Category

Media Analysis

Category

Ted Deutch debuted as CEO of the American Jewish Committee in a 45-minute video that erased Palestine. The former Congressman repeatedly praised the “miracle” of “our state of Israel” but did not once refer to Palestine or Palestinians. The cheerful CEO epitomized anti-Palestinianism in the Jewish leadership. He was eager to talk about any place and people but Palestinians: Uzbekistan, Russia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, Haiti, Buenos Aires, Paris, the United Arab Emirates, the Gulf countries, Europe, Boca Raton, the African American, Hispanic and Asian American communities. All got name-checked by Ted Deutch. Never Palestinians.

A new Trump book by Maggie Haberman of the New York Times is frank about a story the paper was afraid to tell, Trump sold his policy on Israel to his biggest donor the late Sheldon Adelson, whose only concern was Israel. Trump moved the embassy and ended the Iran deal “for Israel,” as Adelson put it, but that corruption was never a scandal for the mainstream press.

Katie Halper from the monologue that got her fired from the "Rising" at the Hill. On BreakThroughNews, Sept. 29, 2022. Screenshot.

Fired by The Hill TV for a commentary supporting Rashida Tlaib on the apartheid accusation against Israel and calling for Americans to dismantle apartheid, independent journalist Katie Halper has now published that commentary. Halper’s monologue is racking up views (20,000 so far today) and hundreds of supportive comments. The case reflects growing support for Palestinian rights among the young, and is reminiscent of the firing of Marc Lamont Hill by CNN four years ago for voicing support for Palestinian freedom.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) addressing a briefing organized by American Muslims for Palestine, July 25, 2019. (Photo: Josh Ruebner)

Rashida Tlaib hit a nerve. It is obviously very important to the Israel lobby to maintain the claim that you can be progressive and support Israel. Being truthful about Israeli apartheid undermines this effort. Liberal Zionists are divided. J Street has condemned Tlaib’s comment. But like nearly all the Dems who attacked Tlaib, they didn’t even mention the apartheid part of her comment. Democrats don’t want to address it. They don’t want to engage with what Israel actually does and how Palestinians live.

Two Israeli writers explain the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh as the price of Israel’s clamping down on terrorism originating in the West Bank, with no consideration of the Palestinian experience under an apartheid army. Yet these talking points are echoed by Biden administration officials. Even as the Lapid government moves forward on more Jewish settlements on Palestinian lands, colonies that the Netanyahu government didn’t approve.

The U.S. State Department welcomed Israel’s statement on the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, and Rep. Marie Newman and reporters Said Arikat and Matt Lee promptly rejected the American stance. “That’s not what accountability is, unless you guys have a different definition of it than the dictionary does,” Matt Lee mocked.