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“Christmas has no place in the Holy Land … Let us remove the vampires before they once again drink our blood,” the Israeli rightwing leader Benzi Gopstein writes; his racist Lehava organization has been investigated for incitement but it still keeps going

The crisis of Zionism really is on us. Liberal Zionists are doing everything they can to save the “Jewish democracy,” from BDS and the occupation; but even John Kerry sees Israel becoming a “fortress” state with Palestinians disfranchised

Marc Ellis writes, “As Israel consolidates its power, the weakness of Jewish dissent becomes more and more apparent.”

Tourists, political leaders, activists and residents of Bethlehem gathered right in front of the Nativity Church Thursday night with an unusual message. With Christmas just days away, the city of Bethlehem erected what they call a “Resistance Tree” — an olive tree which was recently uprooted by Israeli forces from a nearby neighborhood, was placed in the center of the main square, overlooking the towering Christmas tree and historical Nativity church. Instead of baubles and tinsel, the Resistance Tree was decorated with tear gas canisters clinking together like bells, photos of Palestinians recently killed or detained, Palestinian national scarves and sling shots.

Up and down the Gaza Strip thousands of families are experiencing winter in freezing conditions, some living in makeshift homes and others in what remains of their homes after Israel’s deadly assault on the besieged Strip. Reconstruction efforts from last year’s war remain stalled despite promises made by Arab nations such as Qatar, United Arab Emirates and others to provide funds. Suad Najar, mother to eight children, says, “I have no idea how long I have to live like this. I can’t see an end right now.”

The university is often imagined to be a utopian space where academic debates are freely and fiercely waged, traditional orthodoxies are challenged and marginalized opinions can be voiced without fear of personal attack. However, a disturbing movement across US campuses has been repressing pro-Palestinian free speech, and attacks those who are peacefully advocating human rights. A new report documents burgeoning attacks on pro-Palestinian human rights advocates in the US, with most of the victims being students and scholars.

Hedgefunder and Israel supporter Andrew Herenstein seems to have jumped from Ted Cruz to Marco Rubio since the spring, and Rubio has dropped legislation that would have hurt Herenstein’s interests in Puerto Rico

Over the weekend in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, men dressed as Santa Claus marched to the towering separation wall on a mission — to bring candy and gifts to Jerusalem. As marchers reached the wall, they were blocked by fully armed Israeli soldiers who know well that cameras from agencies around the world were pointed at them. Eventually, Israeli forces retreated behind the wall, shooting tear gas at the Santas from concrete towers. “We knew this would happen,” one of the Santas told Mondoweiss. “We didn’t expect to be allowed through, but it’s important we do something to show the world what’s happening here while people are looking our city. This is Bethlehem, tear gas and soldiers and walls and occupation. This is the holy land.”

A 35-year-old woman was shot in the head and killed by Israeli forces after she produced a knife at Shuhada Street checkpoint Sunday. Two others were also injured by Israeli fire, including someone seeking to help the woman.