Category Archives: Israel Lobby

Barbara Boxer’s visa bill for Israel comes under concerted attack

In the wake of the horrific Nour Joudah case, in which an American teacher was refused entry to Palestine to resume her job this year, activists are ramping up their campaign to thwart the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act. The legislation would “codify into law U.S. acceptance of Israel’s discrimination and allow it to continue to deny visas to U.S. citizens,” according to a letter sent by a coalition of Palestine solidarity groups.

Posted in Activism, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | 31 Comments

Exile and the Prophetic: Joseph Massad strikes again

Joseph Massad’s contribution to the 65th anniversary of the Nakba, published on Al Jazeera’s website, is called “The Last of the Semites.” The subtitle is telling: “It is Israel’s claims that it represents and speaks for all Jews that are the most anti-Semitic claims of all.”

Posted in Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Nakba, US Politics | 11 Comments

Coalition says investigations into campus Palestine activism chill student speech rights

A coalition of civil rights and advocacy groups have charged that prolonged federal investigations of Palestine solidarity activism on campuses are chilling students’ constitutional rights. The letters, sent to the DOE civil rights division in San Francisco and the DOE’s assistant secretary for civil rights, are a response to the spate of Title VI civil rights complaints that have been filed by Jewish students who advocate for Israel.

Posted in Activism, Israel Lobby, US Politics | 18 Comments

Im Tirtzu protests ‘nakba bullshit’ at Tel Aviv University

For the second time in two years, students at Tel Aviv University (TAU) commemorating the 1947-49 Palestinian expulsion and the destruction of villages were met with a counter-protest. At last year’s event over 1,000 amassed on campus, ending in clashes incited by members of Knesset. Again this year, the youth-based “new Zionist” group Im Tirtzu bottom-lined the demonstration, distributing a counter analysis pamphlet titled “Nakba Harta” or “Nakba-Bullshit”.

Posted in Activism, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Nakba, On the ground reports | Tagged | 36 Comments

‘Newseum’ folds under pressure, will not include Gaza cameramen in program honoring fallen journalists

Last week we reported that Israel supporters were pressuring the Newseum (above) to drop two Palestinian journalists, Mahmoud al-Kumi and Hussam Salama, from its yearly event honoring reporters killed in the line of duty. Although the Newseum originally defended their inclusion, this morning the Washington, DC-based museum announced that al-Kumi and Salama would not be a part of today’s ceremony stating, “Terrorism has altered the landscape in many areas, including the rules of war and engagement, law, investigative and interrogation techniques, and the detention of enemy combatants. Journalism is no exception.”

Posted in Gaza, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, US Politics | 62 Comments

San Francisco bus ads condemn Israeli apartheid: backlash begins

American Muslims for Palestine launched an ad campaign this week on San Francisco buses condemning Israeli apartheid. Predictably, local branches of the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee, as well as the Jewish Community Relations Council, immediately issued a statement in effect calling the ad hate speech for using the word ‘apartheid’.

Posted in American Jewish Community, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, US Politics | 40 Comments

‘Newseum’ comes under pressure from Israel supporters for honoring Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza

On May 13th, the Newseum in Washington, DC will be holding an event to honor “newspeople who died or were killed in the pursuit of news” in the past year. Among the 84 journalists who died are Mahmoud al-Kumi and Hussam Salama who were killed in Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip this past winter. Their inclusion in the ceremony has sent parts of the Israel lobby into overdrive as both worked for Al-Aqsa television which is affiliated with Hamas. The neocon think tank Foundation for the Defense of Democracies is threatening pull an annual policy summit out of the venue in protest.

Posted in Gaza, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Media, US Politics | 19 Comments

Exile and the Prophetic: Henry Siegman — Elder Jewish (prophetic) statesman

At the Middle East Policy Council event, Siegman declared that the Middle East peace process is “probably the greatest scam in modern diplomatic history, and future historians are going to be absolutely in awe in how that was pulled off.” For Siegman, this isn’t a recent development.

Posted in American Jewish Community, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Occupation, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | 6 Comments

Senator Boxer’s far-fetched defense of the visa waiver exemption for Israel

Senator Barbara Boxer’s recent letter in the Los Angeles Times defending legislation that would allow Israel in the Visa Waiver Program while give it a pass on key requirements was a disingenuous and poorly reasoned attempt to mollify critics of the provision.

Posted in Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | 7 Comments

Lapid makes pilgrimage to Tel Aviv home of Sheldon Adelson

Is this the beginning of a beautiful relationship or what? Sheldon Adelson championed Newt Gingrich and then Mitt Romney during the US presidential election, in an effort to ensure Israeli control of the occupied territories forever, and has long supported Benjamin Netanyahu for the same rightwing goal. But he appears to be covering his bases, meeting with Yair Lapid, the centrist meteor in Israeli politics. Lapid was careful not to criticize Israeli settlements during the recent campaign, and has partnered with rightwinger Naftali Bennett. No wonder he’s meeting with Adelson

Posted in American Jewish Community, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Neocons, US Politics | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Shareholders respond to TIAA-CREF refusal on divestment vote

(Ed. note: On background read TIAA-CREF asks feds for OK to dodge Israeli divestment vote at annual meeting) Press Release:   Yesterday, lawyers for the We Divest Coalition filed two letters (see here and here) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange … Continue reading

Posted in Activism, American Jewish Community, BDS, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, US Politics | 12 Comments

UC Berkeley student president announces he will not veto divestment bill

UC Berkeley student president Connor Landgraf has announced that he will not veto the divestment bill that bill passed last week that divests ASUC funds from companies affiliated with the Israeli military and encourages the UC system to do the same.

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Occupation, US Politics | 13 Comments

Palestine and the Left

Read the introduction to Jacobin magazine’s special section on Palestine and the Left.

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Middle East, Occupation, One state/Two states, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | 17 Comments

Nour Joudah returns to U.S., but continues to fight Israel’s arbitrary denial of entry

The Quaker-affiliated Friends School in Ramallah is like an oasis, complete with a spacious courtyard and a tennis court. It’s easy to forget about the Israeli occupation while visiting there. But the case of Nour Joudah, a Palestinian-American English teacher at the school who was denied entry to the West Bank this year, shatters the feeling that the Friends School is worlds away from a conflict situation. Even if Israel is not patrolling the streets of Ramallah, the state’s actions still have a profound impact on the city and its residents, as Joudah being denied entry shows. Above, Joudah poses with students from her class.

Posted in Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, US Politics | 7 Comments

In landmark case on Israel and Jewish identity, British tribunal says anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism

anti-zionism-is-not-anti-semitism-1

Math lecturer Ronnie Fraser, assisted by Jewish groups, wanted a British court to condemn anti-Israel speech as anti-Semitism because an affinity to Israel was an intrinsic part of his and others’ Jewish identity. The court rejected Fraser’s case saying his pro-Israel advocacy constituted political activism and added “a political activist accepts the risk of being offended or hurt on occasions.”

Posted in Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine | Tagged | 67 Comments

AIPAC president (tries to) defend Israel’s rejection of WMD-free zone

“Whydo you think that Israel boycotted last year’s planned international conference on establishing a Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone (WMDFZ) in the Middle East which was based on a proposal made by Iran in 1974? What is the downside of a WMD Free Zone as an alternative to war and sanctions against Iran?” AIPAC’s Michael Kassen can’t answer.

Posted in Iran, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Middle East | 53 Comments

UC Riverside student government rescinds divestment measure aimed at Israeli occupation profiteers

The student government at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) rescinded a measure calling for divestment from companies linked to the Israeli military. Last night’s vote came nearly a month after the original pro-divestment measure overwhelmingly passed at UC Riverside. Opponents of divestment claimed they were kept in the dark and had little time to muster any opposition to the original bill.

Posted in Activism, American Jewish Community, BDS, Israel Lobby, US Politics | 22 Comments

‘Do not stand silent. Do not retreat. Do not back down’: Desmond Tutu and Roger Waters call on UC Riverside to stand behind divestment vote

Tonight the University of California Riverside Associated Students will vote on whether to rescind a March 6th vote in favor of divestment from Caterpillar and Hewlett Packard for their involvement in the Israeli occupation. This move comes after a month of intense pressure from pro-Israel activists and organizations. Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Roger Waters have issued statements in support of the divestment vote.

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Occupation, US Politics | 8 Comments

Israel Project ‘makeover’ shows how U.S. stands between Israel and total isolation

A profile of The Israel Project is a revealing indicator of Israel’s global image. The organization has shut down its international offices, and is instead focusing solely on the U.S. The Israel lobby group has recognized that Israel’s image around the world is shot irreparably. But it’s the U.S. that really matters for The Israel Project.

Posted in Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, US Politics | 62 Comments

Berkeley student association passes resolution condemning Islamophobic hate speech

Last month student activists exposed a video of University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) Hebrew lecturer Tammi Rossman-Benjamin using inflammatory Islamophobic rhetoric accusing student Palestinian rights activists of being anti-Semites with ties to terrorist organizations. UCSC Committee for Justice in Palestine promptly started a petition calling on University of California President Mark Yudof to “take a clear stand against hate speech” by condemning Rossman-Benjamin’s hateful attacks on Muslim/Arab student groups. Making their stance official on Wednesday night Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) at Berkeley unanimously passed Resolution SB 114 Condemning Islamophobic Hate Speech at the University of California.

Posted in Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, US Politics | 11 Comments

San Diego students pass divestment measure targeting companies that do business with Israeli military

The student government at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) overwhelmingly passed a nonbinding resolution that recommended divestment from companies implicated in Israeli rule over the Palestinians. The measure passed by a 20-12 margin, and was successful despite pressure from elected officials on students to vote against the bill. San Diego’s measure followed similarly successful resolutions that were passed at the Irvine and Riverside campuses.

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Occupation, US Politics | 7 Comments

Row breaks out in chambers as Aussie Parliamentarians criticizes ‘study tour’ of Israel

A shouting match broke out in the chambers of the New South Wales (NSW) Legislative Council chambers on Thursday during a motion debate about a ‘Study Mission to Israel’ hosted by the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Israel under the auspices of the NSW Jewish Board Of Deputies, attended by a delegation of NSW Parliamentarians last January 6-10.

Posted in Gaza, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Occupation | 62 Comments

NYC coalition calls on elected officials to stop fueling Islamophobia and suppressing criticism of Israel

A historic coalition of LGBT, Muslim, Jewish, Arab, Iranian, South Asian and university groups today delivered a letter to New York City elected officials, calling on them to stop impeding their constituents’ free speech on Israel’s apartheid policies, the “Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions” (BDS) movement and the movement against Israeli government “pinkwashing.”

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Occupation, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | 11 Comments

NYC ‘Israeli Apartheid Week’ kicks off: Queer scholar Sarah Schulman advocates BDS at LGBT Center

For the first time in two years, a discussion focused on Israel took place at New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center. Last night, queer scholar and activist Sarah Schulman read from her recently released book, Israel/Palestine and the Queer International. Schulman spoke about her personal upbringing and relationship to Israel, her support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement and why Israeli “pinkwashing” to cover up human rights abuses was real.

Posted in Activism, American Jewish Community, BDS, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, US Politics | 5 Comments

Covering Hamas and Palestinian society: A response to Peter Beinart

A response to Peter Beinart’s Open Zion post “The Pro-Palestinian Left’s Hamas Blindspot.”

Posted in American Jewish Community, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Media, Occupation, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | 206 Comments