A real divide inside the pro-Israel organizations, a fight for the soul of the Jewish leadership. Just a few days in advance of the AIPAC policy conference, “J Street” is sending a shot across AIPAC’s bow by launching a public…
Monthly Archives: April 2009
Lieberman changes everything: ‘Washington Jewish Week’ takes on ‘tension’ between Jewish state and democracy
More evidence of change in the American Jewish community. A story taking up half the front page of the Washington Jewish Week describing a tour by Israeli Arabs that visited Washington synagogues to describe conditions in Israel for non-Jews. The…
‘New Republic’ attacks ADL for ‘inquisition’ against California professor who likened Gaza to Warsaw ghetto
We’ve failed to cover the the University of California Santa Barbara’s investigation of sociology professor William I. Robinson, who during Gaza circulated the assemblage of photographs I’m sure many of you have seen, of Israeli atrocities side by side with…
Benvenisti: 2-state-solution talk plays into Netanyahu’s hands
An excellent piece on why there’s been a “sea-change” in favor of binationalism, and the idea is now promoted in “symposia around the world,” including those progressive symposia that used to push the two-state solution. By Meron Benvenisti, the pioneer…
Is Rabbi Lerner going wobbly? 3 critics weigh in
Three responses to the post on Michael Lerner yesterday based on the New Jersey Jewish News report: 1, from an anonymous Jewish critic, 2, from Jeff Blankfort, 3, from Jack Ross. 1. Lerner is not “going wobbly,” Lerner has always…
What does it take to make it at ‘The New Republic’?
“Serving Israel on the public relations front and international arena has been Oren’s side job for the past two decades.” From Nathan Guttman’s piece in the Forward on Michael Oren, a New Republic contributing editor, and the likely next ambassador…
Guns & Militias & Nazis – Oh my!
Check out the latest from Max Blumenthal: So, as if Obama didn’t have enough to deal with, there are now neo-Nazis running around with automatic assault rifles tucked in their back packs organizing the new militia movement. Great. Note to…
‘Huffington Post’ appears to have gone almost all the way over to the other side on Israel/Palestine
A piece that might have been titled “Jews are better; Jews don’t hate,” by David Suissa–on the 459th-ranked site on the internet, which has lately gotten substantial financing. Writes Jack Ross: “What we’re seeing in Huffington Post now is an…
Foxman links criticism of Gaza with Holocaust
In Cleveland, Abe Foxman implies that UNRWA’s John Ging, who had lately visited the city at the invitation of the Arab community to talk about Gaza, is contributing to a global wave of anti-Semitism that we haven’t seen since the…
A thrilling, binational call for ‘queer solidarity’ with oppressed Palestinians
Why do I love the internet? Because thoughtful, learned people around the world can find one another and work to change “laws and stereotypes” that foster hatred. Haneen Maikey is the director of the center for sexual diversity in Palestinian…
How can you like the human race?
Gas prices are down and when I go to the supermarket I always notice a parked car or two going, with the windows closed, so that it will be nice and cool when the person is finished their shopping. I…
Michael Lerner says the left would ‘totally demean Israel’
Remember how important Rabbi Lerner was to the last Democratic White House? He was a spiritual adviser to Hillary Clinton. Well now he’s extending his hand to Obama. That means taking a slap at the left, too. From the New…
Has the U.S. discourse improved on Israel/Palestine? A pessimist says No
Our correspondent Felson is pessimistic. He argues that the debate on Israel/Palestine in this country isn’t fundamentally changing: I went back recently and looked at the media’s coverage of the 1982 Lebanon War and realized that, as much as we’d…
Has the U.S. discourse improved on Israel/Palestine? A pessimist says No
Our correspondent Felson is pessimistic. He argues that the debate on Israel/Palestine in this country isn’t fundamentally changing: I went back recently and looked at the media’s coverage of the 1982 Lebanon War and realized that, as much as we’d…
Veteran congresswoman Jane Harman believes that wacky Israel lobby theory
Huffpo does some good stuff. Here’s a nice piece by Robert Naiman probing the mind of Mrs Jane Harman (pointed out by a commenter and then Bruce Wolman): The allegations suggest that Jane Harman believed that if the Israeli government…
Veteran congresswoman Jane Harman believes that wacky Israel lobby theory
Huffpo does some good stuff. Here’s a nice piece by Robert Naiman probing the mind of Mrs Jane Harman (pointed out by a commenter and then Bruce Wolman): The allegations suggest that Jane Harman believed that if the Israeli government…
The American street wants to talk about the Israel lobby
Lately, Huffington Post, a battleground for Progressive Except on Palestine forces (my side gets some play now and then) has published Israel lobby spokesmen Lanny Davis, Alan Dershowitz, and Mortimer Zuckerman. Still, CAMERA isn’t happy. The pro-Israel media-monitor finds that…
The American street wants to talk about the Israel lobby
Lately, Huffington Post, a battleground for Progressive Except on Palestine forces (my side gets some play now and then) has published Israel lobby spokesmen Lanny Davis, Alan Dershowitz, and Mortimer Zuckerman. Still, CAMERA isn’t happy. The pro-Israel media-monitor finds that…
Billboards criticizing US aid to Israel taken down under pressure
A few week ago we posted about ten billboards going up around Albuquerque, NM calling for congress to cut off aid to Israel. They were put up by The Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel, a multi-ethnic, multi-religious coalition…
New commenting software on Mondoweiss
You’ve probably noticed that the comments section looks a bit different. We’re trying out some new commenting software called Intense Debate. Check out their website for the new features at your disposal, and let us know what you think. It…
Gutless in Gaza, by NPR
Susie Kneedler writes: NPR finally reported from Gaza yesterday morning: It was better than recent silence; sympathy for Palestinians, but “report” still got lost in Israeli defense of refusing to allow in cement for re-building and the question of smuggling….
Durban II Post-Mortem: Fighting racism was once central to American Jewish identity
Michael J. Jordan has a great article over at the JTA talking about the contortions people are going through to avoid stating the obvious: Jewish and pro-Israel groups worked to undermine the Durban II conference. Although “it’s no secret who…
Homer nods (Jon Stewart blows the Harman story)
Jon Stewart did the Jane Harman story last night and blew it. Didn’t mention Israel for over a minute. Doesn’t say Harman’s Jewish. Doesn’t talk about the Israel lobby really. Doesn’t talk about the occupation or Gaza or Iran, the…
Homer nods (Jon Stewart blows the Harman story)
Jon Stewart did the Jane Harman story last night and blew it. Didn’t mention Israel for over a minute. Doesn’t say Harman’s Jewish. Doesn’t talk about the Israel lobby really. Doesn’t talk about the occupation or Gaza or Iran, the…
‘I could go on for pages about discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel’
It seems like the issue of Palestinian freedoms in Israel proper has come up a few times already today, and I finally want to publish a note that my friend the Queen of Sheba sent to a few friends a…