Florida Congressman Ted Deutch announces that he is stepping through the revolving door from being an advocate for Israel as the chair of the Middle East subcommittee of House Foreign Affairs to being the head of a lead Israel lobby group, the American Jewish Committee, starting in October. The smooth transition makes smart people cynical about the extent to which Democratic politicians are dedicated to supporting Israel.

The lead Israel lobby group AIPAC brought 40 members of Congress to Israel, including Democrats who met with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, even as he trashed the Iran deal. Some Democrats reportedly met with disgraced rightwing former premier Benjamin Netanyahu. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries toasted the “land of milk and honey” while Rep. Ritchie Torres celebrated an illegal Israeli settlement in occupied Jerusalem.

For much of this year, Israel’s defenders have waged a successful battle to keep the word “apartheid” from entering the mainstream discourse. Israel just set that process back by smearing Palestinian human rights groups as terrorist organizations.

Rand Paul is no champion for Palestine, but Democrats are still far to his right when it comes to funding Iron Dome.

Kamala Harris visited a political science class at George Mason University in Virginia on Tuesday and after a Middle Eastern student described personal pain over Israel committing “ethnic genocide and displacement of people, the same that happened in America,” Harris nodded and said everyone’s perspective must be included in a democracy. The interchange became a scandal — and Harris has rushed to assure pro-Israel groups that she disagrees with the student.

Progressive forces enjoyed a triumph for Palestinian human rights last week before House leadership called for a standalone vote that went 420-9 for Israel military aid. The pro-Israel lobby still has a “stranglehold” over policymaking because it has the overwhelming backing of the organized Jewish community, and a lot of money to spend on political races.

Dave Reed spoke to Beth Miller, Senior Government Affairs Manager at JVP Action, about the political maneuvering that brought the Iron Dome funding expansion bill to its ultimate passage.

House progressives were able to temporarily hold up an additional $1 billion to Israel, but the victory was shortlived. Only eight Democrats ended up voting against the spending. NY Congressperson Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did not vote no, voting present; while Betty McCollum, Mark Pocan and Jamaal Bowman, who have been critical of Israel, all voted for the funding.

“The president stands with our friend, Israel, more than any other president before,” Melania Trump brags in Florida. While Democrat Rep. Ted Deutch says, “Joe Biden will be a great president for the US Israel relationship…He… will make Israel a stronger country.”

The Biden team once again shows its intolerance of any criticism of Israel. Rabbi Mark Winer kicks off a Florida Dems for Biden event: “Strengthen us oh God to combat the BDS, antizionist and antisemitic virus which infects too many of our erstwhile allies in our battle for the soul of America, without weakening our defense of our own secure Jewish place in this society.”