At its conference, J Street sought to triangulate support for the “Jewish state” and the progressive left as political bedfellows. But there is an inherent contradiction there, and simply hoping for the two-state solution to arrive some day — after Israel has rejected a Palestinian state for its entire existence — may get J Street access in the Democratic Party but won’t preserve its alliances on the left.

Recent videos show routine racism and violence directed against Palestinians with Israeli government support. Jewish settlers threaten to unleash dogs on Palestinians. Others spew hatred as soldiers protect them: “This is my land, King David walked around here two thousand years ago, herding his sheep. When you were where — in Saudi Arabia? Where Muhammad roamed…. Muhammad killed people. Raped. You’re a rapist people.”

An AIPAC letter aimed at keeping Biden from returning to the Iran deal got only 43 signatures, which shows that Biden has the political capital he needs to reenter the deal. But he has shown a timidity, born of attacks by the rightwing Israel lobby, and won’t even lift sanctions for humanitarian purposes related to the pandemic, as he urged Donald Trump to do a year ago.

Nathan Thrall tells the story of the death of Milad Salama in occupied territory in 2012 to illuminate one lesson: Palestinian lives are all but disposable in the Zionist vision of settling the land. The “New York Review of Books” article contrasts Milad’s misfortune to be born in a bantustan to the good luck of Thrall’s own daughter– “a Jewish girl living a life of privilege on the other side of the wall.”

Israeli Labor leader Merav Michaeli on the ICC move to investigate Israel for war crimes: “It is a very, very problematic decision. It does not promote peace in any way. It does not promote a solution for the two state solution. It escalates the conflict.” Though Michaeli says the two-state solution is “completely not on the agenda” for voters in the March 23 election.

J Street, Americans for Peace Now and New Israel Fund issue wishywashy statements on the ICC moving forward to investigate Israeli war crimes. It’s sad it’s come to this– “heartbreaking,” “sobering,” a “tragedy.” And J Street feels deep sympathy for Israeli families who fear for their children in the Israeli army. But while they say Israel must be held accountable, they can’t approve the ICC investigation.

Response to Netanyahu’s deal with right wing racist party shows that US Israel lobby is getting tired of fighting for the good Israel. That drumbeat of racism and Jewish supremacy is working on American advocates for Israel. They’re losing their own illusions. What was “dangerous and deeply concerning” two years ago is just more of the same today.

The ICC ruling on Israeli war crimes in occupied territory is a Rubicon moment for progressives. And it should get liberal Zionist backing as a real step toward 2 states. But they want no real pressure on Israel, just “criticism.”

ICC ruling that it has jurisdiction to investigate Israeli war crimes has put the country’s leadership on the defensive. Netanyahu calls it “pure antisemitism” and Israel’s US advocates, AIPAC, AJC, and Dennis Ross rush in to say that the ICC has no jurisdiction.

If Palestinian anti-apartheid activist Issa Amro was one of the Russian or Chinese human rights defenders being accused of bogus charges and unfairly convicted by a military court, we would have certainly heard his name on the Senate floor or during a White House press briefing, says Jamil Dakwar.