At a recent CNN town hall, Bernie Sanders courageously asserted that “Israel is run by a racist government” and called for “a level playing field” between Israel and the Palestinians. Hamzah Reza writes that while such rhetoric is a breath of fresh air, the reality is that Sanders has refused to take the tangible actions that a plurality of rank-and-file Democratic voters want him to take.

On Wednesday, November 28th, CNN commentator, Marc Lamont Hill, gave a speech at the United Nations in which he reaffirmed his support for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions against the state of Israel, and a one state solution that established a secular, democratic state in Israel-Palestine. CNN fired Marc Lamont Hill within 24 hours of that speech. Hill falls in a line of over 50 years of corporate media silencing Black people who stood in solidarity with Palestine, such as Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela, SNCC, and the Movement for Black Lives.

In an attempt to salvage liberal Democrats view of Israel AIPAC made a point to reach out to progressives. As part of this effort during the lobby group’s annual conference, former Democratic Governor of Michigan Jennifer Granholm made the case that Israel is a “progressive paradise.” Hamzah Raza writes that Granhold’s Israel fable is contrary to realities on the ground, and in response offers a list of nine reasons why Israel is actually just the opposite of what Granhold claims.