion nationwide, with New Jersey getting more funds then all but two states.

All to try to reduce the damage from increased flooding and other effects from climate change.

I'm Ted Goldberg, "NJ Spotlight News."

Joanna: in our "Spotlight on Business" report, state authorities are pledging to quickly clean up chunks of lead it week after local environmentalists alerted them it was there.

The Department said it would take the lead on the cleanup in Keyport, where rocklike material was tested and found to contain lead.

The DEP plans to remove the material and test the beach for any armful, heavy metals -- any harmful heavy metals.

It is unclear how long the debris has been on the beach or where it came from, but it is concentrated in a former Marine factory that once made seaplanes, and the bay keeper who tested it noted that the gents are similar to hazardous material at a Superfund site.

The DEP has promised to investigate the source.

>> When circumstances like these are identified, it is our job to get out and inspected the conditions and try to identify if there are risks and to hold those responsible for creating conditions like these that could create a to our environment or to the public.

Joanna: Turning to Wall Street, positive earning and inflation reports sent to stocks soaring.

Joanna: That doesn't it for us tonight.

Before you go, remember to download the "NJ Spotlight News" podcast so you can listen to us anytime.

I'm Joanna Gagis.

For the entire team at "NJ Spotlight News," have a great weekend, and we will see you back on Monday.

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