A coalition of anti-Zionist organizations in San Diego raise concerns over progressive candidate Georgette Gómez who is running for Congress.
Read Rep. Betty McCollum speech upon accepting the Champion of Palestinian Rights Award from American Muslims for Palestine: “Why would congress, or any American, ever want to fund the abuse of a child?”
“It is no longer a political suicide for members of Congress to take a principled stand on Palestine. We are cognizant of all these dynamics and we intend to build on them,” American Muslim for Palestine’s Executive Director Dr. Osama Abuirshaid tells Mondoweiss.
On April 8, eleven members of congress released a statement opposing the Israeli government’s potential annexation of the West Bank. The action comes amid reports that the country’s new coalition government will move forward with a unilateral annexation plan.
Brad Parker explains, “Everybody can understand the physical violence against a child. I think that’s a universal red line that exists for most people. And in that, I think was the overarching sort of consideration in shaping the campaign. We wanted to have something that was really basic, straightforward, accessible, relatable so that it expanded the movement and also complemented the other things that were happening.”
Introducing The Shift, a new weekly politics newsletter from Mondoweiss that takes you the front lines in the battle over Palestine in U.S. politics.
Congressional Republicans continue to push legislation that targets the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and their first move of 2020 is the Israel Anti-Boycott Act.
On January 9, Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced H. Res. 782. The legislation, which is cosponsored by Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) and David Kustoff (R-TN), would encourage “public schools to design and teach a curriculum about the history of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust, and the vital and historic importance of the Jewish State of Israel.” The bill also cites the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which it claims is spreading “rampant anti-Semitism” across college campuses.
In a Twitter thread, Rep. Omar detailed her opposition to the resolution. “The goal of these changes was clear: to pass a resolution that will not actually bring a resolution to this conflict,” she wrote, “That’s why the resolution doesn’t have support from Palestinians in Congress or Palestinian advocates. We are told to swallow these changes in the name of ‘pragmatism.’ But there is nothing “pragmatic” about a vote that makes peace unachievable.”
Democratic politicians voted overwhelmingly to condemn BDS, but a new poll carried out by Data for Progress says 44% of Democratic voters support BDS, with just 15% opposing it. 53% agree that the movement is legitimate, and 48% of Dems are opposed to anti-BDS laws, with just 15% supporting them.