Per Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Ilhan Omar needs to understand that challenging certain pro-Israel orthodoxies, especially if you’re not Jewish, is translated as anti-Semitism. And it doesn’t need to be intended as anything anti-Semitic, nor does it need to really be anti-Semitic. The problem is its being interpreted as such – and per Pelosi, Omar needs to respect this ‘interpretation’, that is, the twisting by Israel-apologists.

Robert Fantina asked the Bernie Sanders campaign for his position on Palestine and was told the candidate supports “diplomatic efforts to end the occupation and broker a two-state solution.” Fantina says that as Sanders continues to ride his populist wave across the dismal political landscape of the United States, he will continue to burnish his credentials as being progressive except on Palestine.

The House passed a revised resolution on anti-Semitism early Thursday evening, nearly twice as long as the original measure and with an expanded focus on white supremacists, “neo-Confederates,” and Nazis who have caused acts of violence against black and Muslim Americans, among others. 

Four activists were arrested at a protest outside of a UK bulldozer manufacturer where they shut down deliveries for the morning: “Netanyahu said Khan-Al- Ahmar would be destroyed before the Israeli Elections in April 2019, and JCB and Caterpillar Bulldozers have been used to clear the ground there.”

Just hours after chairman of the far right Otzma Yehudit, or “Jewish Power” party, Michael Ben Ari was approved by Israel’s Central Election Committee to run for the Knesset on Wednesday, the same committee disqualified the joint Arab slate Balad-United Arab List from running. The committee also ruled to prevent Ofer Cassif, a Jewish representative in Hadash, from running. The claim against Cassif was, that he “denied the existence of Israel as a Jewish state.”

That the blatant bigotry of expecting Muslims to prove their loyalty has become a staple of American political life is made that much more obvious by the recent attacks on those who raise entirely legitimate concerns about Zionist lobbying and U.S. support for Israel. Were Congress genuinely concerned about racist canards of “dual loyalty,” they would be spending their time fixing U.S. immigration laws to undo the Muslim ban rather than making false allegations of the canard against two people who are actually its victims.

In a political earthquake today, Democrats shelved a bill to denounce anti-Semitism, an apparent move to condemn Rep. Ilhan Omar. Divides among House Democrats exploded into full view during a meeting with party leadership that was described as a “full-scale brawl.” In an amazing turn of events the bill was delayed indefinitely by early evening.

Three activists are on trial in Berlin for disrupting a talk by Israeli lawmaker Aliza Lavie at Humboldt University. In his opening statement the court, Ronnie Barkan made it clear the activists would use the case to take Israel to court. “If there is any wrongdoing on my part then it is of not doing enough to end the grave crimes that the State of Israel is responsible for,” Barkan said. “The accused today, your honor, are the criminal State of Israel and its accomplices who will be mentioned in this courtroom for aiding and abetting in Israeli crimes against humanity.”

In the U.S. political mainstream, expressing support for the “two-state solution” in historic Palestine has been routine for many years. But anyone who looks at the map of the settlements Israel has implanted into the occupied West Bank (including East Jerusalem) has to conclude that withdrawing enough of them to provide territory for a viable Palestinian state is now politically impossible.  

Jim Zogby says what is happening to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar should be of concern to all Americans, but regardless the debate she has ignited will continue. “The House of Representatives may pass their resolution, but that won’t close the door on the discussion Omar’s courage has helped to open.,” he writes. “If anything, their behavior and incitement against her has pried it open even further.”