Michael Bloomberg is a longtime supporter of Israel and he’s defended the country’s worst atrocities.

In the first installment of The Shift, Mondoweiss U.S. correspondent Michael Arria looks at free speech on campus, the Democrats and AIPAC, a surprising declaration from Cambridge, Mass, and other recent political news you might have missed.

Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum has put out a statement that refers to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as a “hate group.” McCollum’s comments come just days after AIPAC pulled and apologized for Facebook ads that targeted pro-Palestine lawmakers and implied they were worse than the terrorist group ISIS.

A coalition of progressive organizations has launched a campaign aimed at pressuring Democratic candidates into skipping the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference in Washington.

“Well if I do go — I don’t think I am, I don’t think it’s going to be on my schedule — but you know, I have no objection to going, but the question is what I say when I get there. That’s the point. And what I will say is something that I have said for years, and I speak as somebody who’s Jewish, and that is we need a foreign policy in this country, we need a Mideast policy which absolutely protects the integrity and the independence and safety of Israel, but also understands that the Palestinian people have needs and they have got to be treated with respect and dignity. And that is not the case right now. So that is my view. We will treat all people with respect and dignity.”

When the subject came up at recent debate, Pete Buttigieg seemed to distance himself from his previous position on conditioning aid to Israel. However, now that many believe the Trump administration has effectively rubber-stamped Netanyahu’s annexation plans via its new “peace plan”, Buttigieg is running away from the issue entirely.

Rep. Salud Carbajal won’t cosponsor a bill promoting human rights for Palestinian children because it includes “older youth.”

With the Iowa caucus just days away, Democratic Majority for Israel’s PAC has launched a negative ad in the state targeting presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders.

The Dingell family has controlled Michigan’s 12th district for 85 years. Challenging a political dynasty this entrenched is obviously a daunting task, but 27-year old Solomon Rajput tells Mondoweiss that he’s up for it.

Ilhan Omar: “This is not a peace plan. It is theft.”

Nancy Pelosi: “There are some areas of common ground here.”

The split over Israel in the Democratic Party has been on full display.