Palestinian human rights activists are calling on Oscar nominees not to accept travel vouchers supplied by the Israeli government as part of the gift bag that will be given to the nominees in the acting and directing categories. Omar Barghouti from the Palestinian BDS National Committee said: “Israel is desperately trying to fight its increasing international isolation through bribes and intimidation rather than by ending its occupation and apartheid. The Academy’s association with Israel further tarnishes its image regarding racism and evokes memories of Hollywood’s past collaboration with criminal regimes.”

In a Whither Zionism? article in the NYT, Steven Erlanger sets up a duality between good Zionists who wanted to be a light unto the nations and bad settlers, and quotes zero Palestinians and no anti-Zionists.

Did the Hashomer Hatzair socialist Zionist youth movement that sent Bernie Sanders to Kibbutz Sha’ar Ha’amakim in 1963 form his views on Israel?

Three members of the Joint List—the third largest faction in Israel— were suspended from Knesset today for visiting the homes of East Jerusalem Palestinian families whose relatives carried out attacks against Israelis in recent weeks. Hanin Zoabi and Basel Ghattas will be barred from Knesset meetings for four months, and Jamal Zahalka for two.

Hakim Zughbor and Falastin Tanani have been unable to find work in a Gaza economy devastated by siege but are not letting that prevent them from beginning their lives together. Hakim and Falastin have started a crowdfunding campaign to raise enough money for their wedding, an unusual step in the Gaza Strip, where tradition and conservatism rule. But in a place where electricity comes on two hours per day and salt water comes out of the sink, Gaza’s residents have turned to unorthodox ways of accomplishing their goals.

As the reality of Israel’s crimes become impossible to hide, our society is redoubling its efforts to defend them as “self defense”. Who on earth would want to save this society if this is what “survival” looks like?

Advocates of boycotting Israel are under attack in California, New York, Indiana, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Florida. Most of the bills under consideration would penalize people or businesses that support the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel over human rights violations. The New York bill would create a blacklist of people or companies that support BDS–and post that list on a state website.

The Israeli military cynically uses a quote on social media by the poet Maya Angelou to mark Black History Month, perhaps forgetting Angelou honored Rachel Corrie for her work in Gaza.

Many Palestinian officials took part in the funeral Saturday of Haitham Ismail Muhammad al-Baw, 14, who was shot by Israeli forces in the village of Halhul outside Hebron Friday because he allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail. Al-Baw is the 170th Palestinian killed since the wave of violence began last October.

The Palestinian journalist Muhammad Al-Qeeq is near death, after entering his 48th day of hunger strike at a hospital in Afula, Israel, according to Amnesty International. His hunger strike against Israeli detention began Nov. 24, 2015, after soldiers blew the front door of his house off and arrested him.