CPAC’s rightwing gathering in Hungary this week was rightly criticized because of the ethnonationalist bigotry of Hungary’s prime minister. But the racist rhetoric Israeli politicians regularly deploy against Palestinians is not very different– they are a demographic threat or deserve another Nakba — and has helped to earn Israel the label of apartheid state. Democrats ought to heed the example, and stay away. But Biden is bound and determined to visit this summer.

New Pew survey shows growing support for Palestinians among Democrats. More Democrats hold favorable views of Palestinians than of Israelis by 64 to 60 percent. Compare to Republicans: 78 to 37 favorability ratings for Israelis over Palestinians. And while most people don’t know what BDS is, 7 percent of Democrats support BDS while 2 percent oppose it, and the ratio is 8 percent to 4 percent among those under 30.

CNN published its own investigation of the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on May 11, and it says that new eyewitnesses, videos and ballistic analysis bear out what Abu Akleh’s colleagues said that day: The AlJazeera correspondent was targeted by an Israeli sniper positioned about 600 feet away from her with a clear line of sight.

Will Israel’s abdication of responsibility precipitate a crisis in the American relationship to Israel?

This week the Israeli military surprised no one by stating that it would not investigate…

A week ago the Biden administration said it was “heartbroken” by the killing of U.S. journalist Shireen Abu Akleh– by an Israeli sniper, according to witnesses– and called for a “thorough” investigation. But now Israel refuses to investigate and top Biden aides welcome Israel’s defense minister to Washington and say nothing about the killing or the whitewash.

J Street’s battle with AIPAC and Democratic Majority for Israel is good and important because two branches of the Israel lobby are making Israel a political football. Maybe progressives will get a voice here too.

Mainstream Democrats were shocked by the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, but their calls for an investigation were vague, even suggesting that Israel could investigate itself– a recipe for “whitewashing,” says a human rights group. No mainstream leader approached the position of progressive Congresspeople, that the U.S. must investigate Israel, or the view of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, that Israeli “apartheid” is the context of the killing.

Pro-Palestine activists have repeatedly been beaten back at Harvard, and sure enough, today the school paper’s endorsement of BDS is facing intense backlash. But this time round the pro-Israel arguments feel familiar, and have lost their bite. Faculty and alumni letters claim the endorsement will cause Jewish students to feel alienated. One alum warns angrily that Harvard will lose Iron Dome protection. Gosh.

Days before Israel announced that it is going ahead with 4,000 new settlement units, U.S. ambassador Thomas Nides — who was reportedly briefed on the plans — says “I really respect this government… they really want to do the right thing,” and he is “thrilled to work with them.” And Joe Biden is a Zionist, and so is Nides: ‘Everything I do is about strengthening a democratic Jewish state’ As for Palestinians– they should “believe in their heart that there’s still an opportunity for a two-state solution.”