A recent J Street critique of AIPAC encapsulates the moral bankruptcy of liberal Zionism.

The abuse of antisemitism is nothing new, but we tend to forget that the Israel lobby is only able to get away with its baseless smears because of a deep-seated anti-Palestinianism.

While Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz was launching his assault on seven Palestinian NGOs on Thursday, Prime Minister Yair Lapid was pressing the United States closer to an attack on Iran that could send the entire region into an unprecedented conflict. 

Israel’s openly-fascistic move of shutting down seven Palestinian human rights groups in occupied territory was widely condemned by American progressives who demanded that the Biden administration take action against Israel. But rightwing Israel lobby groups were silent on the crackdown, J Street expressed “deep concern,” not condemnation. Though Americans for Peace now denounced the “persecution” of the Palestinian groups.

Let’s take a look at the wild Democratic primary happening in New York’s 10th district

Anti-Palestinian racism remains the norm in the Israel lobby and in Washington too. The Israel Policy Forum aired an hour-long assessment of Israel’s attacks on Gaza this month and repeatedly praised the operation for leaving no Israelis dead, and never mentioned the scores of Palestinian civilians killed and injured. In his one indirect reference to the Palestinian deaths, Amos Harel of Haaretz said that Israel had demonstrated that it was “very good” at avoiding killing Palestinian civilians.

“An orgy of violence” that killed 49 Palestinians in three days including 17 children — and yet Israel’s supporters have crowed that the Gaza attack was successful and it got wide support in the world press. These advocates have blinded themselves to the moral dimension of such awful force.

Supporters of the IHRA definition of antisemitism often insist that it has nothing to do with stifling dissent or even shutting down criticism of Israel, but Shawn Evenhaim of the Israeli-American Coalition for Action is very explicit about his vision. He believes people should be punished for criticizing Israel.

Polling shows Democrats support BDS by three to one, but Rep. Jerry Nadler said last night that he has stopped BDS from getting a “foothold” among progressives in Congress, and that only a Jew with his seniority can do that. Nadler bragged of supporting Israel since he was 8 years old.

What to do if you are unable to convince your peers to vote for apartheid? Sue them.