Ha’aretz: Friends of IDF President (And Kushner Pal) Elected Chairman of Top American-Jewish Umbrella Organization

The umbrella body of over 50 mainstream American Jewish organizations works to “advance the U.S.-Israel special relationship” and “bolster Israel’s security and prosperity.” Stark’s sons served in the Israeli army instead of in the U.S. military. Past chairs have been active in American politics and donated to the campaign funds of Israeli politicians.

Action Alert: Oppose Trump’s Anti-Palestinian Nominee now!

Kenneth Marcus, nominee for Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education opposes academic freedom, free expression, and BDS, and supports a broad, Israel-centric definition of anti-Semitism. The American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee is asking us all to demand our Senators vote him down. Phone now!

Peter Beinart: Jewish leaders encase Israel’s actions in Gaza in euphemism and lies

How can American Jews endorse the strangulation of 2 million human beings in Gaza? Because Jewish leaders, in both Israel and the United States, encase Israel’s actions in a fog of euphemism and lies.The organized American Jewish community doesn’t only conceal the truth about Gaza from itself. It lobbies American politicians to do the same. The three main talking points: that Israel “withdrew” from Gaza, that its actions are decreed by a need for “security,” and that “Hamas” is to blame. Let’s look at the real facts:

Facts & latest news on Gaza Great March of Return (periodically updated)

Since March 30, 2018 Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip–including families, women, and children–have gathered along the Israeli border to highlight their dispossession in 1948 and protest the growing humanitarian catastrophe. From that time through December 16th, 2019, Israeli forces have killed 364 Gazans and injured over 35,000, including women, children, disabled individuals, medics, and journalists. Many have been shot in the back, nearly all were unarmed and posed no risk to the heavily armed Israeli soldiers. During the same period, Gazan resistance forces killed 9 Israelis.

Join the “Tent Campaign” for solidarity with Gaza and truth-sharing

All hands on deck: the Global Campaign to Return to Palestine needs our help to help the people in Gaza educating Americans about the Great March of Return. They propose a “tent campaign,” a rich metaphor for refugees and demolished homes. Here are instructions, plus an offer from If Americans Knew for free materials to hand out.

Man who toppled Jewish gravestones says he wasn’t motivated by antisemitism

Ha’aretz reports that a man who knocked over 120 headstones at a Jewish cemetery near St. Louis last year wasn’t motivated by antisemitism. He “acted alone, was angry over a personal matter and was under the influence of drugs when he committed the offense.” This follows the discovery that the rash of bomb threats against U.S. Jewish institutions were hoaxes by an Israeli teen unmotivated by antisemitism. Reports of an alleged “rise” in antisemitism are sometimes used to pass anti-Palestinian legislation…

Landmark bill restricting criticism of Israel sneaks through South Carolina Senate

South Carolina is poised to be the first state to pass legislation to adopt an Israel-centric definition for “anti-Semitism.” This will then apply to the state’s campuses, potentially limiting discussion of Israel-Palestine to one-sided information that fosters U.S. policies that provide Israel $10 million per day. The bill has been heralded in Israel as a “a landmark bill” that will lead change across the U.S. and the world, while South Carolina lawmakers appear to have let it through in the belief that it isn’t significant legislation.

Israeli Lawmaker: Palestinian Teen Tamimi ‘Should Have Gotten a Bullet, at Least in the Knee’

Deputy Knesset Speaker Bezalel Smotrich tweeted that Palestinian teen Ahed Tamimi “should have gotten a bullet at least in the kneecap,” drawing an angry response from feminist Jewish MK Michel Rozin. Tamimi is serving 8 months for slapping a soldier, after soldiers had shot her cousin in the face.