On Thursday the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced seven confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Bethlehem, the first cases of the virus in Palestine.

Palestinian journalist Ahmad Al-Bazz interviews Israeli activist Jonathan Pollak following his release from prison. Pollak had been detained for nearly two months over charges related to his participation in the non-violent protests in the West Bank against the Israeli occupation.

“As surely as Israel relies on the extraordinary young people in the IDF [Israeli Defense Forces], it relies on you for steadfast support and success,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer tells thousands of American college students at the AIPAC policy conference, describing their “mission” to fight BDS on campuses.

Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden told the Israel lobby group AIPAC this week that it is “dangerous” for Israel to become “another issue that divides Democrats and Republicans.” But he warned that Israeli moves to build more settlements and annex occupied territories were threatening that divide by alienating young Americans.  

An African president’s speech at the AIPAC conference fit the Israel lobby’s pattern of cynicism and dishonesty. The controversial president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, traveled to Washington to promise to send an ambassador to Israel after a 20-year absence.

With more than 90 percent of the ballots counted in Israel’s unprecedented third consecutive election within a year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is celebrating what he called a “massive victory.”

The 2020 elections pose a daunting question for Democrats – will they go with a progressive candidate or a moderate one?  In helping to decide which way to turn it could be helpful for the Democrats to consider the history of the Israeli Labor Party, which faced a similar crossroad and took a direction which led to its demise.

The big surprise of the Israeli elections was the lead that Likud got over centrist Blue White, 36 to 32. ALthough just short of a right-wing majority for Netanyahu’s bloc, the lead spells hope for Israeli rightists out from the deadlock of the past year.

Israel’s third election inside a year shows the rightwing continuing to gain ground. This is what Jewish nationalists want. A society governed by an authoritarian leader, no matter how corrupt. Just so long as there are no Arabs anywhere near power. The only hope politically is the burgeoning Joint List of Palestinian parties, which reject apartheid and discrimination.

AIPAC ceo Howard Kohr implicitly describes Bernie Sanders as a “radical” who is trying to undermine U.S. support for Israel and aid Israel’s enemies. “Israel cannot afford a single minute where America’s friendship with Israel at the highest levels either wavers or skips,” Kohr said.