On Yom Kippur, Marc Ellis reflects that the historical damage done to Palestinians and the occupation of Palestine itself is permanent, making it difficult to read Jewish theologians who were optimistic about Israel as at best simplistic. It is becoming more and more difficult to read hopeful interpretations of Jewish life and Israel.
There are lots of good reasons to think the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism, now adopted “in full” by Labour’s national committee and by Labour MPs, is, well, a bit rubbish, writes Robert Cohen: “The truth of the matter is, the Jewish community can no longer define ‘Zionism,’ or indeed ‘anti-Semitism,’ without the help of Palestinians.”
Financier Seth Klarman has long given to rightwing pro-Israel causes, but NYT’s Bari Weiss doesn’t mention Israel in an article on Klarman turning on the Republican Party and Trump. A pro-Israel advocate herself, she’s protecting the Israel lobby from scrutiny.
On Sunday the U.S. State Department cancelled the visas for Palestinian ambassador to the U.S.’s wife and children who are living in Washington DC, following the Trump administration ordering closed the PLO diplomatic mission.
Internationally, the two-state settlement between Palestinians and Israelis has been a pivot and shorthand for the entire post-World War II US order: offering lip service to international law while substantively ripping it to pieces. Max Ajl writes that order is done. The Trump administration’s decision to close the PLO Embassy in Washington DC, along with John Bolton’s attack on the ICC, reveals “a desire for a shift from multilateral instruments of hegemony to unilateral instruments of simple dominance.”
The Jewish tribalist culture that sees Jews as heirs to a sacred macho victimhood and Israelis militarism as the answer was promoted by Jeffrey Goldberg, the leading American Jewish journalist. It created Netanyahu’s Israel, which Goldberg and his friends are now trying to flee as they try to take on Trump.
Abed Sabbah, a human rights activist in Jerusalem, has been arrested seven times by Israeli authorities and jailed and never charged with a crime. He describes the ceaseless harassment and night raids targeting families in East Jerusalem for daring to demonstrate against the colonization of the occupied city.
Mondoweiss is pleased to announce the creation of our first-ever wall calendar, now available for purchase. The 2019 calendar shows key dates in Palestine/Israel’s history, along with images of daily Palestinian life and resistance.
We produced this calendar to share with you the kind of images that Mondoweiss publishes daily. We hope this is a product you will be happy to display in your home, office or give as a gift. The calendar will begin shipping in early October – but you can pre-order now.
In a sermon decrying anti-Semitism, Central Synagogue rabbi Angela Buchdahl calls out the left for demonizing Israel by demanding that young Jews renounce Zionism in order to take part in social justice causes. But Israel is a liberal ideal, she says, “Jews have always been at the forefront against oppression.” And Israels killings of unarmed Palestinian protesters at the Gaza border is “complicated.”
On October 3-7, cyclists from all over the world will ride 400 km from Boston to NYC to raise awareness and $250,000 that will go towards Women’s Empowerment, Community Rehabilitation targeting disabilities among children and adults, and Mental Health support in the Gaza Strip.