1. New from FMEP

2. Region//Global
   

3. Gaza

4. River to the Sea

5. U.S. Scene

6. Activism//Lawfare//Redefining Antisemitism to Stifle Criticism of Israel

7. Perspectives//Long Reads

NEW FROM FMEP

FMEP Legislative Round-Up August 2, 2024 (Lara Friedman)

1. Bills, Resolutions; 2. Letters; 3. Hearings; 4. Israel/Palestine in 2024 Elex/Politicsl; 5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements; Also see FMEP Legislative Round-Up July 19, 2024

Settlement & Annexation Report: July 26, 2024 (Kristin McCarthy)

1. Israeli Army Seizes Key Area of Sebastia Archaeological Site 2) Family in Old City Faces Dispossession 3) First Demolition in Al-Walajah Area C Could be Sign of More to Come 4) Peace Now: In 2023, Israeli Government Funded 101 Illegal Outposts 5) Israeli Human Rights Groups Publish Joint “State of the Occupation” Report 6) Bonus Reads

REGION/GLOBAL

The Middle East is on the brink, again (Ishaan Tharoor//WaPo 8/2/24)

“Just a week ago, there was cautious optimism that diplomacy could prevail. As Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu left Washington following his controversial appearance before Congress, whispers trailed him of the renewed possibility of a cease-fire deal that could quiet hostilities in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and free the remaining Israeli hostages. Then, well, this week happened. As the constant barrage of Israeli bombardments continued to fall on Palestinians in Gaza, an alleged rocket attack by Lebanese Shiite organization Hezbollah killed 12 children in a town in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights over the weekend. (Hezbollah has denied involvement.) The Israeli response was a targeted strike on a suburb of Beirut on Tuesday that killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr and at least six others. Lebanese officials denounced the attack on their soil, and urged restraint. The next day brought an even more stunning development: Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political wing, was assassinated while in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran’s new president. According to a New York Times report, an explosive device laid months in advance in the chambers where Haniyeh was staying detonated, killing him and his bodyguard. Though Israel did not claim responsibility, the assassination bore the hallmarks of a sophisticated Israeli intelligence operation, and both Iranian and Hamas officials have pinned the blame for Haniyeh’s death on Israel…The region is bracing for the next act.” Also from WaPo: Who are Hamas’s top leaders? What to know after Haniyeh, Deif killed; Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated; Netanyahu says Israel dealt ‘crushing blows’ to Iran-backed groups; Iran vows revenge for killing of Hamas leader in Tehran; As Hamas leader is buried in Qatar, Biden says killing didn’t help cease-fire talks; See also from Al Jazeera: Thousands mourn Hamas’s Ismail Haniyeh at funeral procession in Iran; Iran’s Khamenei leads funeral prayers for Hamas chief Haniyeh; Read Hamas’s statement on the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran

Bomb Smuggled Into Tehran Guesthouse Months Ago Killed Hamas Leader

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/01/world/middleeast/how-hamas-leader-haniyeh-killed-iran-bomb.html
“Ismail Haniyeh, a top leader of Hamas, was assassinated on Wednesday by an explosive device covertly smuggled into the Tehran guesthouse where he was staying, according to seven Middle Eastern officials, including two Iranians, and an American official. The bomb had been hidden approximately two months ago in the guesthouse, according to five of the Middle Eastern officials. The guesthouse is run and protected by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and is part of a large compound, known as Neshat, in an upscale neighborhood of northern Tehran. Mr. Haniyeh was in Iran’s capital for the presidential inauguration. The bomb was detonated remotely, the five officials said, once it was confirmed that he was inside his room at the guesthouse. The blast also killed a bodyguard.” See also US says not involved in killing of Hamas leader Haniyeh (Al Monitor); Haniyeh killed by a projectile fired at his room, eyewitnesses say (Middle East Eye)

U.S. prepares to counter Iranian attack on Israel within days, U.S. officials say (Axios 8/1/24)

“The Biden administration is convinced Iran is going to attack Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran earlier this week and is preparing to counter it, three U.S. officials told Axios…U.S. officials say they expect any Iranian retaliation to be from the same playbook as their Apr. 13 attack on Israel — but potentially larger in scope — and it could also involve the Lebanese Hezbollah. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior Iranian political and military officials said Iran is going to retaliate for Haniyeh’s assassination. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has also vowed to respond to the Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Tuesday that killed his top military adviser. The Biden administration is concerned it may be more difficult to mobilize the same international and regional coalition of countries that defended Israel from the previous Iranian attack because Haniyeh’s assassination is in the context of the Israel-Hamas war, which has drawn sharp anti-Israel sentiments across the region. The attack in April was in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike on an Iranian facility in Damascus that killed a top Iranian general. Several Arab countries, including Jordan and Saudi Arabia, either helped shoot down Iranian and Houthi drones or allowed the U.S. and Israel to use their airspace to intercept threats.” See also Will Hezbollah and Israel Go to War? (Dexter Filkins//New Yorker 7/22/24); Does Israel Really Believe It Can Win a War Against Hezbollah? (Jeremy Scahill//Drop Site); The Assassination of Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Will Only Embolden Resistance (Jeremy Scahill/Drop Site); How Israel is preparing for Iran’s retaliation as Netanyahu continues double game (Al Monitor 8/2/24); Israel runs several scenarios, prepares for attacks by Iran, Hezbollah (Al Monitor 8/1/24); U.S. Poised to Send More Combat Aircraft to Middle East, Officials Say (NYT 8/2/24)

Iran and its allies mourn militant leaders, vow revenge against Israel (WaPo)

“Mourners in Iran and Lebanon commemorated slain militant leaders Thursday, as they vowed retribution against common enemy Israel and signaled that the most recent paroxysm of violence gripping the Middle East may be far from over. Thousands of people, some waving Palestinian and Iranian flags, joined a funeral procession in the Iranian capital for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed a day earlier in a murky attack in Tehran. In a Beirut suburb, hundreds of fighters, supporters and dignitaries also gathered for the funeral of Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander Israel targeted in an airstrike Tuesday night.” See also Hezbollah leader says war with Israel has entered ‘new phase’ after killings of top militant figures (AP); Qatar holds funeral for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh (New Arab); From Gaza to Ramallah, Haniyeh remembered as advocate of national unity (Fatima AbdulKarim & Mohammed R. Mhawish//+972); Hezbollah leader says war with Israel has entered ‘new phase’ after killings of top militant figures (AP)

Hezbollah chief says war with Israel in ‘new phase,’ vows ‘real response’ to Shukr’s killing (Al Monitor 8/1/24)

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah vowed an imminent response Thursday to the killing of one of the group’s commanders in an Israeli strike earlier this week…“The enemy and those supporting the enemy should expect our inevitable response, which will certainly come,” he warned. Nasrallah, visibly angry in the speech, said the conflict with Israel has entered a new phase. “We, on all support fronts, have entered a new phase. … Laugh now, but you will cry greatly, and you don’t know what red lines you have crossed and what kind of aggression you have committed,” he said…Nasrallah made the remarks in a televised speech during the funeral of Shukr, who was killed in Israeli drone strikes in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut on Tuesday. The attack left at least seven people dead, including women and children. The Israeli army said the attack came in response to a rocket strike in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights that killed at least 12 children last Saturday. Israel accused Hezbollah of carrying out the attack, which the group immediately denied. In his Thursday speech, Nasrallah reiterated that Hezbollah was not behind the attack. “We deny our responsibility for what happened in Majdal Shams, and our internal investigation confirms that.” See also from Al Monitor: Who is Fuad Shukr, senior Hezbollah military official targeted by Israel in Beirut?; Who was Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas political leader assassinated in Iran?; Israeli military confirms Hamas’ Mohammed Deif killed in strike; See also A cratered field, a mangled fence. Clues emerge from strike that killed 12 children in Golan Heights (AP 7/30/24); ‘It was indescribable’: Golan Heights town mourns 12 children killed in strike (Guardian 7/28/24)

Israel Has Opted for War on All Fronts: Netanyahu Is Coaxing the US into War with Iran. (Yousef Munayyer//Arab Center DC)

“If there is one thing at which Benjamin Netanyahu has honed his skills it is reading the American domestic political scene. In fact, he probably reads American politics better than Israeli politics. Right now, he sees a lame duck president and a potential Democratic nominee who will be attacked relentlessly by his allies on the American right if they back away from blank check support for Israel. On his end in Israel, Netanyahu has survived until the end of July and the Knesset recess for three months, plus a legally mandated 90-day minimum election period, if early elections were forced on him, which means that his government will survive into 2025 and, importantly, past the November elections. This means that between now and November he perceives maximum leeway to do as he pleases in the region. The dual assassinations in Beirut and Tehran come right after Netanyahu’s address to Congress and his meetings at the White House. The entire region will assume the strikes were carried out with American blessings. While Washington has said it was not informed about the strike that killed Haniyeh, it has not condemned it either or called on Israel to stop escalatory strikes. Netanyahu’s perceiving zero restraints from now until November is extremely dangerous…Washington needs to decide if it is going to allow Netanyahu to wag them into a direct war with Iran. Given the opportunity, he will undoubtedly try, and this is not something that can wait for the election to figure out.” See also Joe Biden’s Lame Duck Presidency Is the Opportunity of a Lifetime for Netanyahu (Jeremy Scahill/Drop Site)

The Middle East Is Inching Toward Another War (Trita Parsi//Time 8/1/24)

“By deliberately maximizing Tehran’s embarrassment—Haniyeh was killed only hours after the inauguration of Iran’s new reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian—the Israeli government also maximized the likelihood of Iranian retaliation. That is—at least in the view of a former Deputy Head of the Israeli National Security Council—because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to spark a larger war and drag the U.S. into it. Though Israel itself would pay a high price in a region-wide war, it would serve Netanyahu’s interests in numerous ways. Firstly, Haniyeh’s assassination kills the prospect of an imminent ceasefire deal. Netanyahu has consistently opposed a deal that would end the war…Secondly, Haniyeh’s killing may corner a future President Kamala Harris…Thirdly, killing Haniyeh also killed another line of potential negotiation: between the U.S. and Iran…Indeed, Netanyahu has for two decades sought to get the U.S. to go to war with Iran.” See also Flight disruptions, panic in Lebanon amid efforts to avoid all-out Israel-Hezbollah war (Al Monitor); Dutch KLM, Greece’s Aegean join major airlines canceling flights to Tel Aviv amid spiraling Middle East tensions (Times of Israel); IDF on ‘high alert’ as Biden vows US to defend Israel against ‘all threats from Iran’ (Times of Israel 8/2/24); Lufthansa, Delta among several airlines to cancel Israel flights (Al Monitor 8/1/24)

The world’s highest court has confirmed what we Palestinians always knew: Israel’s settlements are illegal (Raja Shehadeh//Guardian)

“Over the past 57 years, Palestinians in the West Bank such as myself have suffered the rise of Israeli settlements taking over our land, restricting our own development and destroying the natural beauty of the landscape. We spared no effort in describing how this aggression was contrary to local and international law. But it was like crying into the wind. No one was listening. Israeli defenders, meanwhile, spread spurious justifications for the country’s actions, raising doubts in the minds of many about the veracity of our position. Last Friday, the highest court in the world, the international court of justice (ICJ) in the Hague, ruled on the matter. In its advisory opinion to the UN, made upon the request of the general assembly, the court stated that “the Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem … have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law”. But the real bombshell was the court’s assertion that what is required by Israel is the “evacuation of all settlers from existing settlements” and that it is also under an obligation “to provide full reparation for the damage caused by its internationally wrongful acts to all natural or legal persons concerned”. In this way, the court confirmed the well established principle that violations of international law do not lapse by time, and are not subject to a period of limitation…This ruling by the ICJ lays bare the reality of the occupation as a colonial enterprise that is depriving Palestinians of their right to self-determination, exploiting their land and resources, driving them away from their land and leaving them with the only option of working as cheap labour in Israel, enduring the most deplorable conditions on the checkpoints on their way to work. All this has not gone without a persistent resistance from Palestinians that has taken many forms over the years, violent and non-violent. This has cost many lives and caused immense suffering.” See also The ICJ has demolished Israel’s claims that it is not occupying Palestinian territories (Kenneth Roth Guardian 7/22/24); U.K. ending challenge to ICC arrest warrants for Israeli leaders (WaPo)

The ICJ’s Paradigm Shift on Palestine (Zaha Hassan//Carnegie)

“Ending the occupation does not require a bilateral agreement guaranteeing Israel’s security and Palestinian concessions on territory, borders, the status of Palestinian refugees, and Jerusalem. Rather, the court stated, Israel must immediately withdraw its troops, evacuate all 750,000 Israeli settlers from the West Bank, and pay Palestinians reparations. The court added that the UN, international organizations, and other states must do everything in their power to compel Israel to adhere to the ruling, including through sanctions. The court’s opinion has not received a warm reception in Washington, where international law has little currency in discussions concerning Israel and Palestine. It will certainly complicate cooperation between U.S. allies in Europe and states forming part of the so-called global majority, where international norms figure more prominently in formulating foreign policy toward Israel and Palestine. The United States, however, ought to take this opportunity to recalibrate its approach to center the human security and rights of both Palestinians and Israelis.”

‘Israel always sold the occupation as legal. The ICJ now terrifies them’ (Ghousoon Bisharat interviews Diana Buttu//+972)

“Diana Buttu: So people should understand that there’s never going to be a legal knockout. The occupation is not going to end through courts and legal mechanisms — it’s going to end when Israel pays the price. And whether that price is paid externally because the world says enough, or internally because the system starts to implode, it’s going to be an Israeli decision to end the occupation…Now, this ICJ opinion opens new arenas [for accountability]: to make sure that Israel doesn’t get to use free trade agreements, that French citizens don’t get social security if they’re living in an illegal Israeli settlement, and that settlers are sanctioned financially and not allowed to travel to certain places around the world. But that all requires a lot of work.”

‘The Beijing Declaration,’ China brokers Hamas-Fatah unity deal: What we know (Al Monitor 7/23/24)

“Palestinian factions, including rivals Hamas and Fatah, signed in Beijing on Tuesday an agreement to end a yearslong rift and form an interim national unity government for the Palestinian territories. The “Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity” was signed during the closing ceremony of a two-day round of reconciliation talks attended by senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk, Fatah envoy Mahmoud al-Aloul and representatives of 12 other Palestinian factions, including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Palestinian People’s Party, Palestinian Popular Struggle Front and Palestinian National Initiative. Diplomatic envoys to China or their representatives from Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Russia and Turkey also took part in the dialogue, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement.” See also Palestinian factions including Hamas agree to form future unity government (Guardian)

Turkey’s President Says His Country Could Enter Israel to Help Palestinians (NYT)

“President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has raised the possibility that Turkey could enter Israel in support of the Palestinians, a significant step-up in his harsh words toward the Jewish state over the Gaza war. But it was unclear whether his comments reflected any concrete plans by Turkey or were just intended to appeal to his political base. “We should be very strong, so that Israel cannot do this stuff to Palestine,” Mr. Erdogan said on Sunday while addressing members of his ruling Justice and Development Party in the Black Sea city of Rize, his ancestral hometown.”

Turkey blocks Instagram amid ‘censorship’ row (Al Jazeera 8/2/24)

“Turkey has blocked access to Instagram, the national communications authority said, after a top government official slammed the social media platform for “censoring” Hamas-related content…The move follows comments on Wednesday by the Turkish presidency’s communications director, Fahrettin Altun, criticising the Meta-owned platform for what he called its decision to block condolence posts on the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. “This is censorship, pure and simple,” Altun wrote on X, noting that Instagram had not cited any policy violations for its decision to block the content…“We will stand by our Palestinian brothers at every opportunity and on every platform,” he said.”

GAZA

Destruction of Gaza water wells deepens Palestinian misery (Reuters 7/20/24)

“Israel’s military blew up more than 30 water wells in Gaza this month, a municipality official and residents said, adding to the trauma of airstrikes that have turned much of the Palestinian enclave into a wasteland ravaged by a humanitarian crisis. Salama Shurab, head of the water networks at Khan Younis municipality, said the wells were destroyed by Israeli forces between July 18-27 in the southern towns of Rafah and Khan Younis…Gaza City has lost nearly all its water production capacity, with 88% of its water wells and 100% of its desalination plants damaged or destroyed, Oxfam said in a recent report.” See also The IDF Just Destroyed a Key Rafah Water Facility Rachel Corrie Spent Her Last Month of Life Defending (Younis Tirawi//Drop Site)

UN says 86 percent of Gaza now under Israeli evacuation orders (Al Jazeera 7/29/24)

“The United Nations says 86 percent of the besieged Gaza Strip is now under Israeli evacuation orders as 33 more Palestinians are killed in yet another day of attacks and displacement. Thousands of Palestinians fled the Bureij and Nuseirat refugee camps in central Gaza on Monday after the Israeli army issued new evacuation orders…Reporting from Deir el-Balah, also in central Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said recurrent mass displacements have become the norm with the Israeli military…“The attacks on schools in the past two days have shattered any sense of safety left for people staying in evacuation centres and has pushed people into further internal enforced displacement. There is literally no safe place in Gaza,” he said.” See also Israeli airstrike hits girls’ school that houses displaced people in central Gaza, killing at least 30 (CBS 7/27/24); Lice, scabies, rashes plague Palestinian children as skin disease runs rampant in Gaza’s tent camps (AP 7/31/24)

UN report: Since Oct. 7, Palestinians detained by Israeli authorities faced mistreatment and torture (PBS)

“The U.N. human rights office issued a report Wednesday saying Palestinians detained by Israeli authorities since the Oct. 7 attacks faced waterboarding, sleep deprivation, electric shocks, dogs set on them, and other forms of torture and mistreatment. The report said Israel’s prison service held more than 9,400 “security detainees” as of the end of June, and some have been held in secret without access to lawyers or respect for their legal rights. A summary of the report, based on interviews with former detainees and other sources, decried a “staggering” number of detainees — including men, women, children, journalists and human rights defenders — and said such practices raise concerns about arbitrary detention.” See also Israel used dogs, waterboarding on Palestinian detainees from Gaza, UN report says (Reuters); UN report: Palestinian detainees held arbitrarily and secretly, subjected to torture and mistreatment (UN OHCHR); Sexual assault, torture among accusations against 9 Israeli soldiers who guarded Hamas militants (Al Monitor); Israel’s Crimes Against Humanity at Sde Teiman—and the Complicity of Its Doctors (Adam Gaffney//The Nation)

‘The destruction is massive’: Khan Younis residents return to rubble after Israeli military withdraws (CNN 7/30/24)

“The Israeli military withdrew from eastern Khan Younis more than a week after an incursion and heavy bombardment that killed dozens of Palestinians and forced thousands of others to flee. Israeli forces had issued an evacuation order in parts of Khan Younis on July 22, saying it was “about to forcefully operate against the terrorist organizations” that it said were firing rockets from neighborhoods south of the city. The directive resulted in what international aid groups said was a “mass displacement.” More than 150,000 people fled, according to United Nations estimates, many on foot or on donkey carts, leaving virtually all their possessions behind.” See also Israeli Forces End East Khan Yunis Offensive as Palestinians Recover Dozens of Gazans’ Bodies (Haaretz 7/30/24); Scores killed in Israeli attacks, medics say, after IDF orders evacuation of Gaza humanitarian zone (Guardian 7/22/24); Israel Orders New Evacuation in Gaza as Aid Workers Say Bombing Kills Dozens (NYT 7/22/24); Israel orders evacuation of former Gaza safe area; U.N. aid convoy fired on (WaPo 7/22/24)

‘I Wanted Them to Like Me. That’s How You Survive’: Liat Atzili Spent Weeks Conversing With Her Hamas Captors. Here’s What They Talked About

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-07-27/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/she-spent-weeks-conversing-with-her-hamas-captors-heres-what-they-talked-about
“I was and I remain a leftist from the radical edges who believes in coexistence and peace,” she continues, softly. “Peace is not a dream of bleeding hearts. We have no other alternative. Without peace, we will not survive. And peace isn’t eating falafel in Khan Yunis with my captors. Peace is the absence of war. And if this war will not finally be leveraged to create dramatic change, then we really can pack our bags and leave this place. “The wretched statement that the whole Strip is Hamas is factually wrong. They were wrong in their support for what was done, like the Israeli public was wrong about many things. Here too there is a horrible government. Here too an unworthy prime minister is elected time and again by an disturbing majority. And yes, I think about what is happening in Gaza. I feel compassion for people who suffer, bereaved families on both sides are families that are overcome with sadness and loss, and my sadness and loss are no more important the sadness and loss of other families. War is not an end in and of itself. It’s clear to me that this war at the moment serves only political interests. And it’s clear that the government has sacrificed the hostages on the altar of its political survival.” See also Report: Nova Festival Survivor Recounts How Hamas Terrorists Raped Him on October 7 (Haaretz);

War on Gaza: Palestinian healthcare workers are the true heroes (Ghada Majadli//Middle East Eye)

“Since 7 October, Israeli forces have killed hundreds of Palestinian healthcare workers and imprisoned others under inhumane conditions. The ongoing attacks on physicians, nurses, paramedics and aid providers, coupled with the destruction of Gaza’s health infrastructure, are central to the ongoing genocide. Throughout this period, we have witnessed the bravery and steadfastness of medical teams in Gaza, who have shown remarkable resourcefulness in addressing the needs of their patients, even as Israel strikes have destroyed the region’s hospitals.  The commitment and fortitude displayed by healthcare workers have been aptly characterised as a form of resistance. Their tireless service amid severely challenging conditions, including shortages of essential food and medicine, is to be commended.” See also Many of Gaza’s Medical Workers Have Been Detained or Killed (NYT); IDF to Vaccinate Israeli Soldiers Against Polio After High Concentration of Virus Found in Gaza Sewage (Haaretz); Leaked UN report: Israeli war has killed 366 UN staff and family members as Netanyahu prepares to address Congress (Ryan Grim//Drop Site)

One Name, Two Lists (Airwars 7/24/24)

“In the largest and most in-depth public analysis of the MoH data yet, Airwars used open source monitoring to independently identify nearly 3,000 full names of civilian victims killed in the first 17 days of the war. Every name is listed below, linked to individual reports detailing where and how they died. Where possible the reports include personal stories of lives lost. By comparing those victims’ names with the first list produced by the MoH, this investigation found a high correlation between the official MoH data and what Palestinian civilians reported online – with 75% of publicly reported names also appearing on the MoH list.”

Israel Is Using Starvation as a Weapon of War. Where Is the Outrage? (Yousef Aljamal//The Nation)

“When starvation first started to spread in Gaza at the end of October 2023, the international community expressed alarm. The World Food Programme warned that “People in Gaza are starving to death right now. The speed at which this man-made hunger and malnutrition crisis has ripped through Gaza is terrifying.” The EuropeanUnion and the United States released statements urging Israel to open crossings and let in thousands of aid trucks…That was months ago. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has only gotten worse by every measure. And the starvation of Palestinians has become normalized.
Today, starvation is spreading both in the north and south of Gaza, with little outcry from the international community. Despite a ruling from the International Court of Justice affirming that Israel’s actions are plausibly genocidal, Israel has faced no material consequences. How long will we allow these atrocities to continue?”

Al Jazeera journalist, cameraman killed in Israeli attack on Gaza (Al Jazeera)

“Al Jazeera Arabic journalist Ismail al-Ghoul and his cameraman Rami al-Rifi have been killed in an Israeli air attack on the Gaza Strip. The reporters were killed when their car was hit on Wednesday in the Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, according to initial information. They were in the area to report from near the Gaza house of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas who was assassinated in the early hours of Wednesday in Iran’s capital, Tehran, in an attack the group has blamed on Israel…According to preliminary figures by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 111 journalists and media workers are among those killed since the start of the war on October 7. The Gaza government media office has put the figure at 165 Palestinian journalists killed since the war began.” See also Al Jazeera refutes ‘baseless’ Israeli allegations against Ismail al-Ghoul (Al Jazeera)

RIVER TO THE SEA

Far right in uproar after Israel detains reservists over Gaza detainee abuse (WaPo 7/29/24)

“Chaos broke out at an Israeli military base holding Palestinian detainees Monday, as far-right demonstrators rallied after nine reservists were detained in connection to allegations of “serious abuse of a detainee.”…Videos on social media Monday showed a crowd rattling the base’s metal gates and then running inside behind a member of the country’s parliament…“I’m calling on the chief military prosecutor, get your hands off the reservists,” Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister, wrote on X. “Take your hands off the reservists,” posted Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s far-right national security minister, who oversees the prison system…The army’s chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, described the incident as “extremely serious and against the law.”’ See also Israeli inquest into alleged abuse of Palestinian detainees sparks far-right fury (Guardian)

Rioting for the Right to Rape Palestinians (Diana Buttu//Zeteo 7/31/24)

“For months, reports of torture and rape have emerged from Israel’s military base turned torture camp, Sde Teiman, where Israel has imprisoned thousands of Palestinians without charge. I wrote about it in a previous diary earlier this month. Palestinians who have emerged from this torture camp refer to it as the “slaughterhouse” with horrendous tales of torture, rape, abuse, and sleep deprivation being meted out by Israeli prison guards. Nearly 30 Palestinians have died while in Sde Teiman and other prisons, according to the information provided to date. And while the precise chain of events is unclear, what we do know is that the Israeli military advocate general decided to dispatch the military police to question nine Israeli soldiers on suspicion of gang-raping and sodomizing a Palestinian man from Gaza at Sde Teiman. The man was rushed to the hospital where he exhibited signs of rape, including a ruptured bowel and broken ribs…The arrival of the military police was violently resisted by the soldiers being detained for questioning and by others at the site. The soldiers barricaded themselves inside the camp and pepper-sprayed the military police…Crowds stormed the Sde Teiman prison camp with soldiers struggling to expel them. The Israelis who stormed the prison included Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu (the man said that dropping a “nuclear bomb” on the Gaza Strip is “an option.”). Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich later expressed his support for the soldiers “I call on the military advocate general, take your hands off our heroic fighters.” Hours later, as the Israeli soldiers were taken to another military base, more than 200 people, including members of Knesset tried to storm the base to release the soldiers being held for questioning.” See also The Legitimization of Rape Against Palestinians (Naomi Klein & Rula Jebreal//Zeteo)

A riot for impunity shows Israel’s proud embrace of its crimes (Oren Ziv//+972 8/1/24)

“The soldiers came to Beit Lid to support and demand the release of ten of their comrades who had been arrested on suspicion of raping a Palestinian detainee at Sde Teiman. The detainee, according to Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHRI), was hospitalized three weeks ago with severe injuries to his rectum…Along with members of Force 100, the demonstrators included Kahanists, hilltop settler youth from the occupied West Bank, supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and viewers of the TV station Channel 14. In the past, it was possible to say that these groups were a political minority. But today, they are in the government, they run the country’s law enforcement, and they are the face of Israel. One Israeli news headline said that the protesters “declared war on the State of Israel,” but they are in fact the state — a fact made clear by the support they received from ministers and parliamentarians…The police did not use horses or water cannon vehicles — tactics that are familiar to every Palestinian, Ethiopian, or ultra-Orthodox Israeli who has dared to protest. Even after demonstrators breached the entrances and broke into Sde Teiman, and later into Beit Lid, no one was arrested or even identified by the police…The source of the demonstrators’ rage, both at Sde Teiman and Beit Lid, was that Israeli law enforcement dared to interrogate soldiers. As far as they were concerned, soldiers deserve complete immunity — even if they commit rape.”

Al-Aqsa imam detained on suspicion of incitement, terror support for Haniyeh eulogy (Times of Israel 8/2/24)

“Police detained Al-Aqsa preacher Sheikh Ekrima Sabri on suspicion of incitement and supporting terrorism after he delivered a eulogy for slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during Friday prayers. In his sermon, the former grand mufti of Jerusalem mourned “the martyr” Haniyeh, saying: “We ask Allah to have mercy on him and place him in paradise.”…Interior Minister Moshe Arbel wrote to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to inform her he would revoke Sabri’s permanent residency permit. Sabri, 85, does not hold Israeli citizenship. He lives in East Jerusalem, whose Palestinian residents hold Israeli residency permits that are relatively easy for the interior minister to revoke.” See also Israeli police arrest Al-Aqsa Mosque preacher for mourning Haniyeh (Al Anadolou 8/2/24)

In Umm al-Khair, the occupation is damning us to multigenerational trauma (Awdah Hathaleen//+972 7/22/24)

“The demolition forces enter the village. All the children run to their mothers, who scramble to salvage whatever they can from their homes before it’s too late. Everyone watches on anxiously to see who will be made homeless today. The bulldozers gather in the center of the village and then stop. Soldiers disembark. The villagers look each other in the eye, searching for words of comfort, but there are none. Our children ask us why this is happening, but we have no answers…In total, 10 houses were demolished that morning, along with the village council tent and the solar electricity room. Thirty-eight residents are now homeless — including my sister, whose house was destroyed along with all her possessions. What was particularly shocking was that these were among the oldest homes in the village, with some having received demolition orders all the way back in 2008. Now we are worried about every single house here in Umm al-Khair…Amid all of this injustice, we often feel forgotten, lost, or hopeless. Sometimes we wonder: why do Israelis see us as terrorists and enemies? Why is the world not acting to achieve justice for Palestinians? But most of the time, we feel tired. The attacks, the raids, the demolitions: we think about them all the time. I always say that I wish fate hadn’t brought us to this point. But now we are stuck here; there’s no way to leave.” See also Israeli settlers attack foreign activists and Palestinian farmers in West Bank (CNN); Which countries have sanctioned Israeli settlers – and does it mean much? (Al Jazeera)

‘I can’t justify this military operation any more’: the IDF reservists refusing to return to Gaza (Guardian)

“The three reserve soldiers speaking publicly about their unwillingness to return to service represent a minority, in part because military refusal in Israel is normally considered illegal. Last month, 41 reserve soldiers signed an open letter declaring that they would no longer continue to serve in the IDF assault on Gaza’s southern city of Rafah.” See also Thousands rally across Israel, urge hostage deal to mark 300 days since October 7 (Times of Israel); Families of American-Israeli hostages blast Netanyahu (Responsible Statecraft); Families of Hostages Despair as Hopes for Imminent Peace Deal Fade (NYT 8/2/24)

U.S. SCENE

Biden warns Netanyahu against escalation as risk of regional war grows (Axios 8/2/24)

“Biden and his top aides are deeply frustrated by the fallout from Israel’s assassinations in Beirut and Tehran, which took place less than a week after Netanyahu’s first visit to the Oval Office in four years…U.S. officials don’t mourn the deaths of either Hezbollah’s top military commander Fuad Shukr, who was involved in killing 241 U.S. Marines in Beirut in 1983, or Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who celebrated the Oct. 7 massacre. But they feel that Netanyahu kept Biden in the dark over his plans to carry out the assassinations, after leaving the impression last week that he was attentive to the president’s request to focus on getting a Gaza deal…One U.S. official said Biden complained to Netanyahu that the two had just spoken last week in the Oval Office about securing the hostage deal, but instead Netanyahu went ahead with the assassination in Tehran. Biden then told Netanyahu the U.S. will help Israel defeat an Iranian attack, but after that he expects no more escalation from the Israeli side and immediate movement toward a hostage deal, the U.S. official said. Biden also warned Netanyahu that if he escalates again, he shouldn’t count on the U.S. to bail him out, the U.S. official added.” See also Will Israel Drag the US Into a New Forever War? (Adam Weinstein & Annelie Sheline//The Nation 8/1/24)

Kamala Harris tells Netanyahu ‘time to get deal done,’ highlights Palestinian suffering (Al Monitor 7/25/24)

“After US Vice President Kamala Harris met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netyanhu at the White House on Thursday, she called for a “permanent end” to hostilities in Gaza, and she told the Israeli premier that “it is time to get this deal done,” urging him to accept an agreement with Hamas for a cease-fire in Gaza in exchange for the release of hostages. “It is time for this war to end and end in a way where Israel is secure, all the hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can exercise their right to freedom, dignity and self-determination,” said Harris. Harris said she relayed her “serious concerns about the scale of human suffering in Gaza” to Netanyahu, pointing to acute levels of food insecurity as well as “the images of dead children and desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, sometimes displaced for the second, third or fourth time. We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering and will not be silent.”’ See also Netanyahu irked by “critical” Harris comments (Al Monitor 7/26/24); Harris created distance from Biden on Gaza by emphasizing Palestinian suffering (WaPo 7/24/24); Trump Calls Schumer ‘Proud Member of Hamas’ for Not Shaking Hands With Israeli PM Netanyahu (Haaretz)

Biden resignees are more hopeful about Harris’ Israel policy (Politico 7/21/24)

“Several former Biden administration officials who resigned in protest of the White House’s policy toward Israel told POLITICO they’re somewhat optimistic about how Vice President Kamala Harris would handle the war in Gaza if she became president. Shortly after President Joe Biden announced he would drop his bid for reelection on Sunday, Lily Greenberg Call, who quit after working in the Interior Department for just over a year, said her personal experience working for the vice president gives her hope….Tariq Habash, who was a Biden policy adviser in the Education Department, said he’s “cautiously optimistic” that Harris would be more willing to consider policy changes that center Palestinian human rights and curb Israel’s continued actions in Gaza and elsewhere. Harris called for a cease-fire in Gaza before Biden did, he said, and she comes from a younger generation than the president. She has said on multiple occasions that she supports a two-state solution.”

Kamala Harris on Gaza: The Campaign Needs to Change Course to Win the White House in November (Simone Zimmerman//Teen Vogue)

“Without the endorsement of material consequences for Israel’s actions — such as the withholding of arms transfers, demanding the restoration of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, and ensuring that Israel allows humanitarian aid into Gaza — some voters will continue to see Democrats as abetting Israel’s horrific decimation of the Gaza Strip. A Democratic Party that is serious about inspiring hope would work to end the war both because it’s wrong and because it’s bad politics…On Wednesday, surrounded by those who cheered for the man presiding over the slaughter of her people, Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, stood holding a sign that read, “Guilty of genocide.” Behind her, Congressman Jerry Nadler stood holding a book, a critical biography of Netanyahu, who, earlier in the day, Nadler had called “the worst leader in Jewish history.” Nadler could have joined the estimated 136 other Democrats — including Sara Jacobs, the youngest Jewish member of Congress — in skipping the speech in protest. He could have used his presence in the room to actually stand up to Netanyahu, as Tlaib and the families of some Israeli hostages did. Nadler’s act of trolling represents the Democratic Party’s past; Tlaib’s clarity and courage is the future.”

ACTIVISM//LAWFARE//REDEFINING ANTISEMITISM TO STIFLE CRITICISM OF ISRAEL

Hundreds Arrested as JVP Activists Occupy U.S. Gov’t Office to Protest Against Netanyahu (Haaretz 7/24/24)

“U.S. Capitol Police say they arrested some 200 Jewish Voice for Peace activists protesting against U.S. military support for Israel inside a congressional building in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, a day before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to deliver a speech to Congress. The some 400 members of JVP, among them two dozen rabbis, were demanding an immediate arms embargo on the Israeli government, decrying what they describe as a genocidal campaign in Gaza.” See also US Capitol Police arrest Jewish activists calling for Israel arms embargo (Al Jazeera 7/23/24); About 200 arrested in Cannon Rotunda for protesting Gaza war (WaPo) Interfaith leaders, activists disrupt Christians United for Israel in Washington (New Arab 7/31/24)

How These Battle-hardened Israeli and U.S. Veterans Hope to End the Gaza War (Haaretz)

“As the Israel-Hamas war nears its 10th month, a coalition of American and Israeli veterans are working together and calling for a cease-fire and radical shift in U.S. policy toward the conflict. Common Defense – a U.S. veterans’ group advocating progressive policies – and Breaking the Silence, an Israeli veterans’ group against the occupation, are determined to reshape public and political perceptions of the war. Last week, in a press conference, they released a petition, signed by more than 5,000 veterans and military families, demanding that U.S. President Joe Biden and Congress “act immediately to achieve a permanent cease-fire in Gaza.”’

Bella Hadid Responds to Adidas Campaign Controversy: “Antisemitism Has No Place in the Liberation of the Palestinian People” (Hollywood Reporter)

“Bella Hadid offered a response on Monday to the controversy surrounding her involvement in a recent Adidas campaign featuring shoes inspired by the 1972 Munich Games. The ”SL 72” running shoe campaign, released earlier this month, coincided with the 52nd anniversary of the Munich Games, where 11 Israeli coaches and athletes were massacred by Palestinian terrorists. Though the shoes and campaign made no mention of the tragic incident, a statement from the pro-Israel American Jewish Committee condemned Hadid’s involvement in the campaign because of the model’s support of relief efforts for Palestinians in Gaza amid the war between Hamas and the Israeli Defense Forces…”I would never knowingly engage with any art or work that is linked to a horrific tragedy of any kind,” Hadid wrote in a lengthy Instagram story on Monday. “In advance of the campaign’s release, I had no knowledge of the historical connection to the atrocious events in 1972. I am shocked, I am upset, and I am disappointed in the lack of sensitivity that went into this campaign. Had I been made aware, from the bottom of my heart, I would never have participated.”…Hadid went on to condemn the connection between “the liberation of the Palestinian people” and an antisemitic attack, saying that “Palestine is not synonymous with terrorism and this campaign unintentionally highlighted an event that does not represent who we are.” “I am a proud Palestinian woman and there is so much more to our culture than the things that have been equated over the past week,” she wrote. “I will forever stand by my people of Palestine while continuing to advocate for a world free of antisemitism. Antisemitism has no place in the liberation of the Palestinian people. I will always stand for peace over violence, any day.”’

U.S., 30 other nations unveil new ‘global guidelines’ to fight antisemitism (Jewish Insider 7/17/24)

“Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, formally announced the “Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism” at a Wednesday event at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Buenos Aires alongside antisemitism envoys from several European and Latin American countries. The document was signed by 30 countries and the Council of Europe, the European Commission, the Organization of American States and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe…The Global Guidelines do not have the force of law, but they offer a clear statement of where the U.S. government and its partners stand in their fight against antisemitism. The guidelines indicate strong U.S. support for the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)’s working definition of antisemitism, despite a global campaign against it from far-left activists in recent months who take issue with its assertion that some forms of anti-Zionism are antisemitic.  “In order to combat antisemitism, governments need tools to understand its various manifestations,” the guidelines state. The IHRA definition “is an important internationally recognized instrument used by over 40 U.N. member states since its adoption in 2016. In addition, hundreds of sub-national public authorities, universities, sports bodies, NGOs and corporations rely on it.””

PERSPECTIVES//LONG READS

What Haniyeh’s Assassination Means for a Gaza Ceasefire (Mairav Zonszein//Time 8/1/24)

“In just a few days, Israel has switched the focus from Gaza to Tehran, and from causing mass civilian casualties to precise, surgical operations targeting its enemy’s command structures…In the view of Israeli leaders, this will restore Israel’s power projection, bolster its deterrence and its reputation for superpower-level military intelligence, and demonstrate that its adversaries are safe nowhere—that it has been able to penetrate and compromise Hezbollah and Iran’s security on their own soil. Less clear is how Israel will leverage what it sees as an upper hand. Although logic dictates that killing the very people you are negotiating with is not going to hasten a ceasefire deal with them, Netanyahu could use this moment to build a victory narrative that pacifies the far right on which he relies to stay in power…No one is interested in an all-out war, but the question of whether the region will find peace depends less on that than whether the key players—Israel, Hamas, Iran, and especially the U.S.—are willing to use every tool available to them to put a stop to all the hostilities and pursue a diplomatic way out. Israel could use this moment to make a move in this direction. Unfortunately, and especially under Netanyahu, there is not much evidence to suggest it will.” See also Haniyeh’s Assassination Made It Clear: Israeli Hostages Are Not at Top of Netanyahu’s Agenda (Amos Harel//Haaretz)

The Killing of a Hamas Leader Is Part of a Larger War (Matthew Duss and Nancy Okail//NYT 8/1/24)

“The almost certain escalation from the Haniyeh assassination signals a fundamental flaw in President Biden’s Gaza policy: the hope that the Gaza war could be contained to Gaza. The possibility of regional conflict has always been Mr. Biden’s real red line. But for months, the war has already been spreading — to Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and now, to Iran. The fact that it hasn’t yet erupted into even more widespread and intense conflict is the result of both diplomatic skill and a lot of luck, the latter of which appears to be running out…With each new red line crossed, the risk of escalation increases, and Washington should not underestimate either the willingness of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to drag the United States into a disastrous war, nor the potential for Iran to engage militarily or worse, to finally decide to commit fully to developing a nuclear deterrent…The time is late, but it is essential now for President Biden to finally apply real pressure to stop this war, by halting the supply of offensive arms, facilitating the return of hostages to Israel and enabling the provision of desperately needed humanitarian aid into Gaza. The United States must state loudly and clearly that the country will no longer support this war. And then show that it means it.”

Israeli leaders celebrate assassinations — and make the living pay the price (Orly Noy//+972)

Ten months after the massacre, Israeli society could have been somewhere else. It could have already been in the process of recovering from its terrible trauma, with all the hostages returned home alive. Tens of thousands of its citizens would not have been displaced from their homes in the north and south, and so many soldiers’ lives would have been spared. The Gaza Strip would not have become the Hiroshima of the Middle East, with nearly two million besieged Palestinians uprooted and starved. Instead, ten months of criminal choices have brought us to a security, economic, social, and moral abyss that even the pessimists among us could not have imagined.

The decimation of Gaza’s academia is ‘impossible to quantify’ (Ibtisam Mahdi//+972)

“Dr. Refaat Alareer was a good friend of mine. A poet, writer, and prominent activist for the Palestinian cause, Refaat taught English literature and poetry for many years at the Islamic University of Gaza…Refaat is one of at least 105 Palestinian academics killed in Gaza since the start of Israel’s war, according to the Palestinian Education Ministry’s latest statistics. His home institution, the Islamic University, has been completely demolished by the bombing campaign — and all of Gaza’s 19 universities have sustained severe damage or lie in utter ruins, with over 80 percent of university buildings destroyed. The Strip’s nearly 90,000 students who were enrolled in institutions of higher learning before the war have largely been unable to continue their studies. The annihilation of higher education is particularly tragic for Gaza’s future: this source of learning, economic growth, livelihoods, and community is now gone. But the stories of the teachers and schools we have lost, and the educational opportunities that are now foreclosed, deserve to be told.”

The Perils of a Looming Saudi-Israeli Normalization Deal (Tariq Dana//Al Shabaka)

“Amid the Israeli regime’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, high-stakes negotiations aimed at formalizing and upgrading the long-standing, covert relationship between Israel and Saudi Arabia persist. While attempting to draw the parameters of a ceasefire agreement, the Biden administration has likewise doubled down on efforts to broker a historic deal between the two countries. This policy memo examines the mutually reinforcing interests of the US, Saudi Arabia, and Israel that fuel the prospective agreement. It interrogates Saudi’s feigned solidarity with the Palestinian struggle and situates the normalization deal within shifting regional dynamics.”

The end of Israel’s economy (Shir Hever//Mondoweiss)

“The economic indicators speak of nothing less than an economic catastrophe. Over 46,000 businesses have gone bankrupt, tourism has stopped, Israel’s credit rating was lowered, Israeli bonds are sold at the prices of almost “junk bonds” levels, and the foreign investments that have already dropped by 60% in the first quarter of 2023 (as a result of the policies of Israel’s far-right government before October 7) show no prospects of recovery. The majority of the money invested in Israeli investment funds was diverted to investments abroad because Israelis do not want their own pension funds and insurance funds or their own savings to be tied to the fate of the State of Israel. This has caused a surprising stability in the Israeli stock market because funds invested in foreign stocks and bonds generated profit in foreign currency, which was multiplied by the rise in the exchange rate between foreign currencies and the Israeli Shekel…These are all financial indicators. But the crisis strikes deeper at the means of production of the Israeli economy. Israel’s power grid, which has largely switched to natural gas, still depends on coal to supply demand. The biggest supplier of coal to Israel is Colombia, which announced that it would suspend coal shipments to Israel as long as the genocide was ongoing. After Colombia, the next two biggest suppliers are South Africa and Russia. Without reliable and continuous electricity, Israel will no longer be able to pretend to be a developed economy. Server farms do not work without 24-hour power, and no one knows how many blackouts the Israeli high-tech sector could potentially survive. International tech companies have already started closing their branches in Israel.”

Daybreak in Gaza: New anthology aims to preserve a culture being destroyed (Middle East Eye)

“Published by Saqi and set for release on 3 October, Daybreak in Gaza: Stories of Palestinian Lives and Culture is an anthology of essays, which hopes to capture and preserve both of these worlds. Described by its publishers as a record of heritage, which reveals an “extraordinary place and people”, the collection will feature the stories of the Palestinians who have spent their entire lives under occupation and suffered decades of war. “Vignettes of artists, acrobats, doctors, students, shopkeepers and teachers across the generations offer stories of love, life, loss and survival. They display the wealth of Gaza’s cultural landscape and the breadth of its history.” Saqi says in its announcement of the book.”

Poems from Gaza; Zeina Azzam reviews ‘Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear’ by Mosab Abu Toha (Zeina Azzam//Poetry School)

“To read poetry from and about Gaza in these times is an act of solidarity, or perhaps even one of resistance. After all, a genocide* has been unfolding in the enclave by the Mediterranean Sea and the world has been unable – or unwilling – to do anything about it. Poetry is indeed political; it can dig below the surface of the human condition while exposing uncomfortable truths. So it is with Mosab Abu Toha’s debut poetry collection, Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear. Published in 2022, Abu Toha’s book has likely seen a resurgence of interest as a result of Israel’s current war on Gaza. The fact that the poet drew international attention in November 2023 after being abducted, detained, and beaten by the Israeli army, then released to leave Gaza with his family, has deepened the awareness of his and Gaza’s – and all of Palestine’s – unjustifiable plight…There is indeed a feeling of steadfastness in Abu Toha’s collection, despite the myriad dangers and challenges meted out by life in Gaza (words like ‘war’, ‘bomb,’ ‘shrapnel’, ‘attack’, ‘wound’ and ‘death’ occur frequently). He embraces the experiences of both war and wonder simultaneously; there is a hopefulness that reflects a wholeness in his approach and a deep, multilayered conception of life, family, culture and nature. He explains, ‘I want everyone to know what it means to be living in Gaza, to be living in Palestine, to be thinking about death even while you are looking at flowers and looking at the sun in the sky.’’

What if the U.S. Doesn’t Veto Sanctions Against Israel? ‘It’s the End of the World,’ Says Legal Expert (Haaretz)

“The effects of mounting sanctions on settlers won’t be limited to the West Bank, and they’re already chipping away at Israel’s international legitimacy, says Shuki Friedman, vice president of the Jewish People Policy Institute”