Mexican and UAE investigative journalists and human rights defenders have had their smartphones hacked by a secretive Israeli-made system. An infected phone gives the perpetrator access to movements and location, emails, WhatsApp messages, and passwords, and can even turn on the phone’s camera and microphone.
A former Antisemitism Envoy adopted a new, Israel-centric definition for antisemitism, and then used it to train U.S. diplomats. The envoy position has proved a revolving door to Israel lobbying organizations (see video). Now groups from the ADL to the Southern Poverty Law Center are disturbed that Trump isn’t filling the position.
A dozen American rabbis visit Hebron and see for themselves the result of a settlement inside a Palestinian town. They find the experience “eye-opening and heart-wrenching.” Their trip coincides with one of the worst crises ever in relations between Israel and the U.S. Jewish community.
Amith Gupta reports in Mondoweiss that claims of “antisemitism” at the annual “Dyke March” in Chicago were untrue. Witnesses say that many paraders wore kippas, Stars of David, etc. The smears, they say, were initiated by Israel partisan Laurel Grauer…
A former Mossad senior official says Jewish Americans are central to US support for Israel and that alienating this population (as Netanyahu is doing) poses an “existential” threat to Israel. The Israel lobby would “lose its clout,” and it would diminish support from other countries “that cultivate ties with Israel because of its presumed influence in Washington”…
The progressive organization Moveon is featuring Ben & Jerry’s in its latest action alert, even though the ice cream company is being boycotted by three different social justice campaigns for its unethical practices in the Palestinian territories and its treatment of workers & the environment in Vermont.
An Israeli art historian discovered “war booty films” hidden by the IDF for decades. After a protracted legal struggle, she’s made a documentary that depicts a very different history than Israel claims, and shows the work of Palestinian filmmakers forgotten by history…
The Israel Lobby, especially AIPAC, is undeniably a foreign lobby, but it operates with complete impunity on Capitol Hill and also at state and local levels. Coincidentally, Congress has a peculiar pattern of brazen, bipartisan pro-Israel legislation and looking the other way on issues in which Israel may be culpable (e.g. USS Liberty). To put it succinctly, there is an Israeli hand in much of what the United States does internationally, and the involvement is not intended to do anything good for the American people.
Instead of commemorating a tragic death with legislation that will cut off funding to Palestinians and create more misery and, most likely, violence, Congress should enact a Rachel Corrie Act, a Brian Avery Act, an Emily Henoschowitz Act, a Tristan Anderson Act, a Tariq Abukhdeir Act, and an Orwah Hammad Act. See details of what they would contain…
Billionaire Sheldon Adelson officially gives hundreds of millions of dollars to GOP politicians, plus untold sums in “dark money”; in addition, he bankrolls Benjamin Netanyahu through his right-wing newspaper. Bottom line: Adelson gives Netanyahu power in Israel through his own private news outlet, and in the US by buying off Congress and calling the shots on its Middle East policies.
