Many progressives in the Democratic Party have been celebrating the “return to normalcy” in US foreign policy represented by President Biden’s electoral win. This ignores the robust bipartisan consensus under both Democratic and Republican predecessors that laid the foundation for Trump’s openly hostile policies toward the Palestinians. It is this contradiction that lies at the heart of Marc Lamont Hill and Mitchell Plitnick’s new book, “Except for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics”.

It Must Be Heaven embodies the seeking energy that its title suggests. Elia Suleiman and the viewer are not quite in paradise, as the small but frequent indignities pile up behind Suleiman on his travels throughout the film, but peaceful olive groves and the simple satisfaction of a glass of wine and a cigarette show that he is not in hell, either.

Sarah Doyel says that if you’re vegan, Israel looks like paradise. But make no mistake: Israel is using veganism as a calculated facade to gloss over the occupation of Palestine, and appropriate regional culture and traditions.