NEW FROM FMEP
Beyond unipolarity and the ‘rules-based international order’ toward a “Better Order Project” (New podcast episode)
FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with policy experts Zack Paikin and Trita Parsi about the the new report they co-authored, “Toward a Better Security Order,” the first report by the Quincy Institute’s Better Order Project. The report is the result of discussions with over 130 experts, scholars, and practitioners from over 40 countries, aspiring to put together a set of recommendations to stabilize international order as it (as they argue) transitions from away from a unipolar structure. They discuss the Biden administration’s focus on the so-called “rules-based international order,” recommendations for reforming the UN Security Council, and expectations for the incoming administration led by a president who, in the words of Trita Parsi, has “neither patience for rules nor laws.”
Understanding Palestinian Pain & Resistance: Reporting from the West Bank (New podcast episode)
FMEP Fellow Nour Joudah speaks with journalist Mariam Barghouti about reporting from the ground in the West Bank, views on the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian resistance, and understanding Israeli violence in Gaza and the West Bank within the larger frame of Palestinian history.
FMEP Legislative Round-Up November 22, 2024 (Lara Friedman)
- Bills, Resolutions; 2. Letters; 3. Hearings; 4. Selected Members on the Record; 5. Selected Media
Note especially the section on Enabling the Trump admin to strip any NGO of non-profit Status, using support for Palestinians as the hook — HR 9495.For more from Lara Friedman, also see: Post-Election Assessment: US Election Results and the Future of US Foreign Policy and the Gaza War, (Webinar hosted by Arab Center DC) ft. Lara Friedman(FMEP), Yousef Munayyer (Arab Center DC), Sarah Leah Whitson (DAWN), and Josh Paul (New Policy), moderated by Khalil Jahshan (Arab Center DC) and Diplomacy is Not a Dirty Word – Iran and the Middle East (Panel convened by NIAC as part of the NIAC 2024 Post-Election Symposium), ft. Negar Mortazavi, (CIP), Lara Friedman (FMEP), Nader Hashemi (Georgetown University). Dr. Jon Hoffman (Cato Institute) and Steven Simon (Quincy Institute).
GAZA
Virtually no aid has reached besieged north Gaza in 40 days, UN says (BBC 11/20/24);
“Palestinians are “facing diminishing conditions for survival” in parts of northern Gaza under siege by Israeli forces because virtually no aid has been delivered in 40 days, the United Nations has warned. The UN said all its attempts to support the estimated 65,000 to 75,000 people in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia and Jabalia this month had been denied or impeded, forcing bakeries and kitchens to shut down. Earlier this month, a UN-backed assessment said there was a strong likelihood that famine was imminent in areas of northern Gaza.” See also In Gaza, ‘an entire society now a graveyard’ (Ishaan Tharoor//WaPo 11/10/24); Israeli attacks on Gaza kill at least 88, including children in their sleep (Al Jazeera 11/21/24); Witnesses say Israel is using sniper drones in Gaza and they’re shooting civilians (NPR 11/20/24); Israeli Troops Have Turned North Gaza’s Only Desalination Station Into a Military Base (Younis Tirawi//DropSite 11/19/24);
Gangs looting Gaza aid operate in areas under Israeli control, aid groups say (WaPo 11/18/24)
“As Gaza’s hunger crisis worsens, organized gangs are stealing much of the aid Israel allows into the enclave, operating freely in areas controlled by the Israeli military, according to aid group officials, humanitarian workers, transport companies and witnesses. Officials said criminal looting has become the greatest impediment to distributing aid in the southern half of Gaza, home to the vast majority of displaced Palestinians. Armed bands of men have killed, beaten and kidnapped aid truck drivers in the area around Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing, the main entry point into Gaza’s south, aid workers and transport companies said.” See also Food prices soar in Gaza after looting of almost 100 aid trucks worsens shortages (Guardian 11/19/24); A Gaza School Burned Down Hours After Aid Arrived. Witnesses Say Israeli Soldiers Started the Fire (Haaretz 11/16/24)
Gaza Security Forces Ambush Gang Accused of Looting Aid with Israeli Support (Sharif Abdel Kouddous & Jeremy Scahill//Drop Site 11/19/24)
“For over a year, Israel has used starvation as a weapon of war, restricting aid to Palestinians in Gaza to such a degree that a UN-backed panel last week issued an alert, warning of “an imminent and substantial likelihood of famine” across the enclave. The trickle of goods that are allowed in are being increasingly targeted by armed criminal groups, who either force truck convoys to pay exorbitant extortion fees or simply rob the aid. Much of this is facilitated by the Israeli military, who have systematically targeted Palestinian security forces charged with protecting the convoys, and then have allowed armed gunmen to attack aid convoys in areas under its control…Palestinian security forces are now actively clashing with the organized gangs that are looting much of the aid. In the incident on Monday, “more than 20 members of gangs involved in stealing aid trucks were killed in a security operation carried out by security forces in coordination with tribal committees,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement.” See also Gaza ministry says 20 killed in anti-‘gang’ operation after looting of aid convoy (Guardian 11/18/24)
U.S. says no policy consequences for Israel despite lack of Gaza aid (WaPo 11/12/24)
“The State Department confirmed Tuesday that Israel will face no policy consequences for the lack of aid reaching the hunger-ravaged Gaza Strip, following a warning last month from the Biden administration that it had 30 days to improve access or potentially lose some U.S. military assistance…Israel has largely failed to comply with the three main demands of the U.S. letter, according to aid groups and U.N. officials, which included surging humanitarian aid across the enclave, resuming access for commercial trucks and ending the isolation of the north. Humanitarian organizations say the policies have brought the Palestinian enclave to the brink of mass starvation.” See also Aid to Gaza falls to lowest level in 11 months despite US ultimatum to Israel (Guardian 11/11/24); ‘Dramatically Worsened’: Israel Defies Biden and Blinken’s 30-Day Deadline to Increase Aid to Gaza (Zeteo 11/12/24); ‘I don’t care who’s president there. I just want my kids to survive in Gaza’ (Mohammed R. Mhawish//+972 11/14/23)
Israel’s Crimes Against Humanity in Gaza: Mass Forced Displacement and Widespread Destruction (Human Rights Watch 11/14/24)
“Israeli authorities have caused the massive, deliberate forced displacement of Palestinian civilians in Gaza since October 2023 and are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The report is being published at the time of an ongoing Israeli military campaign in northern Gaza that has most likely created a new wave of forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians. The 154-page report, “‘Hopeless, Starving, and Besieged’: Israel’s Forced Displacement of Palestinians in Gaza,” examines how Israeli authorities’ conduct has led to the displacement of over 90 percent of the population of Gaza—1.9 million Palestinians—and the widespread destruction of much of Gaza over the last 13 months. Israeli forces have carried out deliberate, controlled demolitions of homes and civilian infrastructure, including in areas where they have apparent aims of creating “buffer zones” and security “corridors,” from which Palestinians are likely to be permanently displaced. Contrary to claims by Israeli officials, their actions do not comply with the laws of war…Human Rights Watch found that forced displacement has been widespread, and the evidence shows it has been systematic and part of a state policy. Such acts also constitute crimes against humanity.” See also Pope Francis calls for probe to determine if Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute ‘genocide’ (Times of Israel 11/17/24); UN Special Committee finds Israel’s warfare methods in Gaza consistent with genocide, including use of starvation as weapon of war (UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner 11/14/24)
For Gaza’s olive farmers, the war has left little to salvage (Taghreed Ali and Ibtisam Mahdi//+972 11/19/24)
“Over the past several weeks, Palestinian olive farmers in Gaza have been desperately trying to salvage what remains of their crops. For many of them, that’s not much at all: over three-quarters of olive trees in the Strip have been destroyed by Israel’s attacks over the last year…Fayyad Fayyad, director of the Palestinian Olive Oil Council, told +972 that predicting how much olive oil will be produced this season in Gaza is “impossible,” but the amount is likely to fall below 10 percent of the annual average.” See also Gaza food production ‘decimated’ with 70% of farmland hit, UN finds (Guardian 11/21/24);
REGION/GLOBAL
ICC arrest warrants accuse Netanyahu, Gallant of war crimes in Gaza (WaPo 11/21/24)
“The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister for war crimes and crimes against humanity, a historic rebuke of Israel’s battlefield conduct — one that requires dozens of nations that are party to the court’s statute to apprehend the men if they set foot in those countries. The ICC also issued a warrant for a Hamas military leader, Mohammed Deif, who was killed in an airstrike in Gaza in July, according to Israeli officials. The court said it approved the order because prosecutors were not able to confirm his death. Two other warrant applications for Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar were dropped after they were killed by Israel. The charges against Netanyahu and the former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, stem from Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip. The 13-month war has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, internally displaced about 2 million people and destroyed much of the enclave’s health-care system and infrastructure. A statement from the court said it found “reasonable grounds to believe” that Netanyahu and Gallant bear responsibility for crimes there, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare, as well as “murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.”…Legal scholars described the court’s decision as significant: It obliges 124 countries, including many in Europe, to arrest the sitting prime minister of a key U.S. ally if he enters their territory. Neither Israel nor the United States is a signatory to the court’s statute. At the same time, experts said the inclusion of Deif, despite reports of his death, was an important step toward justice for victims of the Oct. 7 attacks.” See also Israel and U.S. condemn ICC arrest warrants; other nations vow to enforce (WaPo 11/21/24); Netanyahu calls ICC’s arrest warrant ‘antisemitic’ (Guardian 11/21/24; ‘Reward for terrorism’: Israeli politicians unite to condemn ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu (Guardian 11/21/24); US ‘fundamentally rejects’ ICC warrants, says it’s working with Israel on next steps (Times of Israel 11/22/24); ‘A modern Dreyfus trial’: Israel assails ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant (Times of Israel 11/21/24); What are the ICC countries where Netanyahu and Gallant may face arrest? (Al Jazeera 11/21/24); ICC warrants unlikely to lead to trial but likely to block Netanyahu travel (Jewish Insider 11/21/24); Reaction to the ICC warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders (Reuters 11/21/24); UK indicates it could arrest Netanyahu on ICC warrant, as Hungary invites him to visit (Times of Israel 11/22/24)
US vetoes UN security council push to call for ceasefire in Gaza (Guardian 11/20/24)
“The resolution demanded “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in the war between Israel and the Palestinian group, along with “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages”. The UN security council voted 14-1 in favor of the resolution sponsored by the 10 elected members on the 15-member council, but it was not adopted because of the US veto.”
MBS condemns Israel’s ‘genocide’ in Gaza as Saudi frustrations mount (Al Monitor 11/11/24)
“Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and de facto ruler condemned Israel’s offensive in Gaza as genocide and called for the establishment of a Palestinian state. “The kingdom renews its condemnation of the genocide committed by Israel against the Palestinian people,” Prince Mohammed bin Salman told the summit in his opening remarks. He called on Israel to “immediately halt” its actions in Palestine and Lebanon at an Arab and Islamic summit being held in Riyadh…Prince Faisal said last month that normalization talks with Israel were “off the table” until rights for Palestinians were restored and a two-state solution had been reached.”
Israel’s war on Hezbollah takes terrible toll on Lebanon’s children (WaPo 11/19/24)
“Israel’s war against Hezbollah is exacting a terrible toll on Lebanon, where the militant group is based. More than a quarter of the dead registered by Lebanon’s Health Ministry have been women or children. At least 231 children have been killed and 1,330 injured, according to the ministry. Over the past three weeks, an average of 3.5 children have been killed and 9.5 wounded per day, according to a review of Health Ministry data. In the past two months, at least 400,000 children have been displaced from their homes, the U.N. children’s agency estimates. The Washington Post spent the past month visiting sites in Lebanon where children have been killed, interviewing wounded survivors in hospitals and meeting with displaced families. For a country already brutalized by years of economic crisis, the war has brought new misery: Lives forever changed by airstrikes. Daily survival made more challenging. A population anxious about what comes next.” See also Anger in Lebanon at large number of rescue workers killed by Israel (Guardian 11/15/24); Israeli strike on Beirut kills Hezbollah media chief Mohammed Afif (Guardian 11/17/24); Israeli attack on Syria’s Palmyra kills 36 people, Syrian state media says (Reuters 11/21/24)
Biden envoy: Lebanon and Israel now at decision point on ceasefire deal (Axios 11/18/24)
“President Biden’s envoy Amos Hochstein said on Tuesday in Beirut that Lebanon and Israel have reached “a moment of decision-making” regarding a ceasefire agreement…Hochstein traveled to Beirut on Monday in an effort to finalize a deal to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah. The draft agreement includes a ceasefire and 60-day transition period — during which the Israeli military would withdraw from southern Lebanon, the Lebanese army would deploy in areas close to the border and Hezbollah would move its heavy weapons north of the Litani River.” See also Can Lebanon’s army secure the south? A cease-fire deal could depend on it. (WaPo 11/20/24); Israel prepares Lebanon cease-fire plan as ‘gift’ to Trump, officials say (WaPo 11/13/24); Hochstein in Beirut, says ‘significant progress’ on Lebanon-Israel cease-fire as Hezbollah accepts proposal (Al Monitor 11/19/24)
Scoop: Israel destroyed active nuclear weapons research facility in Iran, officials say (Axios 11/15/24)
“The Israeli attack on Iran in late October destroyed an active top secret nuclear weapons research facility in Parchin, according to three U.S. officials, one current Israeli official and one former Israeli official…The strike — which targeted a site previously reported to be inactive — significantly damaged Iran’s effort over the past year to resume nuclear weapons research, Israeli and U.S. officials said.” See also Netanyahu says Israel damaged ‘component’ of Iran’s nuclear program in Oct. strikes (WaPo 11/18/24); Elon Musk meets with Iran’s UN ambassador – report (Guardian 11/14/24)
RIVER TO THE SEA
Israeli Forces Raid Jenin As Fears Mount of Accelerated West Bank Annexation Plan Under Trump (Sharif Abdel Kouddous & Mariam Barghouti//DropSite 11/20/24)
“The Israeli military conducted a large-scale raid on the West Bank city of Jenin and neighboring towns this week, killing at least eight Palestinians and arresting an unknown number of residents. Troops, bulldozers, drones, helicopters, and warplanes attacked the area for two days before withdrawing on Wednesday evening…This week’s raids on Jenin and the surrounding areas are only the latest wave of assaults on cities and towns in the occupied West Bank. Since Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza began in October 2023, its military forces have conducted large and small-scale incursions across the territory, escalating in frequency and severity.”
‘Total oppression’: West Bank children being killed at unprecedented rate (Guardian 11/19/24)
“In the year from the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, Israeli troops and settlers killed 171 Palestinian children there, equivalent to one death almost every other day, according to UN data. More than 1,000 others have been injured…Officially there is no war in the occupied West Bank, and the scale of death in Gaza has overshadowed the losses there. But children are dying in greater numbers than at any time since the Israeli army seized control of the area in 1967.” See also Israeli Settlers Suspected of Torching Homes, Car in West Bank Village (Haaretz 11/16/24)
With Trump win, Israeli minister calls to annex parts of West Bank (WaPo 11/11/24)
“Israel’s finance minister on Monday welcomed President-elect Donald Trump’s victory and said it meant “the time has come” to exert full Israeli sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank. The speech by Bezalel Smotrich, one of the most powerful ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition government, was the strongest indication to date of how Trump’s election has emboldened Israeli hard-liners as they seek to cement the state’s control over the Palestinian territories.” See also Settlers steal sheep and dreams of a peaceful life in Masafer Yatta (Hamdan Ballal//Humans of Masafer Yatta 11/10/24); Rightwing settlers in Israel welcome ‘dream team’ of Trump and his hardline appointments (The Guardian 11/17/24); Israeli Right, Pushing to Annex West Bank, Sees Allies in Trump’s Picks (NYT 11/14/24); Biden issues more Israeli settler sanctions ahead of Trump term (Al Jazeera 11/18/24); Israel’s Defense Chief: West Bank Settlers No Longer Subject to Detention Without Trial (Haaretz 11/22/24)
The entire history of Zionism’s injustices, in one Bedouin village (Orly Noy 11/20/24)
“Last week, the State of Israel hung the scalp of another Palestinian community on its belt after completing the demolition of Umm Al-Hiran…Just like that, two and a half decades of legal struggle to save the village came to an end, and the residents were rendered homeless. If you want to understand the entire history of Zionism’s injustices against Palestinians — with all the discrimination, racism, dispossession, and violence, grounded in a vision of Jewish supremacy and a concomitant obsession with demographic engineering — you need look no further than Umm Al-Hiran…Palestinians are seen as human dust that can be simply swept away, or as chess pieces that can be moved from one square to another in accordance with Israel’s never-ending project of demographic engineering between the river and the sea. It is an essential part of the dehumanization of those whose lands the state has its eyes on: the deep conviction that these people have no roots, and therefore moving them from place to place cannot possibly be considered displacement.”
Torture, rape, abuse: New Palestinian testimonies reveal horrors of Israel’s prisons (New Arab 11/14/24)
“Since Israel’s war on Gaza began last October, thousands of Palestinians, including residents, medical staff, patients, and captured fighters have been detained and taken to Israel, usually shackled and blindfolded, according to the UN. Within Israel’s network of prisons, Palestinians face arbitrary, prolonged, and incommunicado detention, with documented evidence of horrific torture, rape, abuse, and other cruel and degrading treatment. At Least 53 Palestinians have died in Israeli jails over the past year as a result of these conditions. The number of prisoners detained from Gaza is in addition to the 11,600 Palestinians currently held in Israeli jails.” Also see B’Tselem’s report “Welcome to Hell: The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps.”
U.S. SCENE
In Landmark Vote, 19 Senate Democrats Oppose Arms Sales to Israel (Haaretz 11/21/24)
“Nineteen Democratic senators effectively voted to block U.S. arms sales to Israel, in a landmark moment that demonstrates how Israel’s standing within the Democratic Party nearly 14 months after the October 7 attack and the ensuing Gaza war and humanitarian crisis have largely defined outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden’s foreign policy legacy…The vote, which in reality represented a disapproval vote rather than an actual effort to block the sales, followed fierce lobbying efforts from the Jewish establishment, the White House and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer against Sanders’ effort…The senators to vote opposing the sale of the tank rounds are: Sens. Martin Heinrich, Mazie Hirono, Tim Kaine, Angus King, Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, Jon Ossoff, Bernie Sanders, Brian Schatz, Tina Smith, Elizabeth Warren, Peter Welch, Dick Durbin, Chris Van Hollen, Jeanne Shaheen, Ben Ray Lujan, Raphael Warnock, Chris Murphy. The votes include three of the nine Jewish Democrats in the Senate in Sanders, Ossoff and Schatz…Liberal and progressive Jewish organizations like J Street and Americans for Peace Now, meanwhile, lobbied in favor of the legislation, setting a new precedent in its own right about prominent Jewish organizations willing to hold Israel accountable in this form.” See also Exclusive: White House Says Democrats Who Oppose Weapons To Israel Are Aiding Hamas (HuffPost 11/20/24); Senate Democrats force Israel weapons vote, citing Biden inaction (WaPo 11/21/24); Progressive Jewish groups back Senate resolutions against arms sales to Israel (JTA 11/19/24); Elizabeth Warren denounces Biden administration over Gaza humanitarian situation (Guardian 11/14/24); Bernie Sanders Is Leading a Bold New Effort to Block Arms Sales to Israel (The Nation 11/20/24)
U.S. House Passes Bill Cracking Down on pro-Palestinian Nonprofits Ahead of Trump Term (Haaretz 11/21/24)
“ The U.S. House narrowly passed a bill that would streamline the process of removing tax-exempt status from nonprofits accused of providing support to groups recognized by the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations. The bill, known as “Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act,” is the most significant legislation to date targeting the pro-Palestinian protest movement and the most coherent example of how a crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests could dramatically expand. The issue is among the most significant free-speech debates in America heading into President-elect Donald Trump’s term.” See also Congress Is About to Gift Trump Sweeping Powers to Crush His Political Enemies (The Intercept 11/10/24); We Oppose H.R. 9495 (Joint statement from Council on Foundations, Independent Sector, National Council of Nonprofits, and United Philanthropy Forum 11/15/24); More than 55 US Jewish groups slam terrorism bill that could threaten nonprofits (JTA 11/20/24); HR 9495: Bill Threatening Nonprofits Passes House (Nonprofit Quarterly 11/21/24)
Congress is voting on a bill targeting pro-Palestinian groups. Israel’s example proves it’s a terrible idea (Daniel Sokatch//The Forward 11/20/24)
“This bill is likely a harbinger of further undemocratic steps to come. Trump and his allies have long sought to delegitimize progressive civil society organizations. Like Netanyahu, Trump routinely labels them as a violent internal threat. Those of us who care about the health of American civil society writ large should worry that laws used to target the movement demanding Palestinian rights in the U.S. — the clear first target of this bill — will ultimately be used to target other dissenters here, too.”
Next US defence secretary Pete Hegseth called for new Jewish temple at Al-Aqsa (Middle East Eye 11/14/24)
“Donald Trump’s choice as the next United States defence secretary has called for the building of a third Jewish temple on the site of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem…Hegseth has previously touted his avowedly pro-Israel credentials, which derive in part from his fundamentalist Christian beliefs. Speaking at an event in Jerusalem in 2018 he said there was “no reason why the miracle of reestablishing the temple on the Temple Mount isn’t possible”, using the Israeli name for the raised plateau in occupied East Jerusalem where Al-Aqsa Mosque stands…He also told attendees that Israel should take advantage of Trump being in office to do what they needed to do in the region, because there were “true believers” in Washington who would back them.” See also Pete Hegseth, Trump’s defense secretary nominee, has multiple Christian and Crusades-inspired tattoos (The Forward 11/15/24); Who is Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick for UN ambassador? (BBC 11/11/24); Trump chooses pro-Israel congresswoman as US ambassador to UN (Middle East Eye 11/11/24)
Trump Picks Mike Huckabee, an Evangelical Christian and Annexation Proponent, as U.S. Ambassador to Israel (Haaretz 11/12/24)
“Huckabee, a former Governor of Arkansas, is a proponent of Greater Israel, and has had close relations with Israeli settlers and the Yesha Council, an umbrella organization of municipal councils of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, throughout the course of his political career…His appointment, combined with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appointment of Yechiel Leiter as the next Israeli ambassador to the U.S., indicates that annexation could be at the forefront of any political agenda in the coming months.” See also Mike Huckabee, in His Own Words: What Trump’s Incoming U.S. Ambassador Really Thinks About Israel, Palestine and ‘Almighty God’ (Haaretz 11/17/24)
Trump’s unfinished business for ‘Greater Israel’ (Interview with Lara Friedman//+972 11/13/24)
Lara Friedman: “Israel-Palestine has never been central for Trump personally, but it is central for a number of the people who he feels accountable to or cares about — starting with Miriam Adelson, who was one of his top donors. It’s useful to look at what’s unfinished from [the first Trump administration’s] agenda. The selection of Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel [who denies that Israel is even occupying the West Bank] proves that Trump intends to advance and claim credit for achieving the “Greater Israel” dreams of messianic Zionist Jews and evangelical Christians. I think we’re in a “Greater Israel” policy period. They’ve already talked about Israel’s right to gain territory that is taken in self-defense, which of course is an outright repudiation of international law. That was the framing of the statement when [the first Trump administration] recognized Israel’s annexation of the Golan [Heights], and I think it’s going to be applied to Gaza. I think the annexation of the West Bank is on the table, and annexation of parts of Lebanon is on the table. Don’t listen to me, listen to them.”
The Technology the Trump Administration Could Use to Hack Your Phone (Ronan Farrow//New Yorker 11/20/24)
“In September, the Department of Homeland Security (D.H.S.) signed a two-million-dollar contract with Paragon, an Israeli firm whose spyware product Graphite focusses on breaching encrypted-messaging applications such as Telegram and Signal. Wired first reported that the technology was acquired by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—an agency within D.H.S. that will soon be involved in executing the Trump Administration’s promises of mass deportations and crackdowns on border crossings. A source at Paragon told me that the deal followed a vetting process, during which the company was able to demonstrate that it had robust tools to prevent other countries that purchase its spyware from hacking Americans—but that wouldn’t limit the U.S. government’s ability to target its own citizens. The technology is part of a booming multibillion-dollar market for intrusive phone-hacking software that is making government surveillance increasingly cheap and accessible. In recent years, a number of Western democracies have been roiled by controversies in which spyware has been used, apparently by defense and intelligence agencies, to target opposition politicians, journalists, and apolitical civilians caught up in Orwellian surveillance dragnets. Now Donald Trump and incoming members of his Administration will decide whether to curtail or expand the U.S. government’s use of this kind of technology. Privacy advocates have been in a state of high alarm about the colliding political and technological trend lines.”
The group behind Project 2025 has a plan to protect Jews. It will do the opposite. (Dove Kent//The Forward 11/19/24)
“Project Esther proposes a public-private plan for dismantling any domestic group that supports Palestinian rights — which they call the “Hamas Support Network.” The plan’s first targets are pro-Palestinian organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine, American Muslims for Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace. But that’s just the start. Project Esther has its sights on what it describes as a much broader “coalition of leftist, progressive organizations such as Open Society Foundations, Tides Foundation and numerous others.”…its sole target is pro-Palestinian organizations, which it accuses of being not just “anti-Israel” but “antisemitic and anti-American.” The plan further claims that any organization working against “capitalism” is also aligned with “America’s overseas enemies” and should be a target. The opportunities for guilt by association are endless, and ultimately reveal the authors’ true McCarthyist intentions: dismantling any domestic organizing they deem “anti-American” under the guise of fighting “threats to Jewish safety.” Project Esther demonstrates that the right no longer needs any semblance of meaningful Jewish involvement or care for Jewish well-being to advance and expand their campaign.” See also Ben & Jerry’s accuses Unilever of silencing its pro-Palestinian stance (WaPo 11/14/24)
US sanctions key settlement organization Amana for dispossessing Palestinians (Times of Israel 11/18/24)
“The Biden administration on Monday sanctioned the Amana association, the settlement movement’s main development organization, in the latest in a series of punitive measures taken by the US against the settlement enterprise. While the impact of the move was likely blunted by this month’s election of Donald Trump, who may well reverse such sanctions, it still sends a signal to other Western countries that have already followed the US in imposing similar sanctions against Israeli extremists in the West Bank for the past year. Amana was already sanctioned by the UK and Canada earlier this year. The sanctions block any Amana assets based in US and crucially prevent US-based institutions, including Israeli banks, from providing services to the organization. They also bar US citizens and organizations from donating to it.” See also US unveils new West Bank sanctions amid calls to target Israeli ministers (Al Monitor 11/18/24)
PERSPECTIVES//LONG READS
“Resistance Through a Realist Lens” (Arielle Angel interviews Abdaljawad Omar//Jewish Currents 11/5/24)
Abdaljawad Omar: “It’s important to recognize that while Hamas currently leads the resistance, armed struggle is not unique to Islamists; it has been a defining feature of anti-colonial Palestinian struggle throughout history. And it is equally critical to understand that, while a particular group may emerge as the spearhead at a given historical juncture, resistance itself always expands the horizon of imagination and possibility. For leftists troubled by Hamas, the path forward is clear: They must organize, mobilize, and compete. In the piece, I refer to the concept of muzawada—the Arabic term for “one-upmanship.” One can critique Hamas’s ideology or tactics, but the only meaningful way to challenge Hamas is through an effort to surpass its capacity to mobilize Palestinians and their allies, to offer a compelling alternative grounded in solidarity, dignity, and justice.”
Bernie Sanders: No more arms sales to Netanyahu (Senator Bernie Sanders//WaPo 11/18/24)
“The United States government must stop blatantly violating the law with regard to arms sales to Israel. The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Arms Export Control Act are very clear: The United States cannot provide weapons to any country that violates internationally recognized human rights. Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act is also explicit: No U.S. assistance may be provided to any country that “prohibits or otherwise restricts, directly or indirectly, the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance.” According to the United Nations, much of the international community and every humanitarian organization on the ground in Gaza, Israel is clearly in violation of these laws. That is why I have introduced, with colleagues, several joint resolutions of disapproval that would block offensive arms sales to Israel…As horrific as the situation in Gaza has been over the past year, it is getting unimaginably worse…All of this is unspeakable and immoral. But what makes it even more painful is that much of this death and destruction has been carried out with U.S. weaponry and paid for by American taxpayers. During the last year alone, the United States has provided $18 billion in military aid to Israel and delivered more than 50,000 tons of armaments and military equipment. In other words, as Americans, we are complicit in these horrific and illegal atrocities. Our complicity must end.”
The not-so-secret history of Netanyahu’s support for Hamas (Ghousoon Bisharat interviews Adam Raz//+972 11/11/24)
“When Israeli historian and human rights activist Adam Raz set out to write “The Road to October 7: Benjamin Netanyahu, the Production of the Endless Conflict and Israel’s Moral Degradation,” he knew he was tackling a blind spot in Israeli public discourse. The vast majority of Israelis, Raz believes, fail to grasp the full extent of Netanyahu’s involvement in bolstering Hamas before the current war, and in perpetuating an unending state of conflict. Raz’s book, released in May of this year, sheds light on a controversial policy whereby Netanyahu’s governments for years routinely approved and encouraged the transfer of Qatari funds into Gaza to prop up Hamas. While noting that the Israeli media has devoted more attention to this policy in the aftermath of October 7, Raz told +972 that this is “just a sliver of the bigger picture,” which is rooted in Netanyahu’s broader opposition to a just resolution to the conflict. “People need to understand the full scope of Netanyahu’s strategy,” he said. According to Raz, who also works as a researcher at the Akevot Institute for Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Research, Netanyahu’s priority is not maintaining Israel’s security but rather preventing any real chance of resolving the conflict through the division of land, ending the occupation, or a two-state solution. Keeping the cash flowing to Hamas served this objective by ensuring the Palestinian national movement remained splintered between Hamas in Gaza and the Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank, thus allowing Israel to maintain its dominance over the whole of the land. Even after the devastating events of October 7, Raz warns that Netanyahu’s playbook remains unchanged.”
Weaponizing Jewish fear, from Tel Aviv to Amsterdam (Em Hilton//+972 11/15/24)
“In the wake of October 7, scholars of antisemitism, genocide, and Jewish history have warned of the ways that particularly traumatic episodes in Jewish history have been evoked to justify Israel’s onslaught on Gaza and crack down on those who criticize it. As antisemitism scholar Brendan McGeever articulated clearly, despite being brutal and disturbing, the incident in Amsterdam was no pogrom — the term for an attack on an oppressed group with the backing of the authorities. The proliferation of this term and others like it in the aftermath of the violence only served to obfuscate the reality of those events through creating mass hysteria…The erasure of the racist violence of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans through negligent reporting by much of the mainstream media only accelerated it in this instance. At a time when genuine antisemitism is on the rise and Jewish people feel particularly under threat around the world, this instrumentalization of Jewish fear was especially galling. The question we must ask ourselves in the wake of these events and the discourse surrounding them is: what kind of politics does this serve? It is certainly in the interest of the Israeli government to frame the violence as solely motivated by anti-Jewish racism, and thus shut down any efforts to connect it to the genocidal war in Gaza.” See also Dutch Jews grapple with ‘weaponization’ of their fear following attack on Israelis (Arno Rosenfeld//The Forward 11/8/24); Amsterdam mayor takes back ‘pogrom’ comments following Maccabi-Ajax violence (Middle East Eye 11/18/24)
There Is No Victory in Gaza (Noura Erakat, Josh Paul, Charles O. Blaha, and Luigi Daniele//Foreign Affairs 11/18/24)
“Although it insists otherwise, the Israeli government has demonstrated over the past year that its ultimate target is not Hamas but the Palestinian will to resist occupation and subjugation. It is, in effect, applying a military solution to a political problem. Far from moving toward victory, Israel is becoming less secure in the region, less stable at home, and less likely to find a durable solution with the Palestinians.”