Philip Weiss reports that Rep Omar was berated endlessly for her statement about “the Benjamins”; others have said the same thing – because it’s true… Top donors for both Dems & Repubs are Jewish… JTA’s Ron Kampeas reports that for “Jewish reasons,” Jewish Americans are fundraising to defeat Rashida Tlaib and Donald Trump… (includes video)
New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft pledged $20 million to establish a new foundation that will work to counter the international movement to boycott Israel over its violations of human rights. Kraft said that the foundation will combat “antisemitism,” which is often defined to mean criticism of Israel.
The Times of Israel reports that “Jewish leaders are meeting with Senate Democrats today.” All the organizations except one advocate for Israel. The Senators’ offices will not tell Americans when or where the meeting is, or what’s on the agenda…. a quarter of the Senate attended the meeting – see the list…
Two articles from past years detail how editors Jonathan Freedland and Matt Seaton have influenced pro-Israel news coverage at the UK Guardian (and beyond)
Israel “destroyed 244 villages and built-up areas in the Golan and expelled their population, sparing only five villages (Majdal Shams, Buq’ata, Ain Qunya, Mas’ada and al-Ghajar). Not even places of worship, schools and health centres escaped destruction. The underlying aim of the occupation authorities was to eliminate Arab landmarks and obliterate the Arab identity of the Golan, as a result of which anyone who visits the Golan today is able to identify the locations of the former Arab villages only from their ruins…”
CNN has fired commentator Marc Lamont Hill for a speech that he gave at the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People at the UN on Wednesday. Pro-Israel groups and individuals immediately criticized Hill, and CNN quickly fired him. See the speech…
The past week has seen the promise of peace shattered, first by an Israeli incursion into Gaza (7 Palestinian, 1 Israeli dead), then Gaza’s rocket retaliation (1 Israeli Palestinian dead), then Israel’s retaliation (7 Palestinians dead). Israel’s defense minister has resigned, and a new, fragile ceasefire is in effect.
018 midterm elections are a mixed bag when it comes to the Palestine/Israel issue: 6 Jewish people are expected to chair important congressional committees; 122 J-Street endorsees were elected (J-Street is pro-2 state solution); some of the many pro-Israel congress people lost their seats, while 3 new pro-Palestine women were elected; it is becoming more commonplace for even Israel supporters to speak critically of Israel.
Bottom line: the US midterm elections have ushered a new dawn in American politics that is defying the unflinching influence held for many years by pro-Israel lobbies and interest groups.
The good news: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib are Israel-criticizing congressional newcomers. The bad news: other Dem midterm winners join the army of Israel supporters – having vowed to keep America’s commitment to Israel “as fixed and as permanent as the sky” and “make sure that we are supporting Israel into the next generation.” In addition, some key leadership positions will be filled by pro-Israel Jews. Norman Finkelstein sees this as a sign of “a growing divide between US Jews and Israeli Jews.”
Although the media isn’t telling Americans, a bill to give Israel a massive aid package is before Congress. The Senate, where it has 72 sponsors, is expected to vote on it this week. The bill also mandates that NASA work with Israel’s space agency, despite charges of Israeli espionage…