The Israel lobby is one of the most powerful and pervasive special interest groups in the U.S. It consists of a multitude of institutions and individuals that work to influence Congress, the president, academia, the media, religious institutions, and American public opinion on behalf of Israel. View the list…
Billionaire Sheldon Adelson is a major donor to political candidates in the U.S. Would-be presidents curry his favor in the hope of receiving the millions of dollars he contributes to campaigns. As a result, he is highly influential in their policies regarding Israel. The Adelsons spent over $80 million on Republicans in 2016 and over $100 million in 2012 on Republican candidates and causes – the biggest donors in the presidential race.
Amira Hass writes in Ha’aretz that Israeli soldiers who kill unarmed Palestinians didn’t pop up for the 1st time three weeks ago. Nor did the army’s excuses start only then. Gross violation of human rights (and Israeli denial) are as old as the state itself – even older. The actions excuses continue unabated in spite of smartphones and security cameras.
As Israel celebrates its 70th anniversary, a child and grandchild of exiled Palestinian refugees describes his remarkable family history – family members harbored Jewish neighbors in 1929, helped Count Folke Bernadotte, after Israel confiscated the family home, Golda Meir lived there… and discusses the continuing injustices endured as Palestinians resist Israel’s violent colonization.
Killing of Palestinians is not new. It has been going on for decades, unabated, uncriticized, and bankrolled by the US. The Leahy Laws enable us to withhold aid to countries that commit human such rights abuses, but in spite of overwhelming proof of abuse by Israel, our politicians refuse to cut off military support.
Pro-Israel curriculum provider Institute for Curriculum Services (ICS) is working with local Jewish groups and the Virginia Department of Education to whitewash Virginia textbooks by removing words like “occupied” and “settlements” and replacing them with more favorable terms like “captured” and “communities.”
How western media cover Gaza: Show a close up of Palestinians’ raised fists and open mouths and angry faces and raised flags – they are threatening, aren’t they?: violent, dangerous, and menacing. Make sure the frame of your camera is quite tight. Don’t ever open the frame to show 100 Israeli sharpshooters nearby firing live ammunition at thousands of defenseless and unarmed civilians protesting the systemic theft of their homeland…
The Canadian Journalists for Free Expression website is gone. Kevin Metcalf, a main contributor to CJFE, describes how the website – and his job – met a sudden death after the organization condemned the targeting of journalists in Gaza by Israel. Metcalf writes that this censorship was caused by public employees exerting “undue influence over a civil society group, on behalf of a foreign government.”
Congress legislates laws that benefit Israel while hurting Americans… Los Alamos official is fired for breaking a pro-Israel taboo…. Israel kills people in Gaza with impunity…
Richard Falk discusses critical Middle East topics, including the legality of Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem, Iran and Trump’s “special relationships” with Israel and Saudi Arabia, the future of Syria, and hope for justice in Israel-Palestine.