NEW FROM FMEP
Enduring devastation: “They redefined the human being in Gaza” (New Occupied Thoughts episode)
FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Jaser Abu Mousa, a 2025 Yale Peace Fellow and past Program Officer working for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Gaza. The two discuss life and death in Gaza on personal and collective levels. They look at Hamas, which Jaser calls a “symptom” of the problem of occupation; at how the past two-plus years of war have destroyed not only all the infrastructure needed for life in Gaza but also the social fabric, as starvation and deprivation have broken human bonds and relationships; and the ways in which Israel works to make Gaza unlivable. On a personal level, Jaser speaks of his experiences in Gaza, from the violence he witnessed as a child during the second Intifada to the devastation he experienced on and since October 7, 2023: his wife, Heba, and two of his children were killed by Israeli missiles in mid-October 2023; after two years of starvation and deprivation, his mother, sister, and sister’s children were killed in the war in July 2025; and his family suffered other losses, including the killing of a nephew in the beginning of the war, injuring of his father, and arrest, detention, and violence against his brother along with other medical workers. Navigating these unfathomable losses, Jaser points to his faith in God and religion as guides as he seeks to protect his living children and look towards the future. Finally, Jaser reflects on how he relates to Israelis and declares that “if I strip him from his right to tell his story, that does not make me more just, but will make me less human.”
Severed: Looking at Disability Justice, Palestinian rights, and Gaza (New Occupied Thoughts episode)
2025 FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi speaks with filmmaker and activist Jen Marlowe about the film Severed, which Jen directed. The film, released in late 2025, tells the story of Mohamad Saleh, a teenager from Gaza who has endured five major Israeli assaults, lost his home, close family members, his best friends, and—at the age of 12—his leg. Hilary and Jen discuss disablement, disability justice, and Gaza, which now has the largest cohort of child amputees in the world.
FMEP Legislative Round-Up February 6, 2026
- Bills, Resolutions; 2. Letters; 3. Hearings & Markups; 4. Selected Members on the Record; 5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements
GAZA
A Ceasefire in Name Only (Mohammed Mhawish//The Nation 2/3/26)
“In October, Hamas and Israel signed a peace deal supposedly intended to stop two years of slaughter in Gaza. Since then, more than 420 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire—an average of about four people a day—in what international mediators continue to describe as a successful de-escalation. The distance between that official narrative and the facts on the ground reveals how the language of ceasefire has been repurposed: It no longer describes a pause in violence but rather a mechanism for managing it, sanitizing ongoing military force under the guise of restraint…The gap between war and peace has narrowed to a question of pace rather than principle—the same military control and displacement, with the same structural killing machine, just calibrated to a level that allows diplomatic progress to be claimed.” See also from The Nation’s 2/3/26 A Day for Gaza issue: “We Have Covered Events No Human Can Bear” (Ola Al Asi); The Street That Refuses to Die (Ali Skaik); A Catalog of Gaza’s Loss (Deema Hattab); My Sister’s Death Still Echoes Inside Me (Asmaa Dwaima); What Gaza’s Photographers Have Seen (Huda Skaik); How to Survive in a House Without Walls (Rasha Abou Jalal); What Edward Said Teaches Us About Gaza (Alaa Alqaisi); What Happens to the Educators When the Schools Have Been Destroyed? (Ismail Nofal); At the Doorstep of Tomorrow (Engy Abdelal);
Israeli strikes kill at least 21 in Gaza as Rafah patient crossings halted (The Guardian 2/4/26)
“Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes have killed at least 21 people, including six children and seven women, in Gaza, and Israel has halted the evacuation of patients through the Rafah border crossing just two days after it reopened…The strikes targeted Gaza City and Khan Younis. The Israeli military said it had fired on Gaza after a gunman shot at Israeli soldiers and seriously wounded a reservist. “While we were sleeping in our house, the tank shelled us and the shells hit our house, our children were martyred – my son was martyred, my brother’s son and daughter were martyred,” said Abu Mohamed Habouch at his children’s funeral.” See also Women, Children, and Medical Workers Among Over 20 Palestinians Killed in Surge of Israeli Attacks Across Gaza (Drop Site 2/4/26);
Children and police officers among at least 30 killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza (The Guardian 1/31/26)
“Israel has carried out some of its deadliest airstrikes on Gaza in months, killing at least 30 Palestinians, some of whom were sheltering in tent cities for displaced people. Despite a nominal ceasefire, the Israeli military struck a police station in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood west of Gaza City on Saturday, killing 10 officers and detainees, the civil defence said. It indicated the death toll could rise as emergency responders searched for bodies. Another strike hit an apartment in Gaza City, killing three children and two women, while seven more people were killed when Israel bombed tents in Khan Younis, southern Gaza…The Israeli military said the attacks were carried out in response to an incident on Friday when eight armed men came out of a tunnel in Rafah, southern Gaza. The area is still under Israeli military control under the terms of the October ceasefire.”
Handful of sick and wounded Palestinians allowed through Rafah crossing on first day (The Guardian 2/2/26)
“A small number of sick and wounded Palestinians have begun crossing into Egypt to seek medical treatment after Israel permitted a limited reopening of the Palestinian territory’s Rafah border post as fragile diplomatic efforts to stabilise the conflict inch forward.” See also Palestinians Returning to Gaza Face Delays and Searches (NYT 2/3/26); Revealed: Israel bulldozed part of Gaza war cemetery containing allied graves (The Guardian 2/4/26)
With or without a ceasefire, Israel is still targeting Gaza’s journalists (Ibtisam Mahdi//+972 Magazine 2/3/26)
“Since October, we journalists in Gaza had hoped that the declaration of a ceasefire would finally give us space to catch our breath. We did not dare to dream of a permanent peace, but only to go out to work without minding every step as if walking through a minefield, and without saying goodbye to each other every morning as if it were the last time. We knew that over 250 of our colleagues had been killed by the Israeli army since October 2023. And we saw Israel continue to kill hundreds of civilians over the past three months, in clear violation of the ceasefire. Yet we had clung desperately to the belief that the end of the war meant an end to our systematic targeting. The killing of three more journalists on Jan. 21 shattered this belief.”
REGION//GLOBAL
Trump’s Imperial Fantasy Begins With Gaza (Peter Beinart 2/4/26)
“Like the West Bank, [Gaza is] a colonial possession, whose residents are subjects—but not citizens—of Israel. As a colony, it can’t forge normal relations with foreign powers, who might shield it from Israeli and American domination. Its weakness, which has long made it a “laboratory” for the Israeli military, is now making it a laboratory for Trump’s fantasies of imperial omnipotence. Only in a colony could the US establish governing institutions—an Executive Board and a Gaza Executive Board—that contain Trump cabinet members, Trump in-laws, and Israeli and American Jewish businessmen, and relegate Palestinians to a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza that performs only technical functions. Some commentators have suggested that Gaza is now under “international trusteeship.” But it’s worse than that. It’s under Trump’s individual trusteeship. The Board of Peace authorizes him and his cronies to plunder the Strip for personal gain. What is emerging in Gaza may resemble less Mandatory Palestine between 1917 and 1948, which was ruled by the British government, than the Congo between 1885 to 1908, which was the personal property of one man, King Leopold II of Belgium.” See also US contractor sent Gaza plan to White House that would secure 300% profits (The Guardian 2/2/26); Excludes Palestinians, eyes profit: Gazans view Trump’s Board of Peace with deep distrust (Al Monitor 1/31/26);
Jared Kushner’s “Plan” for Gaza Is an Abomination (Tariq Kenney-Shawa//The Nation 1/30/26)
“Kushner has never been shy about his support for Israel’s most extreme fantasies for Gaza—fantasies that begin with ethnic cleansing. But he also knows that a single, overt act of ethnic cleansing on the scale that many Israelis openly dream of might be too controversial to launder through Davos-speak—and that the prospect of a mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza in one fell swoop has already triggered international backlash that the architects of this project would rather avoid. So the Kushner plan is built around something more marketable, more reproducible at scale: attrition. Or, to put it another way, the fulfillment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reported order to close aides to “thin out” Gaza’s population. The euphemism Israel has been selling to the world is “voluntary migration,” as if Palestinians would suddenly wake up with wanderlust and decide it would be nice to leave their homeland forever for no other reason than restlessness. The reality, of course, is that Israel has turned Gaza into an unlivable graveyard so it could offer migration as the only remaining option for those who have lost everything.” See also ‘We’ll settle all over’: Far-right activists cross into Gaza, are caught by IDF (TOI 2/6/26);
U.S. approves almost $16 billion in arms sales to Israel and Saudi Arabia (WaPo 1/31/26)
“The United States on Friday approved arms sales worth close to $6.7 billion for Israel and $9 billion for Saudi Arabia, deals that come as the Middle East remains on edge with President Donald Trump weighing military strikes on Iran. The sales were approved by the State Department, according to news releases published through the Defense Department. Congress has been notified of the approvals, according to the releases. But Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (New York), the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the Trump administration had sidestepped the committee review process for significant arms sales for the transactions involving Israel.” See also US-Iran nuclear talks conclude in Oman, with another round said planned for coming days (TOI 2/6/26);
Marwan Barghouti, ‘Palestine’s Mandela’, to publish book from prison (The Guardian 2/3/26)
“A collection of writings by the imprisoned Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti will be published in November, bringing together prison letters, interviews, personal material and documents from the last three decades of Barghouti’s political life and incarceration…His book, Unbroken: In Pursuit of Freedom for Palestine, will be published by Penguin on 5 November this year, the publisher has told the Guardian…The forthcoming book will assemble private letters to Barghouti’s family written from prison, correspondence with public figures, press interviews, public statements, historical documents and photographs, alongside extracts from his book 1,000 Days in Solitary Confinement, which until now has been available only in Arabic.”
France issues arrest warrants against 2 right-wing French-Israeli activists for ‘complicity in genocide’ (JTA 2/2/26)
“France has issued arrest warrants for two French-Israeli activists for “complicity in genocide,” a charge that stemmed from the pair allegedly blocking humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip. The arrest warrants were issued in July against Nili Kupfer-Naouri, the president of the organization Israel Is Forever, and Rachel Touitou, an activist with the organization Tsav 9, a right-wing Israeli group that was sanctioned by the United States in June 2024 for destroying humanitarian aid for Gaza.” See also Prominent British LGBTQ activist arrested for carrying ‘globalize the intifada’ sign in London (JTA 2/2/26);
Researchers at Human Rights Watch Resign Over Blocked Report on Palestinian Refugee Return (Alex Kane//Jewish Currents 2/3/26)
“Two Human Rights Watch (HRW) employees who make up the organization’s entire Israel and Palestine team are stepping down from their positions after leadership blocked a report that deems Israel’s denial of Palestinian refugees’ right of return a “crime against humanity.” In separate resignation letters obtained by Jewish Currents, Omar Shakir, who has headed the team for nearly the last decade, and Milena Ansari, the team’s assistant researcher, said leadership’s decision to pull the report before its scheduled publication on December 4th broke from HRW’s customary approval processes and was evidence that the organization was putting fear of political backlash over a commitment to international law. “I have lost my faith in the integrity of how we do our work and our commitment to principled reporting on the facts and application of the law,” wrote Shakir in his resignation letter. “As such, I am no longer able to represent or work for Human Rights Watch.” The resignations have roiled one of the most prominent human-rights groups in the world just as HRW’s new executive director, Philippe Bolopion, begins his tenure. In a statement, HRW said that the report “raised complex and consequential issues. In our review process, we concluded that aspects of the research and the factual basis for our legal conclusions needed to be strengthened to meet Human Rights Watch’s high standards.” They said that “the publication of the report was paused pending further analysis and research,” and that the process was “ongoing.”’
U.S. secretly deporting Palestinians to West Bank in coordination with Israel (Ghousoon Bisharat & Ben Reiff//+972 Magazine 2/5/26)
“The United States is quietly deporting Palestinians arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to the occupied West Bank by private jet, with two such flights taking place in coordination with the Israeli authorities since the beginning of this year — part of a secretive and politically sensitive operation revealed through a joint investigation by +972 Magazine and The Guardian…After arriving at Ben Gurion Airport, the men were put in a vehicle with an armed Israeli police officer and released at a military checkpoint outside the Palestinian town of Ni’lin in the West Bank…According to people familiar with the details, the eight men deported on the initial flight, which was first reported by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, are residents of West Bank towns and cities including Bethlehem, Hebron, Silwad, Ramun, Bir Nabala, and Al-Ram. Some of them have held green cards, and several have wives, children, and other close family members in the United States. Some had been detained in ICE facilities for weeks; at least one was held for over a year.” See also Revealed: Private jet owned by Trump friend used by ICE to deport Palestinians to West Bank (The Guardian 2/5/26)
RIVER TO THE SEA
The Future of the West Bank: Settler Takeover and Annexation (Fathi Nimer//Al Shabaka 2/3/26)
“Since the beginning of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, land seizure in the West Bank has shifted from creeping settler encroachment to a vicious military-backed campaign of territorial theft. This commentary shows how the Israeli regime’s land appropriation policy in the West Bank, once justified through bureaucratic-legal land seizure orders, has now increasingly shifted toward direct settler takeovers. This shift does not indicate a change in objectives but rather an escalation of existing settlement expansion mechanisms, signaling the growing power and influence of the settler movement over Israeli policy.” See also In Four Minutes, Israeli Settlers Descended From the Hills and Burned Down an Entire West Bank Bedouin Community (Haaretz 2/6/26); For Six Hours, Israeli Settlers Rampaged Two West Bank Villages – While Soldiers Looked On (Haaretz 2/4/26); Settlers reportedly assault minor while accompanied by IDF troops who arrest local man (TOI 2/4/26); Aiding and Abetting Jewish Rioters in the West Bank (Ehud Olmert//Haaretz 2/6/26);
Former Israeli Defense Minister: Israel’s ideology of ‘Jewish supremacy’ resembles Nazi race theory (Mondoweiss 2/4/26)
“In the late 1980s, Israeli philosopher Yeshayahu Leibowitz made the controversial warning that the 1967 occupation risked turning Israelis into “Judeo-Nazis.” Leibowitz recently found a surprising supporter for this opinion – Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon. On Friday, Ya’alon tweeted that “Yeshayahu Leibowitz was right, and I was wrong”. This was no benign reference – it referred directly to the late professor Leibowitz’s “warnings… concerning the process of bestialization towards us becoming ‘Judeo-Nazis’…”. Ya’alon says that the “ideology of ‘Jewish supremacy’” has become “dominant in the government of Israel”, and that it “is reminiscent of the Nazi race theory”…Here then is the full text of what Ya’alon shared on social media (my translation from Hebrew) – I have added numerous links to the many condensed references in his tweet: “Last Tuesday evening I participated in a ceremony marking the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. When I got home, I got a message about Jewish pogromists who are attacking Palestinians in the southern Hebron mountains, stealing their flock and burning their possessions. ‘You can’t compare!’… after ambulances, who tried to get to the place, were delayed by the Jewish terrorists, three Palestinians were evacuated to the hospital, where one of them suffered a fracture to the skull. ‘No event can be compared to the Holocaust, which our people were subject to!’…”
‘A violation of our history’: Palestinian uproar over Israel’s plan to seize historic West Bank site (The Guardian 2/2/26)
“Residents of Sebastia say heritage project is pretext for massive land grab and expansion of Jewish settlements”
A Hamas Hostage’s Secret Ordeal (2/3/26)
“Guy Gilboa-Dalal says he was sexually abused by one of his captors in the tunnels of Gaza and threatened with death if he said anything.”
Shin Bet chief’s brother charged with ‘assisting enemy’ over cigarette smuggling in Gaza (The Guardian 2/5/26)
“The brother of Israel’s internal security chief has been charged with “assisting the enemy in wartime” for his alleged role in a smuggling network taking cigarettes and other goods into Gaza during an Israeli blockade of the occupied Palestinian territory. Bezalel Zini was one of more than 10 people charged in relation to the alleged network. His brother, David Zini, is the head of the Shin Bet, the domestic intelligence agency.”
Netanyahu Suggests Other Officials to Blame for Oct. 7 Failings (NYT 2/6/26)
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has repeatedly refused to take direct responsibility for the security and intelligence failings that occurred on his watch in the lead-up to the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, the bloodiest day in the country’s history. On Thursday, Mr. Netanyahu indicated that he had no intention of changing course, releasing a 55-page document that appeared to direct the blame onto others, including top security and political officials.” See also Netanyahu Releases Selective, Redacted Security Cabinet Records in Bid to Shift Oct. 7 Responsibility to Defense Establishment (Haaretz 2/6/26);
In Hebron’s hyper-militarized Old City, a Palestinian cinema opens its doors (Basel Adra//+972 Magazine 2/2/26)
“The city’s first movie theater in nearly a century is defying Israeli movement restrictions and settler attacks to screen political films for locals and activists.”
U.S. SCENE
Pentagon Makes Largest Known Arms Purchase from Israel — For Banned Cluster Weapons (Dan Glaun//The Intercept 2/6/26)
“The Department of Defense has quietly signed a $210 million deal to buy advanced cluster shells from one of Israel’s state-owned arms companies, marking unusually large new commitments to a class of weapons and an Israeli defense establishment both widely condemned for their indiscriminate killing of civilians. The deal, signed in September and not previously reported, is the department’s largest contract to purchase weapons from an Israeli company in available records, according to an online federal database that covers the last 18 years. In a reversal of the more commonly seen direction for weapons transfers between the countries — in which the U.S. sends its weapons to Israel — the U.S. will pay the Israeli weapons firm Tomer over a period of three years to produce a new 155mm munition. The shells are designed to replace decades-old and often defective cluster shells that left live explosives scattered across Vietnam, Laos, Iraq, and other nations.”
AIPAC Donors Fail to Elect Last-Minute New Jersey House Pick (Akela Lacy 2/4/26)
“Update: February 6, 2026: As of Friday, the Democratic primary in New Jersey’s 11th district is too close to call between organizer Analilia Mejia and former Rep. Tom Malinowski. Former Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way trails in a distant third. This story details pro-Israel contributions to Way’s campaign ahead of the election…The lobby [including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, its super PAC, and Democratic Majority for Israel] is known for spending against progressives and the most vocal critics of the state of Israel, but in New Jersey, [this lobby] appears to be backing one moderate to pick off another. Yet more pro-Israel money in the race comes at the expense of Tom Malinowski, who is no progressive on Israel policy but nevertheless has become the subject of AIPAC ire — marking a reversal for the group, which supported him in 2022.” See also AIPAC Targets a Former Ally in 2026’s First Fight Over the Future of pro-Israel U.S. Politics (Haaretz 2/4/26); How AIPAC Could Help Elect The Next Member Of The Squad (HuffPo 2/5/26); AIPAC Coordinates Donors in Illinois House Primaries (Drop Site 2/6/26);
Prosecutors charge Capital Jewish Museum shooter with terrorism (The Forward 2/5/26)
“Federal prosecutors added two terrorism charges to the indictment against Elias Rodriguez, the Chicago man accused of killing two Israeli embassy employees outside a networking event held at the Capital Jewish Museum last May. The new indictment, filed on Wednesday, claims that Rodriguez murdered Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, with the intent to both influence government policy through “intimidation” and that he sought to “coerce a significant portion of the civilian population” of the United States…Rodriguez, 31, who prosecutors say flew from Chicago to carry out the attack, allegedly shot Lischinsky and Milgrim repeatedly after they left a Jewish young professionals reception at the museum, hosted by the American Jewish Committee. He then entered the museum and shouted, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.” While prosecutors previously charged Rodriguez with national origin-based hate crimes, they have focused on the political dimension of the attack and the indictment quotes at length from social media posts and a manifesto that law enforcement sources attribute to Rodriguez.”
Florida bill seeks to ban use of ‘West Bank’ in schools and state agencies (The Guardian 2/4/26)
“Florida legislators are pushing to pass legislation that would ban the use of the term “West Bank” in K-12 public schools and state agencies, including public colleges and universities, and mandate use of the term “Judea and Samaria”. The West Bank is the internationally recognized term for the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory west of the Jordan River that was seized from Jordan by Israel in 1967. The rightwing Israeli government refers to the area as “Judea and Samaria” in reference to the biblical kingdoms of ancient Israel as part of broader efforts to bolster historical and religious claims to the land. The international community, on the other hand, broadly recognizes the West Bank as occupied land that must be part of a future Palestinian state. The term “Judea and Samaria” has been embraced by many US Republicans since the first Trump administration, including the former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who Donald Trump appointed as ambassador to Israel last year. Arkansas became the first US state to mandate replacing references to the “West Bank” in state institutions with “Judea and Samaria” in April last year. Similar bills have been proposed in the US Congress but have not come up for vote…If the Florida legislation passes,, state agencies, including universities and colleges, would be prohibited from using the term “West Bank” in any official state government materials, and would require any new instructional or school library materials in K-12 public schools to comply with the new law and use the term “Judea and Samaria”.”
Most US Jews do not identify as ‘Zionists,’ even when they support Israel, JFNA survey finds (JTA 2/5/26)
“Only one-third of American Jews say they identify as Zionist, even as nearly nine in 10 say they support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and Democratic state, according to a new survey conducted by Jewish Federations of North America. The findings of the survey reveal that American Jews do not have a mutually agreed-upon definition of Zionism — with those identifying as anti-Zionist and those identifying as Zionist ascribing sharply different meanings to the term. For example, about 80% of anti-Zionist Jews say “supporting whatever actions Israel takes” is a tenet of Zionism, while only about 15% of self-identified Zionists share the belief, according to the survey…Respondents were also quizzed on what views they believed constituted “a part of Zionist beliefs.” Among Jews, 36% said Zionism only meant “the right of the Jewish people to have a Jewish state.” More than one in four Jewish respondents said they thought Zionists were expected to be “supporting whatever action Israel takes,” and 35% said Zionism meant “believing Israel has a right to the West Bank and Gaza Strip.” Smaller numbers of Jews indicated that they thought “believing Palestinians are a made-up population” and “believing Jews are superior to Palestinians” were also core Zionist tenets.”
In Gaza, an ‘apocalyptic wasteland’ foretold (Ishaan Tharoor//WaPo 2/2/26)
“In February 2024, U.S. diplomats drafted a grim warning for then-President Joe Biden and his top national security officials. The Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip, triggered a few months before by the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by militant group Hamas, was so devastating and destructive that northern Gaza had turned into an “apocalyptic wasteland” with “catastrophic human needs.” Food, clean drinking water and medicine were already scarce as Israeli bombardments flattened sections of the embattled territory. The cable, compiled by USAID officials with connections to United Nations agencies and humanitarian organizations, cited eyewitness accounts of scattered human remains and dead bodies left to rot in the broken streets. The details of this particular cable were reported this past week by Reuters. It was one of five such missives sent in early 2024, charting the rapidly deteriorating state of the humanitarian situation in Gaza. According to Reuters, the cable warning of a “wasteland” was suppressed by then-U.S. ambassador Jack Lew and his deputy, “because they believed it lacked balance.” The cables did not reach top officials in the Biden White House responsible for crafting U.S. policy regarding Gaza at the time, according to the news agency. The incident illustrates the tensions within the Biden administration over its support of the Israeli war effort against Hamas, which killed about 1,200 people in its attack on southern Israel and abducted hundreds of hostages…Seen two years later, the cable reported by Reuters is a small footnote of history.” See also U.S. Envoys Refused to Report “Apocalyptic” Conditions in Gaza. Exclusive Photos Show the Reality They Suppressed (Drop Site 2/2/26);
Homeland Security is targeting Americans with this secretive legal weapon (WaPo 2/3/26)
“For many Americans, the anonymous ICE officer, masked and armed, represents Homeland Security’s most intimidating instrument, but the agency often targets people in a far more secretive way. Homeland Security is not required to share how many administrative subpoenas it issues each year, but tech experts and former agency staff estimate it’s well into the thousands, if not tens of thousands. Because the legal demands are not subject to independent review, they can take just minutes to write up and, former staff say, officials throughout the agency, even in mid-level roles, have been given the authority to approve them. In March, Homeland Security issued two administrative subpoenas to Columbia University for information on a student it sought to deport after she took part in pro-Palestinian protests. In July, the agency demanded broad employment records from Harvard University with what the school’s attorneys described as “unprecedented administrative subpoenas.”’ See also Republican senator in Louisiana launches probe into Mamdani’s reversal of Israel executive orders (NY Jewish Week 2/5/26); Mamdani taps leader of progressive Zionist group to helm Office to Combat Antisemitism (JTA 2/4/26);
PERSPECTIVES//LONG READS
No Child Deserves to Die Like My Daughter (Wesam Hamada//NYT 1/29/26)
“On Jan. 29, [2024] we had to flee again. After Hind got into a car with six family members, the car was shot at. Everyone in the car except Hind was killed. Hearing my daughter trapped, begging for my help, was a kind of pain no mother should experience. As I spoke to her, Palestine Red Crescent Society workers were also on the phone with her at their base. They knew exactly where she was. Before I lost contact with her, an ambulance was minutes away. Minutes. They had tried to get permission from Israeli authorities to rescue her earlier, but it took about three hours to receive the green light. When an ambulance finally was dispatched and got close to Hind, it was fired on and the two paramedics on board were killed. Nearly two weeks later, Hind was found dead in the car. Israeli forces have said the ambulance didn’t need their permission, and that they had not been in the area. But multiple investigations determined that they were present and likely killed Hind and our other family members…No child deserves to die like Hind did, just as no child should live under the constant threat of bombardment, starvation and displacement. My daughter was just one among tens of thousands of Palestinian children in Gaza whose stories ended before they began. At least 20,000 children have been killed since October 2023. Twenty thousand futures erased…Protecting the children in Gaza must mean real protection. For a start, it means a cease-fire that actually saves lives, not one that exists only on paper; more than 100 children have been killed since the cease-fire officially began. It means stopping the bombing, and the international flow of weapons to a regime that clearly seeks to crush our spirit and erase us. It means opening more medical corridors and allowing more food in. It means ensuring accountability, not only for Hind’s death but for those of the thousands of children whose lives were stolen.”
A Day for Gaza (The Nation 2/3/26)
“Gaza has been suspended in a bloody limbo for months. Despite the much-hyped ceasefire between Israel and Hamas—declared on October 10, 2025—peace has not arrived in the Gaza Strip. The bombings have continued, killing at least 509 people; hunger persists; aid trickles in rather than flows; and Israel remains in control of nearly 60 percent of the terrain. Hundreds of thousands of people continue to live in threadbare tents. Meanwhile, US promises of a “technocratic governance” mask a colonial project bestowed on a people with no say. The ceasefire has bred apathy among us—and disinterest from a press that was already turning away. According to a recent study by the media watch group FAIR, US media coverage of Gaza has fallen to its lowest three-month average since the genocide began two-and-a-half years ago. The message is clear: There’s nothing to see here. The Nation disagrees. We believe the story of Gaza remains as essential as it was on October 9, 2025, and that those who live in its ruins are the best ones to tell it. So today, February 3, we are turning our website over to Gaza and its people in an initiative we are calling “A Day for Gaza.” There will be no work shared that is not about Gaza, and no pieces published that are not written by people who are in or from Gaza.”
Things that should never be extinguished (Hanady Hathaleen & Kate Greenberg//Vashti 1/30/26)
“This Wednesday, 28 January, marked six months since an Israeli settler murdered Palestinian activist, teacher, and community leader Awdah Hathaleen, as Awdah defended his home village of Umm al-Khair. Since that day, the small agricultural community has faced relentless raids and arrests by the Israeli military, threats of large-scale home demolitions, the expansion of a settler outpost in the middle of their land, and the denial of any semblance of justice for Awdah’s murder by Israeli courts — all while trying to grieve. Adjacent villages have been dealing with their own daily avalanches of physical violence. On Tuesday night, 27 January, settlers launched a coordinated pogrom across three communities in the Masafer Yatta region: Khirbet al-Fakhit, Khirbet Halawe, and Khirbet al-Tabban. Bales of hay were set alight, before hordes of settlers armed with clubs entered residents’ homes, inflicting serious injuries including a fracture to a man’s skull. It is crucial to highlight the way that settlers and the state are working in conjunction to ethnically cleanse the West Bank; that afternoon, Israeli military forces had already raided Khirbet al-Fakhit, filling up the village’s water wells with cement…Not unlike a musical instrument that has been broken in half and estranged from its own music, the following untitled prose poem by Hanady Hathaleen, Awdah’s widow, is an amalgamation of two fragments of her writing…With Hanady’s support, I [Kate] have translated the poem from her original Arabic.” See also IDF, police stop Tu B’Shvat coexistence olive-tree planting in beleaguered Palestinian hamlet (TOI 2/2/26)
Steadfast resistance under occupation from Minneapolis to Palestine (Rae Abileah and Rabbi Cat Zavis//Waging Nonviolence 2/4/26)
“Two images, from opposite sides of the world, are seared into our minds: Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos in his blue knit bunny hat, carrying his Spiderman backpack, being snatched from the streets and detained by ICE. Five-year-old Hind Rajab’s voice, tiny and terrified, crying out for help from the car as her family members’ dead bodies lay next to her and the Israeli forces bear down upon her…These are not isolated tragedies. They are the logic of state terror, from Minnesota to Gaza City…As Ashkenazi Jews, our minds do not only go to Palestine. We are haunted by our own histories: families hiding in Berlin to avoid deportation, people abducted in the night, neighbors punished for offering shelter. The eerie familiarity is impossible to ignore.”
The legal fight to open Gaza to foreign press has failed. It’s time to change course (Amos Brison//+972 Magazine 2/6/26)
“For over two years, the Foreign Press Association (FPA) has been battling Israel’s government in the Supreme Court over its sweeping ban on the independent entry of foreign journalists into the Gaza Strip. Throughout that time, the Israeli government has not wavered from its position — and the court has proven unwilling to force its hand…Rather than changing its approach, the FPA continues to play by the rules and defer to the Supreme Court, despite there being no indication that it will ever force the government’s hand. In doing so, the FPA not only fails to achieve its goal of lifting the ban on press access to Gaza, but also helps legitimize the external perception of a good-faith “judicial review” — a cornerstone of Israel’s self-professed liberal democracy.”
Why a Palestinian protest in Tel Aviv exposed the limits of Israeli solidarity (Samah Watad//+972 Magazine 2/4/26)
“We were standing in the middle of Tel Aviv on Saturday night, during one of the largest protests that Palestinian citizens of Israel have held in recent memory: a mass demonstration — described by local commentators as “historic” — against the organized crime that has been tearing through our communities with impunity. Tens of thousands of people (organizers estimated as many as 100,000) had come to demand the most basic and urgent right to live without fear.
And yet, at that moment, the protest’s central contradiction surfaced. Even here, at a march against our own deaths and abandonment by the government, naming ourselves as Palestinians felt disruptive, something in need of correction. People had driven for hours from the Galilee in the north and the Naqab in the south to make their voices heard in the heart of the Israeli metropolis. They came with the knowledge that this government is more comfortable watching Palestinians kill one another than taking responsibility for dismantling the crime networks operating freely in our towns. The presence of bereaved families made that indifference impossible to ignore, at least for those who were there. These were parents, siblings, and children whose lives had been shattered by violence, who still chose to stand in public and demand accountability…And yet, despite the magnitude of the demonstration, and the noteworthy presence of as many as 20,000 Jewish Israelis (according to organizers), it barely registered in mainstream Israeli media. The country’s major outlets reduced the event to brief, dismissive segments.”
Now that Israel has admitted the Gaza death toll is accurate, don’t let apologists move the goalposts (Ben Reiff//The Guardian 2/3/26)
“Israel’s official and unofficial spokespeople are in damage control mode after a senior military official admitted last week that Israel accepts the death toll published by Gaza’s health ministry, which currently stands at more than 70,000. This comes after two years in which Israel and its supporters took every opportunity to disparage and dismiss the health ministry’s figures, arguing that they were overblown or fabricated by Hamas…In truth, the reliability of the official death toll should never have been in doubt. For one thing, the UN has independently verified the accuracy of the health ministry’s figures after each of Israel’s previous bombardments of Gaza going back to 2008. For another, the data published by the health ministry since 7 October is extremely detailed: it includes a full name, date of birth, gender and ID number for all victims whose deaths were confirmed either by hospital morgues or by their relatives. Naturally, mistakes were made amid the intensity of an Israeli onslaught that virtually destroyed Gaza’s entire health system, but these were remarkably few and promptly rectified…”
NEW FROM FMEP
Institutionalizing sexual violence and torture: the findings of the UN Committee on Torture (New Occupied Thoughts episode)
FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Nick Rodelo, a researcher employed by the University Network for Human Rights (UNHR) and the primary author of the report, Report to the UN Committee Against Torture: Systemic Israeli Practices of Torture Against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, submitted to the UN in late 2025. The report describes and provides extensive evidence of torture and abuse against Palestinian detainees and prisoners, demonstrating that “[t]his abuse – including, but not limited to, beatings to the point of broken bones and permanent injury; gang rape and rape by foreign objects; nonconsensual amputations; and extreme deprivation of food, water, sunlight, hygiene, and sleep – are systematic policies and practices of the State of Israel and its actors.” Ahmed and Nick discuss the research process and the findings of the UNHR report, the experience of presenting this evidence to the UN Committee Against Torture, and the UN Committee’s recommendations.
FMEP Legislative Round-Up January 30, 2026 (Lara Friedman)
- Bills, Resolutions; 2. Letters; 3. Hearings & Markups; 4. Selected Members on the Record; 5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements
Settlement & Annexation Report: January 30, 2026 (Kristin McCarthy)
West Bank Settlements & Outposts: More Funding for Settler-Only Roads; Expanded Settler Access to Joseph’s Tomb, Soil Smuggling, and More; 2. Settler Terrorism: Pogrom in Masafer Yatta, Displacement in Sinjil, and More; 3. Bonus Reads
GAZA
Israel accepts health authorities’ Gaza death toll is broadly accurate, saying 70,000 have died (The Guardian 1/30/26)
“Israel’s military has accepted the death toll compiled by health authorities in Gaza is broadly accurate, marking a U-turn after years of official attacks on the data. A senior security official briefed Israeli journalists, saying about 70,000 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli attacks on the territory since October 2023, excluding those missing. It is the first time Israel has publicly estimated the toll from the war in Gaza…Gaza health authorities said the direct toll from Israeli attacks had exceeded 71,660 people, with at least 10,000 presumed buried in the rubble of bombed buildings. For more than two years, Israeli officials and media had attacked the Palestinian figures as “Hamas propaganda” and dismissed them as “not accurate”.’ See also The IDF Admits It Killed 70,000 Palestinians in Gaza. What Other Accusations Could Turn Out to Be True? (Nir Hasson//Haaretz 1/29/26); Israel returns 15 bodies to Gaza as the Israeli military accepts Gaza death toll of 71,667 (DropSite 1/29/26);
Israel to Reopen Gaza Strip’s Rafah Crossing on Sunday, in Largely Symbolic Move (Haaretz 1/30/26)
“The Rafah crossing, connecting the Gaza Strip to Egypt, will open Sunday to transit in both directions, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced on Friday…Only residents of the Gaza Strip who had left the enclave during the war will be permitted to enter Gaza through the crossing, COGAT said, adding that those who enter the Strip will have to have prior security authorization from Israel…Under the current conditions, the reopening of the Rafah crossing is not expected to ease movement for most Gazans, who will be unable to use the crossing, leaving the move largely symbolic.” See also Israeli attacks kill at least five in Gaza as Rafah crossing to reopen Sunday (New Arab 1/30/26); For Thousands Waiting for the Rafah Crossing to Open in Gaza, Uncertainty Is a Matter of Life and Death (Jack Khoury//Haaretz 1/28/26); Doctors Without Borders Will Not Share Staff Details With Israel Following NGO Suspensions (Haaretz 1/30/26);
Remains of last Israeli held in Gaza after 7 October 2023 returned (The Guardian 1/26/26)
“The remains of the Israeli police sergeant Ran Gvili, who was killed fighting Hamas-led militants on 7 October 2023, have been returned to Israel. Militants took Gvili’s body to Gaza to use as a bargaining chip. He was the last of 251 people captured that day still held in the territory. “With this, all hostages have been returned from the Gaza Strip to the state of Israel,” the Israeli military said in a statement…The handover of the body marks the completion of a key initial demand of Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan for Gaza. It should open the way for progress in its second stage, which the US announced was under way earlier this month.” See also Exclusive: Trump says Hamas helped find last hostage, now must disarm (Axios 1/26/26); Israel confirms remains of last hostage, Rani Gvili, returned from Gaza (WaPo 1/26/26); The stories of the final hostages whose bodies were returned from Gaza (WaPo 1/27/26)
Board of Peace Set to Hand Trump Sweeping Powers Over Gaza (NYT 1/27/26)
“President Trump would have sweeping powers over the future governance of the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and the well-being of its people, under a plan drafted by the new international group he leads, laying out how it would operate…Much about the Board of Peace has so far been unclear, but a draft resolution, a copy of which was obtained by The Times, would allow the chairman, Mr. Trump, to nominate senior officials who will help administer Gaza, and assign responsibilities. Those officials include a “high representative” for Gaza, tasked with overseeing a Palestinian body administering the enclave, and the commander of an international stabilization force, which is intended to help provide security. Mr. Trump would also have the power to approve resolutions and suspend them in urgent cases.” See also As phase 2 looms, Netanyahu insists no Turkish or Qatari troops in Gaza (Al Monitor 1/27/26);
Doctors Without Borders Will Not Share Staff Details With Israel Following NGO Suspensions (Haaretz 1/30/26)
“Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) said on Friday it will not submit lists of staff demanded by Israel to maintain access to Gaza and the West Bank, saying it had not been able to obtain assurances over the safety of its teams. MSF, which supports and helps staff hospitals in Gaza, is one of 37 international organisations that Israel ordered this month to stop work in the Palestinian territories unless they meet new rules including providing employee details. The aid groups say sharing such staff information could pose a safety risk, pointing to the hundreds of aid workers who were killed or injured during the two-year Gaza war….MSF had said last week it would be prepared to share a partial list of Palestinian and international staff who had agreed to release that information, provided the list be used only for administrative purposes and not put its team at risk. It also said it wanted to retain control over the management of medical humanitarian supplies. “However, despite repeated efforts, it became evident in recent days that we were unable to build engagement with Israeli authorities on the concrete assurances required,” MSF said in a statement. It said there could be a devastating impact on humanitarian services if it is banned from operating in Gaza and the West Bank, amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.” See also ‘Wet tent syndrome’ is killing Gaza’s infants (Michal Feldon//+972 Magazine 1/26/26)
REGION//GLOBAL
U.S. Military Tells Key Middle East Ally to Prepare for Attack on Iran (Drop Site 1/30/26)
“Senior U.S. military officials have informed the leadership of a key U.S. ally in the Middle East that President Donald Trump could authorize a U.S. attack on Iran this weekend, multiple sources have confirmed to Drop Site News. Strikes could commence as early as Sunday, the ally was informed, if the U.S. decides to move forward.” See also Trump says he’s given Iran deadline to accept deal before potential strike (TOI 1/30/26); Saudi, Israeli officials visit D.C. to talk possible U.S. strikes on Iran (Axios 1/29/26); Exclusive: Trump says Iran wants a deal as U.S. “armada” arrives (Axios 1/26/26); Iran says defense capabilities ‘never’ up for negotiation; US missile destroyer in Eilat (TOI 1/30/26); Israel ups Iran intel sharing with US, expects Trump to strike within ‘weeks’ (Al Monitor 1/30/26);
Palestinian developer gains massive user support for app challenging censorship claims criticising US and Israel after losing over 60 relatives in Gaza (MEMO 1/28/26)
“The UpScrolled app, launched by Palestinian–Jordanian–Australian developer Issam Hijazi, who lost more than 60 of his relatives in the Gaza genocide, has seen remarkable success. It is ranked ninth among free apps on Apple’s App Store, one place ahead of TikTok, and second in the social networking category as of Monday afternoon.” See also TikTok deal with pro-Israel Larry Ellison spurs exodus to Palestinian-founded app UpScrolled (TOI 1/30/26); South Africa expels top Israeli diplomat over ‘insulting attacks’ on president (The Guardian 1/30/26);
RIVER TO THE SEA
Inside a coordinated, multi-village settler-soldier pogrom in Masafer Yatta (Basel Adra//+972 Magazine 1/30/26)
“On the evening of Jan. 27, Israeli settlers launched one of the most devastating pogroms on the Palestinian communities of Masafer Yatta in recent memory, attacking three villages simultaneously with what appeared to be an unprecedented level of coordination with the Israeli army.” See also CCTV shows IDF troops escorting settlers said to be stealing Palestinians’ livestock (TOI 1/30/26);
Settler-only IDF units functioning as ‘vigilante militias’ in West Bank (The Guardian 1/30/26)
“Israel’s army has become a vehicle for violent settlers to escalate their campaign against Palestinians across the occupied West Bank, with reserve units drawn from settlements functioning as vigilante militias, according to Israeli soldiers and activists, and the United Nations…The system handed weapons and authority to thousands of settlers, who formed military units in their own communities, with few checks on how these powers would be used…There is a long history of close collaboration between settlers and the Israeli military. Units in the West Bank regularly killed and injured civilians, including children, and failed to enforce laws protecting Palestinians from settler violence. But the widespread deployment of settler units marked a profound structural change. “Post 7 October [2023] the military and settler are unified,” said Yehuda Shaul, co-director of the Ofek thinktank, which campaigns against Israel’s occupation, and a co-founder of Breaking the Silence. “The settlers are the IDF, the IDF are settlers, there’s no pretence of a buffer,” he said. “It is not any more about a situation where the IDF are standing idly by while settlers attack, it’s not even just one or two soldiers joining settler attacks. “It’s a level of complicity that goes beyond anything we have seen before. You can see the impact if you look at how many Palestinian communities were forcibly transferred by settler violence before 7 October, and how many after.”’ See also Palestinians face fresh slew of evictions in Silwan, after court dimisses appeal (TOI 1/29/26); The Israeli Ethnic Cleansing Militias in the West Bank Have Succeeded Once Again (Haaretz Editorial 1/27/26); A School Principal Mentioned Israeli Settler Violence; His Students Demanded He Be Fired (Haaretz 1/29/26);
‘I cannot help my clients’: The impossible task of representing Palestinian detainees (Lee Mordechai and Liat Kozma//+972 Magazine 1/27/26)
“In Israel today, few issues are met with as much indifference — and at times open hostility — as the human rights of Palestinians held in the Israeli prison system. The marginal circle of lawyers and activists who continue to work on these cases operate in courts and speak out in public, but the abuses they document hardly register beyond their narrow professional and political communities. Over the past two years, Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations have published several reports on the dire condition of Palestinians incarcerated in Israel. The reports describe extreme overcrowding, deprivation of basic necessities, widespread illness, routine violence and torture, and severe restrictions on medical access and care. Between October 2023 and November 2025, nearly 100 Palestinians are known to have died in Israeli custody, which human rights groups describe as likely a significant undercount…Interviews we conducted with seven attorneys who represent Palestinian detainees point to an aggressive dismantling of monitoring mechanisms, alongside growing obstruction and harassment of legal counsel — developments that, taken together, have allowed the prison system to largely operate with impunity.”
What the Joint List’s revival signifies for Palestinian politics in Israel (Abed Abou Shhadeh//+972 Magazine 1/28/26)
“For Palestinians inside Israel, last week proved to be a collective breaking point. It began when Ali Zbeedat, the owner of a grocery store chain in the northern city of Sakhnin, shut down his businesses last Monday to protest an extortion attempt by criminal gangs. Over the following days, Zbeedat’s defiant act sparked coordinated strikes across dozens of Arab localities, where residents are similarly fed up with their abandonment by the state in the face of an epidemic of organized crime. The escalation culminated in a mass demonstration in Sakhnin last Thursday, with an estimated 50,000 people taking to the streets in what was the largest mobilization of Palestinian citizens in years. This sequence of events generated exceptional political momentum. Just hours after the demonstration, amid sustained public pressure, the leaders of Israel’s four major Arab-led parties — Hadash, Balad, Ta’al, and Ra’am — met with the heads of local authorities and signed a brief, symbolic document bearing the logo of the Sakhnin Municipality. In it, they expressed their intention to revive the Joint List ahead of this year’s election, the historic electoral alliance formed 10 years ago that aimed to overcome the ideological divides and interpersonal rivalries among the community’s fragmented leadership, but broke down in 2022. This is a historic event in a volatile political moment.”
‘A New Holocaust Is in the Making’ Global Far Right Flocks to Jerusalem to Bash Muslims and Migration at Israel’s Antisemitism Confab (Haaretz 1/27/26)
“The conference, held on International Holocaust Memorial Day, was hosted by Israel’s Diaspora Ministry. Throughout the event, speakers stressed that Islamism and Islamic radicalization are the driving forces of antisemitism worldwide, and particularly in Europe. Talk of the “red-green alliance,” a partnership between Islamic forces and communist and leftist groups, proliferated…Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli said the force that seeks to harm Jews today is “Islamist fanaticism, deeply influenced by Nazi ideology, and in some ways, a continuation of it.” He continued: “This conference seeks to banish political correctness” in naming radical Islam as the inheritor of Hitler’s ideology. “This is not merely the fight of the Jewish people,” the Likud minister added. “It is the fight of the free world against the imperialism and tyranny of fanatic Islamism – against mass slaughter and rape, against horrifying barbarism, and its attempt to buy off influence and decision-makers worldwide.”…As at the previous evening’s gala event ahead of the conference, and the Knesset session that preceded it, curbing immigration was presented – mainly by the European politicians onstage – as a panacea for rising antisemitism.”
The theft at the heart of Israel’s booming wine industry (Marta Vidal & Meriem Laribi//+972 Magazine 1/30/26)
“After seizing Palestinian land, settlers are replanting it with vineyards — then exporting their wine as “Made in Israel” to obscure its origins.”
U.S. SCENE
‘Ungrateful to the President Who Saved Israel’ Ex-Biden Officials Slam Netanyahu’s Insinuation That IDF Troops Were Killed Due to U.S. Arms Embargo (Haaretz 1/28/26)
“Amos Hochstein, who served as special envoy and coordinator for international energy affairs under former President Joe Biden and helped broker last year’s cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, criticized Netanyahu’s veiled attack on the Biden administration…”Netanyahu is both not telling the truth and ungrateful to a president that literally saved Israel at its most vulnerable moment,” he told Axios. “After more than $20 Billion military support, largest in Israel history, two aircraft carriers rushed to the region…after SAVING countless lives of Israelis – only acceptable response to POTUS #Biden and [the] American people is THANK YOU,” the former adviser wrote on X.” See also Netanyahu: Israeli soldiers lost their lives in Gaza due to Biden-era arms embargo (Times of Israel 1/28/26)
Zohran Mamdani Wants NYC to Divest From Israel — But New Comptroller Pledges to Buy War Bonds (The Intercept 1/30/26)
“In a letter to state and local officials, the human rights organization DAWN warned on Friday that any investment in Israeli sovereign debt by New York City would violate local and international law. The 26-page letter — directed to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and the state and city comptrollers — took aim at Israeli bonds, a financial instrument that invests in the Israeli government for a set period and then is paid back with interest. Israeli bonds have emerged as a crucial source of funding for the Israeli government, with money from bond sales flowing into the country’s coffers and allowing it to continue its genocidal campaign in Gaza and displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank…New York State’s Common Retirement Fund held $352 million worth of Israel bonds as of March 2024, making it one of the largest holdings in the U.S., according to DAWN. And while former City Comptroller Brad Lander allowed the bonds held in city-controlled portfolios to lapse in 2024 — earning DAWN’s praise — the city’s new comptroller, Levine, has pledged to reinvest…Levine’s announcement of his intent to purchase Israeli government bonds put him at odds with Mamdani, a longtime critic of Israel whose campaign did not shy away from a continued support for Palestinians despite continuous attacks smearing him as an antisemite…So far, Mamdani has held fast and signaled his opposition to Levine’s plan.”
10 months later, I’m the last Columbia protester still in ICE custody (Leqaa Kordia//USA Today 1/21/26)
“For more than 10 months, I have been locked in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Alvarado, Texas. My arrest came after my participation in protests for a ceasefire and an end to Israel’s siege on Gaza at the gates of Columbia University in April 2024. The Department of Homeland Security publicly stated that it had targeted me because of my advocacy for Palestinian rights.”
PERSPECTIVES//LONG READS
Gaza Is a Crime Scene, Not a Real Estate Opportunity (Hani Almadhoun//The Nation 1/27/26)
“For those of us who have mourned the loss of countless loved ones killed by the Israeli military over the past 27 months and watched our family homes reduced to rubble, the “New Gaza” vision unveiled by President Donald Trump and Jared Kushner in Davos is an outrageous moral affront. To see AI-generated renderings of luxury high-rises and “coastal tourism zones” atop the literal ruins of our lives is not a vision of peace. It is a blueprint for erasure…by prioritizing “industrial zones” and “tech-driven governance” while ignoring Palestinian human rights and Israel’s ongoing campaign to make Gaza unlivable—such that Palestinians have no choice but to leave—this vision amounts to soft ethnic cleansing. Indeed, just a day before revealing this plan, news reports revealed that the Israeli government had been discussing a proposal to reopen the Rafah crossing only on the condition that outbound traffic is prioritized over entry, setting a ratio to ensure more Palestinians leave the Strip than are allowed to return. This plan is designed to replace our indigenous people and society with a capitalist dystopia where we are merely a cheap labor force behind militarized walls. Trump and Kushner speak of a “New Gaza” without ever reckoning with Israel’s destruction of the old one. Under this administration’s direction, Gaza is being treated as a distressed asset or a failed startup awaiting new management, rather than a homeland and the site of a crime scene, with thousands of bodies still missing underneath the rubble.”
The NCAG: Gaza’s Technocratic Turn to Genocide Management (Yara Hawari//Al Shabaka 1/26/26)
“The announcement of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a 15-member technocratic body chaired by Ali Shaath, signals a shift toward depoliticized governance in Gaza amid ongoing genocide. Shaath, a Palestinian civil engineer and former deputy minister of planning and international cooperation, is positioned to lead an interim governing structure tasked with managing reconstruction and service provision under external oversight. While presented as a neutral technocratic governing structure, the NCAG is more likely to function as a managerial apparatus that stabilizes conditions that enable genocide rather than challenging them. This policy memo argues that technocratic governance in Gaza—particularly under US oversight, given its role as a co-perpetrator in the genocide—should be understood not as a pathway to recovery or sovereignty, but as part of a broader strategy of genocide management.”
Remembering ‘Never Again for Everyone’ at Bergen-Belsen (Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man//New Lines Magazine 1/27/26)
“At the height of the war in Gaza, a Jewish activist for Palestine accompanied his mother, a Holocaust survivor, to Germany for a ceremony to mark 80 years since liberation”
How Netanyahu is sabotaging phase two of the Gaza ceasefire (Muhammad Shehada//+972 Magazine 1/29/26)
“By undermining a new Palestinian technocratic body, Israel is trying to make Gaza appear ungovernable — and prove the need for its sustained military rule.”
‘Life and Art Kind of Merged’: Actor–Director Cherien Dabis on Her Scramble to Make the Epic All That’s Left of You (Vogue 1/28/26)
“With All That’s Left of You now in select US theaters, Vogue spoke to Dabis—who is known for her work on The L Word, Ramy, and Only Murders in the Building—about navigating production at the start of the war in Gaza, drawing inspiration from Palestinian novels and Hollywood epics, and seeing her film drum up Oscar buzz alongside Ben Hania’s and Jacir’s.”
NEW FROM FMEP
Destroying systems that sustain life: Israel’s destruction of healthcare in Palestine (New Occupied Thoughts episode)
FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor interviews Liz Allcock, the former head of humanitarian protection at Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), an organization that has worked in Gaza, the West Bank, and elsewhere for decades. They discuss healthcare in Palestine before the genocide in Gaza, the impact of the genocide on healthcare in Palestine, and the increase in gender-based violence among Palestinians. They also discuss the purpose and impact of Israel’s decision, effective January 1, 2026, to deregister 37 NGOs working in Palestine. MAP, which has worked in Gaza and the West Bank for decades, is one of the organizations deregistered by Israel.
FMEP Legislative Round-Up January 23, 2026 (Lara Friedman 1/23/26)
1. Bills, Resolutions; 2. Letters; 3. Hearings & Markups; 4. Selected Members on the Record; 5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements
Settlement & Annexation Report: January 23, 2026 (Kristin McCarthy)
- Greater Jerusalem: Impending Eviction in Muslim Quarter; Israel Demolishes UNRWA Headquarters; 2. Settlement & Outpost Construction: “State Land” Declaration; Settlers Celebrate Yatziv Settlement; 3. Settler Terrorism; 4. Israeli Government Policy; 5. Bonus Reads
GAZA
Leaked Documents: “Planned Community” in Rafah Would Force Palestinians Into Israeli Panopticon (Sharif Abdel Kouddous//Drop Site 1/21/26)
“The U.S. military-led group supporting “stabilization efforts” in Gaza has put forward plans for a housing block for Palestinians in Gaza in an area under full Israel military control. According to materials circulated by the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) and obtained by Drop Site News, the “planned community,” if developed, would contain and control its residents through biometric surveillance, checkpoints, monitoring of purchases, and educational programs promoting normalization with Israel…“Plans are rapidly accelerating for what U.S. officials last week cynically referred to as the ‘Gaza first planned community,’ previously known as ‘alternative safe communities,’” Jonathan Whittall, a senior UN official in Palestine between 2022 and 2025 and the executive Director of KEYS Initiative, a political affairs and strategic advisory organization, said after reviewing a transcript of the materials obtained by Drop Site. “This is the next phase in the weaponization of aid.”’ See also Israel Is Preparing Land in Rafah to Corral Palestinians into an Area Under Full Military Occupation (Forensic Architecture & Drop Site 1/20/26); Exclusive: Israel aims to ensure more Palestinians are let out of Gaza than back in (Reuters 1/23/26);
United Arab Emirates plans to bankroll first ‘planned community’ in south Gaza (The Guardian 1/23/26)
“The United Arab Emirates plans to fund “Gaza’s first planned community” on the ruined outskirts of Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city. Palestinian residents there will have access to basic services like education, healthcare and running water, as long as they submit to biometric data collection and security vetting, according to planning documents and people familiar with the latest round of talks at the US-led Civil Military Coordination Center in Israel.” See also U.S. Lays Out a Glittering Plan for Gaza, Including Skyscrapers (NYT 1/22/26);
Israeli fire strikes journalists and children on one of Gaza’s deadliest days since ceasefire (AP 1/21/26)
“Israeli forces on Wednesday killed at least 11 Palestinians in Gaza, including two 13-year-old boys, three journalists and a woman, hospitals said, on one of the war-battered enclave ‘s deadliest days since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect in October.” See also Israel kills 3 journalists in Gaza, including CBS News contributor (WaPo 1/21/26)
Another Step in the Weaponization of Aid: Israel Bans Humanitarian Agencies in Gaza (Yara Asi//Arab Center DC 1/22/26)
“In late December 2025, two months after the much-lauded ceasefire agreement that was meant to end the physical destruction of Gaza and bring a significant increase in desperately needed aid, Israel announced it was suspending the work of 37 humanitarian organizations—about 15 percent of the total number of NGOs working on the ground in the Strip. These organizations include some of the most well-established across occupied Palestine, including Defense for Children International, the International Rescue Committee, Medical Aid for Palestinians UK, Mercy Corps, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, known in English as Doctors without Borders). International NGOs have been heavily involved in the humanitarian response to the genocide in Gaza. They have delivered more than half of all food assistance, supported 60 percent of field hospitals, provided nearly 75 percent of shelter and nonfood aid, and are the only organizations treating children for severe acute malnutrition…Israel has suspended the 37 international NGOs because they refused to comply with new policies requiring them to submit to the Israeli government additional documentation about their staff, funding, and operations. The organizations say that they are not comfortable providing such information to a government that has bombed aid facilities and killed hundreds of aid workers, including those in pre-authorized aid convoys. Some humanitarian personnel, including Palestinian health workers, have been kidnapped and remain detained in Israeli prisons.…Israel’s bans will have a devastating effect. NGOs stripped of their licenses will not be able to deliver aid into or throughout Gaza. These organizations will not be allowed to maintain offices in Israel or East Jerusalem. International staff will not be able to enter Gaza at all.” See also ‘Loss and Trauma Will Last Generations’: Mothers in Gaza Describe the Collapse of Maternal and Newborn Care (Haaretz 1/15/26); Newborn baby becomes eighth to die of hypothermia in Gaza this winter (The Guardian 1/17/26); Despite ceasefire, Israel’s siege allowing only a trickle of aid into Gaza (Ahmed Ahmed//+972 Magazine 1/22/26); Inside the Doctors Without Borders Clinics That Israel Is Closing in Gaza (NYT 1/17/26);
REGION//GLOBAL
Trump says US ‘armada’ heading to Middle East as Iran death toll put above 5,000 (The Guardian 1/23/25)
“Donald Trump has said an American “armada” is heading towards the Middle East and that the US is monitoring Iran closely, as activists put the death toll from Tehran’s crackdown on protesters at 5,002…The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided-missile destroyers are due to arrive in the Middle East in the coming days. Additional air defence systems are being deployed, most likely around US and Israeli airbases. The UK said it would send RAF Eurofighter Typhoon jets from 12 Squadron to Qatar, at Doha’s request. The US president pulled back from attacking Iran two weeks ago, despite promising “help is on its way”, largely because he felt he had been given no military option that would prove decisive in securing regime change in Tehran. He was also urged to hold back by the Gulf states.” See also Air France joins KLM in canceling weekend flights to Israel amid regional tensions (TOI 1/23/26);
Trump’s ‘master plan’ for Gaza contrasts with reality on the ground (WaPo 1/23/26)
“At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, the Trump administration outlined what it described as a “master plan” for the Gaza Strip’s future, replete with planned cities, data centers and a beachfront for tourists, but which was far removed from the destruction, desperation and political realities on the ground. Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and key adviser, took to the stage to present a deck of slides with AI-generated images of gleaming high-rises and apartment blocks arranged in concentric rings. From 90,000 tons of rubble generated by the war, he said, a “new Gaza” would be born. “We’re committed to ensuring Gaza is demilitarized, properly governed and beautifully rebuilt. It’s going to be a great plan,” Trump said. He and other leaders were there to sign the founding charter of the “Board of Peace,” which was originally conceived as an oversight body for the reconstruction of Gaza but has since morphed into a U.S.-led council with a more sweeping mandate…According to a map included in Kushner’s slideshow, Gaza’s entire Mediterranean shoreline would be reserved for “coastal tourism,” with 180 high-rise towers lining the beach. Across other parts of the enclave, parks and sports facilities would break up industrial complexes, data centers and advanced manufacturing facilities…The vision contrasts sharply with the present reality in Gaza, where Israeli troops still control more than half of the enclave while some 2 million Palestinians are crowded into the other half, many living in ramshackle tents or bombed-out buildings that provide little shelter from winter storms.” See also Trump launches ‘Board of Peace’ at Davos, testing global order (WaPo 1/22/26); Trump claims world ‘richer, safer’ than year ago at launch of his ‘board of peace’ (The Guardian 1/22/26); France rejects Trump Gaza peace board invite over fears it wants to supplant UN (Politico 1/19/26); Trump launches Board of Peace: We can do ‘whatever we want’ (Al Monitor 1/22/26);
Trump plans to charge $1 billion for permanent seat on ‘Board of Peace’ (WaPo 1/18/26)
“President Donald Trump sent a flurry of invitations over the weekend to world leaders to join a new “Board of Peace,” which is being marketed as an international peace-building organization. However, a permanent seat on the board will cost countries $1 billion.” See also Netanyahu to join Trump ‘board of peace’ despite previous objections (The Guardian 1/21/26); Kremlin says Putin has been invited to join Trump’s Gaza ‘board of peace’ (The Guardian 1/19/26); Macron declines to join Trump’s Gaza peace board. Here’s who’s been invited (Axios 1/20/26); Trump disinvites Canada’s Carney from Board of Peace as Spain, France decline to join (TOI 1/23/26); UK holds off joining Trump’s Board of Peace over Putin concerns (BBC 1/22/26); Trump names Kushner, Rubio, Blair to Gaza board; Israel objects to lineup (WaPo 1/17/26); Germany, Italy and Spain Join Slate of Countries Rejecting Invitation to Trump’s Board of Peace (Haaretz 1/23/26)
Putin offers $1B in frozen assets for Gaza Board of Peace — will US unfreeze them? (Al Monitor 1/22/26)
“Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, in Moscow Thursday that Russia is prepared to allocate $1 billion from its assets frozen in the United States to the Trump-led Board of Peace. A press release on Thursday from the Kremlin quoted the Russian leader as saying, “We are willing to provide $1 billion to this new body, the Board of Peace, primarily to support the Palestinian people, assist in the restoration of the Gaza Strip and address the general resolution of problems facing Palestine.” He said the funds would be drawn from frozen Russian assets. Abbas is visiting Moscow for the second time in less than a year, having last traveled to the Russian capital in May 2025. He does not sit on the Board of Peace, nor do any Palestinian representatives.” See also Turkey, Israel, Pakistan to join Trump’s Board of Peace as Italy hedges: What to know (Al Monitor 1/21/26);
Trump warns Hamas will be ‘blown away’ if it fails to disarm (Al Monitor 1/21/26)
“President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Hamas will be “blown away” if the militant group doesn’t hand over its weapons as required by the US-brokered ceasefire. “Hamas has agreed to give up their weapons,” Trump said at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. “They were born with a rifle in their hand. It’s not an easy thing for them, but that’s what they agreed to.”…In response to a question from Al-Monitor last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested negotiators could accept a disarmament plan that would allow Hamas to retain some of its smaller arms while surrendering its rockets and other heavy weapons.”
Who is Ali Shaath, the Palestinian head of the committee under Trump’s Gaza ‘Board of Peace’? (New Arab 1/23/26)
“In a rare Palestinian moment where reconstruction plans collide with political engineering and security calculations, Ali Shaath has emerged as the figure tasked with managing the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of its most devastating war. His appointment as head of a Palestinian technocratic committee is not merely administrative; it is deeply embedded in a complex web of international arrangements, largely backed by the United States, aimed at reshaping Gaza’s governance after more than two years of war that left the territory shattered. For many Palestinians, the question is not simply who Ali Shaath is, but what he will represent: a genuine attempt to rebuild Gaza or another externally managed experiment that treats devastation as a logistical problem rather than a political one?”
Germany never stopped arming Israel’s genocide (Hanno Hauenstein//+972 Magazine 1/20/26)
“A little over a week ago, Israel and Germany signed a cybersecurity agreement to expand their existing cooperation…According to the German newspaper Bild, the agreement includes cooperation between Germany’s elite police unit GSG 9 and the Israeli police’s counterterrorism unit, known colloquially as Yamam. This unit has carried out extrajudicial assassinations of Palestinians in the West Bank, and was also involved in Israel’s hostage rescue operation in Nuseirat refugee camp in northern Gaza in June 2024, during which four Israelis were freed and over 270 Palestinians were killed. Bild also reported plans for a joint German-Israeli AI and cybersecurity research center…But cooperation between Germany and Israel extends well beyond intelligence sharing or police training. Germany is Israel’s second-largest supplier of arms after the United States, and one of its most significant customers. Between 2020 and 2024, Germany supplied over one-third of Israel’s arms imports. And during roughly that same period, Israel ranked third among recipients of German arms, accounting for 11 percent of total exports.”
Jordan used Israeli firm’s phone-cracking tool to surveil pro-Gaza activists, report finds (The Guardian 1/22/26)
“Authorities in Jordan appear to be using an Israeli digital tool to extract information from the mobile phones of activists and protesters who have been critical of Israel and spoken out in support of Gaza, according to a new report by the Citizen Lab. A multiyear investigation found with high confidence that Jordanian security authorities have been using forensic extraction tools made by Cellebrite against members of civil society, including two political activists, a student organizer, and a human rights defender, the researchers said.”
RIVER TO THE SEA
‘I could not stay silent’: Palestinian prisoner tells of sexual abuse in Israeli jail (The Guardian 1/21/26)
“Sami al-Saei said he heard the Israeli prison guards who raped him laughing through the assault, before they left him lying blindfolded, handcuffed and in agony on the floor to take a cigarette break. At least one of the group knew a crime was being committed and intervened, not to stop the torture but to prevent its documentation. Al-Saei said he heard the man warning others “don’t take a photo, don’t take a photo” as they attacked. He bled from his rectum for more than three weeks after the assault, which happened soon after he was detained in February 2024. He described sexual torture that lasted more than 20 minutes including beatings on his buttocks, a guard applying extreme pressure to his genitals, and forced anal penetration with two different objects…The 47-year-old father of six was held without charge or trial until June 2025. About 40 days after his release, he posted a video on TikTok detailing the attack, defying the extreme social stigma and Israeli warnings against going public about abuse in jails.”
B’Tselem Report: Testimonies Describe ‘Pattern of Sexual Violence’ Against Palestinian Prisoners (Haaretz 1/21/26)
“A report published Tuesday by the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem details alleged abuses in Israeli security prisons, citing testimonies of violence by prison guards, soldiers and Shin Bet personnel, including sexual violence, starvation, mistreatment, harsh living conditions and the denial of medical care. The report, which is based on interviews with released prisoners, includes testimony from four former inmates describing “a grave pattern of sexual violence” by prison guards and soldiers, that included “forces stripping, beatings to the genitals that caused severe injuries, setting dogs on prisoners and forced anal penetration with various objects.” The report was released following a series of similar testimonials that were published over the past two years, indicating a severe deterioration in the detention conditions of Palestinian prisoners.”
The calculated erasure of Ras Ein Al-Auja (Oren Ziv//+972 Magazine 1/16/26)
“For years, the Palestinian community of Ras Ein Al-Auja in the southern Jordan Valley has held firm the face of Israeli settler violence. But after settlers set up an outpost in the center of their village at the end of December, plowing private land, destroying a main road, and cutting electricity cables, many families decided they had no choice but to leave…Ras Ein Al-Auja’s story, however, isn’t unique. In nearby Palestinian communities like Al-Muarrajat and Maghayer Al-Dir, outposts set up last year in the centers of the villages led to a rapid escalation in violence and the forced expulsion of Palestinian residents within days of their establishment.”
Paving military roads, Israel prepares permanent control of West Bank camps (Majd Jawad//+972 Magazine 1/19/26)
“Like tens of thousands of other Palestinians, she fled her home in the Jenin refugee camp last January, when Israel launched the military operation known officially as “Iron Wall” targeting the Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams refugee camps simultaneously. Having expelled over 30,000 residents from their homes inside those camps with no indication of when, or if, they will be allowed to return, the ongoing operation constitutes the single largest act of forced displacement in the West Bank since the start of Israel’s occupation in 1967…According to UN estimates, more than 1,460 buildings across Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams camps have been destroyed or sustained severe or moderate damage since the start of the incursion. This includes over 52 percent of buildings in Jenin camp — the hardest hit of the three — signaling a level of destruction that extends beyond isolated targets and amounts to a sweeping assault on the camp’s urban fabric.”
Who Is Yakir Gabay, the Israeli Billionaire Named to Trump’s Gaza Executive Council (Haaretz 1/18/26)
“Gabay is active in global investments in real estate, hospitality and high tech, including through private investment funds. He divides his time between Israel, Miami, London and Cyprus, and has maintained close personal and business ties with Kushner for more than a decade, dating back to before Trump’s first election in late 2015.”
Israel demolishes UNRWA’s East Jerusalem headquarters; UN agency: ‘Unprecedented attack’ (TOI 1/20/26)
“Israel on Tuesday began demolishing the East Jerusalem headquarters of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and their descendants, with Israeli forces entering the compound with bulldozers and other demolition equipment in the early morning and destroying buildings in what UNRWA called an “unprecedented attack.” The move to demolish UNRWA’s headquarters comes after years of legislative measures against the agency, which Israel accuses of collusion with Hamas and participation in terror activities.” See also Israel Razed UNRWA’s East Jerusalem HQ, Now It’s Planning to Build 1,400 Housing Units on the Site (Haaretz 1/20/26); UNRWA school in West Bank city set to be closed by Israel within days, agency says (TOI 1/23/26); UNRWA Heads Tell Haaretz: ‘We Don’t Radicalize Palestinians – Their Lived Existence Does’ (Haaretz 1/20/26);
‘Israel is using organized crime to control Palestinian citizens’ (+972 Magazine 1/22/26)
“MK Aida Touma-Suleiman reflects on a decade inside the Knesset, and the limits of trying to fight from within a system built to exclude Palestinians…For years, polls have shown that the number one issue concerning Palestinian citizens of Israel is the epidemic of organized crime and violence within Arab localities. In 2023, the homicide rate among Palestinian citizens of Israel was the third highest in the OECD. Last year, Palestinians accounted for 252 of Israel’s 305 murder victims, despite making up just 21 percent of the population. And since the start of the new year, little has changed: In less than a month, 18 Palestinian citizens of Israel have already been killed in incidents linked to criminal networks. In response, Palestinian citizens are stepping up their efforts to combat the spread of organized crime and the state’s inaction against the perpetrators — which many see as a deliberate policy. There were demonstrations across the country this week, from Sakhnin to Umm Al-Fahm, culminating in a general strike on Thursday called by the Union of Arab Mayors and the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens.” See also Israel’s Arab Parties Announce Plans to Unite for Joint List in Upcoming Elections (Haaretz 1/22/26); Tens of Thousands of Arab Citizens Protest Rising Crime in Their Communities (Haaretz 1/23/26);
U.S. SCENE
New Legal Documents Show Marco Rubio Targeted Students for Op-Eds and Protesting (The Intercept 1/23/26)
“New documents unsealed Thursday as a part of litigation brought by The Intercept and other news outlets reveal a critical discrepancy in Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s rationale for attempting to deport five international students and academics last year. While Rubio and the Trump administration claimed in public that they wanted to deport students including Mahmoud Khalil and Yunseo Chung for supporting terrorism, internal Department of Homeland Security and State Department documents instead cite their advocacy for Palestinian rights in protests and writings — activities protected by the First Amendment.Rubio and the administration have repeatedly conflated pro-Palestinian speech with support for Hamas, which the U.S. designates as a terrorist organization, but a DHS memo shows the government did not find any evidence that Chung or Khalil provided “material support” — meaning cash payment, property, or services — to any terror group. Even in their own communications, DHS and the State Department acknowledged they were in uncharted territory and likely to face backlash.” See also D.H.S. Cited Foreign Students’ Writings and Protests Before Their Arrests (NYT 1/22/26); She Criticized the Mayor’s Support for Israel on Facebook. Then the Cops Showed Up at Her Door. (The Intercept 1/20/26)
Columbia campus protest leader Khalil now faces deportation to Algeria, Trump official says (Gothamist 1/22/26)
“Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate and Palestinian protest organizer whose immigration arrest last year made national headlines, will be re-arrested and deported to Algeria, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said on Newsnation.”
Oscar nominee chosen from four visions of Israeli-Palestinian conflict (WaPo 1/23/26)
‘“The Voice of Hind Rajab,” a Tunisian film by director Kaouther Ben Hania nominated Thursday for an Academy Award in the international feature category, was among four submissions dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — a roster that stands out because each country is limited to a single entry…“This nomination belongs first to Hind. To her voice. To what should never have happened and yet did. It belongs to everyone who believed that cinema can still be a space for truth, care, and responsibility,” Ben Hania said in a statement Thursday. “… Among these beautiful films from around the world, I’m deeply honored that Hind’s voice is there. Not as a symbol. As history. Thank you to the Academy for listening.”’
U.S. Deports Eight Palestinians to West Bank Using Private Jet (Haaretz 1/22/26)
“The United States deported eight Palestinians without valid residency visas this week aboard a private jet. The eight landed in Israel on Wednesday, and their identities are not known…Haaretz learned that the private jet – a Gulfstream IV – was apparently chartered specifically by U.S. authorities and belongs to an Israeli-American businessman. According to reports in Forbes, the businessman is a partner in real estate investments with U.S. President Donald Trump.”
PERSPECTIVES//LONG READS
After the Rain (Abdullah Hany Daher//Jewish Currents 1/22/26)
“Once we waited eagerly for rain—and when it came, we opened our windows without fear. Rain meant land, growth. It promised renewal. We spoke of it as something generous. Now, when we hear that rain is coming, we do not even look up. We look at the ground, at the tent, at the night, which is preparing itself to be long…After a harsh storm some time ago, I called my aunt to ask how things were. She laughed before I could finish the question. Her husband and son had spent the night holding down the tent stakes so their paltry protection would not fly away. She tried to make it sound light, almost absurd, something we could laugh about. But the joke abruptly yielded to memory’s true texture. Then she cried…Morning always comes. It offers not relief, but continuation. After the rain, we dry what we can. We check on each other without asking questions that might break us open. We stand up. We gather what remains.”
Israel’s new national consensus: Returning to October 6 (Meron Rapoport//+972 Magazine 1/23/26)
“With both the Israeli general elections and the U.S. midterms approaching, 2026 is shaping up to be a tough year for political forecasts. The Israeli vote could redraw the domestic political map, potentially deposing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while the U.S. elections could significantly weaken President Donald Trump’s standing and constrain his freedom of action. Yet there is one prediction that can be made with confidence: Whatever the election results, Israel’s entire political and military establishment will remain united around a desire to dial the clock back to October 6, 2023. This aspiration does not signal a return to normalcy or calm; on the contrary, Israel’s internal tensions are likely to deepen in the coming year. This is not merely because the period preceding the war was already among the most turbulent in the country’s history, nor because election years tend to intensify political tensions. This time, the polarization runs much deeper.”
How to cross a road under apartheid (Shoug Al-Adara//Vashti Media 1/21/26)
“A week into the war, soldiers installed a new gate on the road opposite Tuwani, which leads to the village of Birke in one direction, and to Juwaya in the other. And four months ago, in September, they installed another one on our side of the road, in Tuwani. The two gates are big, yellow, and can block the entire road if the army decides to close them…A few days after the war began, [my husband] Zakaria was shot in the stomach by a settler. It happened as he stepped out of the mosque after the Friday prayer. The bullet was an illegal “dum-dum” bullet which exploded inside his abdomen, causing severe damage to multiple organs. Since then he has undergone thirteen operations. Two years later, his condition is much improved, but he still cannot walk or get medicine and food for our children. So I must go instead of him…Now the settlers and soldiers can kill, shoot. Ben Gvir has empowered them, and given them permission. I know this very well because it happened to us, to my family. Always being inside, I feel strangled. The kids cannot go wherever they want and they are not comfortable. It’s a very difficult feeling when you’re stuck and you can’t do anything. Life passes before your eyes and you can’t do anything.”
Bringing Zohran Mamdani to the Big Screen (Molly Fischer//New Yorker 1/22/26)
“Bacha is a New York-based filmmaker whose work, which includes the films “Budrus” and “Naila and the Uprising,” has earned a Peabody and a Guggenheim; she is the creative director of Just Vision, a nonprofit dedicated to storytelling about Israel-Palestine…As Bacha contemplated her next project, she started hearing about a group of New York organizers who wanted to stop charities from using tax-deductible donations to fund Israeli settlements. “I learned that they had found, in Zohran Mamdani, someone who was willing to actually introduce legislation,” she told me. The proposed Not on Our Dime! act was greeted with an immediate letter of condemnation from twenty-five of Mamdani’s fellow Assembly members, who called the bill “a ploy to demonize Jewish charities with connections to Israel.” In her documentary, Bacha wanted to ask whether Mamdani and his co-sponsors could hold on to their seats in the next election…All of the state legislators whom she followed, the ones who’d supported Mamdani’s bill, won their 2024 reëlection campaigns. Fairly or unfairly, genuinely or cynically, questions about Mamdani and Israel—and Palestine, and Jews, and faith, and war, and peace—appear likely to continue. If he can find a way to meet them persuasively, his rejection of a long-standing political norm may start to look more like a pragmatist’s asset.”
NEW FROM FMEP
“We have talked enough about ourselves” (New Occupied Thoughts episode)
FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with author Benjamin Moser about Jewish supremacy, diasporic Jewish life, and the life and legacy of the writer Susan Sontag. Moser recently published the article “We have Talked Enough About Ourselves: How the marriage of American exceptionalism and liberal Zionism led to genocide” in the magazine Equator.
FMEP Legislative Round-Up January 16, 2026 (Lara Friedman)
- Bills, Resolutions; 2. Letters; 3. Hearings & Markups; 4. Selected Members on the Record; 5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements See also Lara Friedman’s FMEP Legislative Round-Up January 9, 2026.
Settlement & Annexation Report: January 16, 2026 (Kristin McCarthy)
Greater Jerusalem: Atarot, Sheikh Jarrah/Um Haroun, “Sovereignty Road”, UNRWA; 2. Settlement & Outpost Construction: 5 New Settlement Licenses Approved; 3. Settler Terrorism: Ras Ein al-Auja, Al-Mughayyir. See also Kristin McCarthy’s Settlement & Annexation Report: January 8, 2026, which includes 1. Greater Jerusalem: E1; Sheikh Jarrah; Silwan; 2. Annexation & Apartheid: United Nations Report; 3. Antiquities Annexation Bill; Area B Annexation; 4. Settlement & Outpost Construction: Plans Advance; Sa-Nur: Beit El; Beit Sahour; Mishmar; 5. Yehuda; New Details on 19 New Settlements; 6. Settler Terrorism: Press Reports; 7. Further Reading
GAZA
US to launch Gaza governance plan amid Hamas disarmament doubts (Al Monitor 1/14/26)
“The United States on Wednesday announced the start of the second phase of its postwar plan for the Gaza Strip, which calls for technocratic Palestinian governance and the disarmament of Hamas, the Trump administration’s Middle East envoy said…The board will also supervise the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a Palestinian body tasked with temporarily administering Gaza’s day-to-day affairs. Representatives of Palestinian factions met in Cairo on Wednesday to finalize the body’s membership, which will not include Hamas. The committee will be headed by Ali Shaath, the former deputy planning minister in the Palestinian Authority, according to a joint statement on Wednesday issued by Egypt, Qatar and Turkey…Under Trump’s initial 20-point plan, the Palestinian committee is meant to administer Gaza until a reformed Palestinian Authority can take over, paving the way for a “credible path to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his right-wing government oppose the PA’s return to Gaza and insist there can be no Palestinian state. Nickolay Mladenov, a former Bulgarian defense and foreign minister, will serve as director-general for the Trump-chaired Board of Peace.” See also Trump says US will reach deal with Hamas on full disarmament, threatens group if it won’t agree (TOI 1/15/26); Trump pushes for disarmament of Hamas as second stage of Gaza ceasefire begins (The Guardian 1/16/26); U.S. thinks Hamas is ready to demilitarize as Gaza deal moves to “phase two” (Axios 1/14/26); U.S. announces launch of second phase of Gaza peace plan (WaPo 1/14/26); Trump announces Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ has been formed (The Hill 1/15/26); Trump Announces Gaza Board of Peace After U.S. Declares Move to Phase Two of Cease-fire (Haaretz 1/16/26); U.S. to Name Palestinian Committee to Run Gaza (NYT 1/13/26);
Israel Tells Doctors Without Borders to End Its Work in Gaza (NYT 1/6/26)
“Doctors Without Borders, the international medical aid group, said Tuesday that Israel had ordered it to cease operations in the Gaza Strip after it failed to comply with new restrictions that include registration of all Gazan employees and limits on criticism of Israel’s conduct of the war. The move threatens one of the best-known humanitarian operations in the devastated enclave. Though Israel has sought to downplay the group’s importance, Doctors Without Borders says it runs or supports more than 20 percent of the remaining hospital beds, operates clinics for people with traumatic injuries and chronic illnesses, treats malnourished children and other patients, and distributed 700 million liters of water last year. With 40 to 50 international doctors in Gaza at any time, about 1,000 permanent Palestinian workers, and another 1,000 Gaza medical workers whose Ministry of Health salaries it augments, Doctors Without Borders says it performed more than 22,000 operations and treated more than 100,000 trauma cases in 2025.” See also Israel Is Banning the ‘Last Foreign Witnesses’ to Its Genocide in Gaza (Diana Buttu//Zeteo 1/7/26)
Israel says it will bar dozens of aid groups from operating in Gaza (WaPo 12/31/25)
“Israel’s government said it will suspend the licenses of dozens of humanitarian groups operating in the Gaza Strip beginning Thursday, a move that relief workers say will lead to deeper suffering in the decimated enclave and further obstruct the provision of medicine and other aid…Among the groups facing suspension is Doctors Without Borders, one of the largest international nongovernmental health care providers in Gaza, along with other groups that supply an array of vital aid and services, including shelter assistance, as winter weather ravages the enclave.” See also List of aid groups working in Gaza that Israel is suspending (AP 12/30/25); Winter storms kill five in Gaza amid desperate conditions in makeshift camps (The Guardian 1/13/26); Tents supplied to displaced Palestinians ‘inadequate for Gaza winter’ (The Guardian 1/3/25); Winter Cold and Collapsing Buildings Kill Palestinians in Gaza as Israel Blocks Shelter Supplies (Abdel Qader Sabbah and Sharif Abdel Kouddous//Drop Site 1/15/26);
Israel Is Still Demolishing Gaza, Building by Building (NYT 1/12/26)
“Israel has demolished more than 2,500 buildings in Gaza since the cease-fire began, according to a New York Times analysis of satellite imagery from Planet Labs. It says it is destroying tunnels and booby-trapped homes. This is what Israel’s actions look like.” See also [Israeli] Culture minister says ‘Gaza is ours,’ Palestinians are ‘guests until a certain point’ (TOI 1/2/26); Three Months Into Gaza Cease-fire: Israel Expands Control and Razes Neighborhoods (Haaretz 1/15/26);
Over 100 children killed in Gaza since ceasefire, UNICEF says (Reuters 1/13/26)
“The U.N. children’s agency said on Tuesday that over 100 children have been killed in Gaza since the October ceasefire, including victims of drone and quadcopter attacks. “More than 100 children have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire of early October,” UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told reporters at a U.N. briefing by video link from Gaza…He said that nearly all the deaths of the 60 boys and 40 girls were from military attacks including air strikes, drone strikes, tank shelling, gunfire and quadcopters and a few were from war remnants that exploded. The tally is likely an underestimate since it is only based on deaths for which sufficient information was available, he said.” See also At least 13 killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza, including five children, civil defence agency says (The Guardian 1/8/26); Israel strikes in Gaza kill 10, including senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad figures (Reuters 1/15/26);
Despite Gaza ceasefire, war still deadly along Israel’s ‘Yellow Line’ (WaPo 1/8/26)
“In the three months since a U.S.-backed ceasefire began, Israeli troops, tanks and drones have fired on residents almost daily in areas close to or abutting the line. The attacks have killed at least 250 people out of the more than 400 who have died since Oct. 10, according to the local health authority, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Thousands more have been displaced, the United Nations and other humanitarian groups say…The line, which is only partly marked by yellow-painted concrete blocks, was meant to be temporary, a first step toward Israel’s eventual withdrawal. But as the ceasefire took hold, Israeli forces worked quickly to reinforce their positions and establish new ones along the line, according to satellite imagery reviewed by Will Goodhind, an investigator and geospatial analyst for the open-access research project Contested Ground.” See also The Truce Is 2 Months Old. So Why Have Hundreds of Gazans Been Killed? (NYT 12/24/25);
‘It Feels Like Someone Is Always There’: In Gaza, IDF Drones Infiltrate Every Moment of Palestinians’ Lives (Nagham Zbeedat and Rawan Suleiman//Haaretz 1/4/26)
“They follow people, moving back and forth through the streets and constantly humming, creating a new soundtrack that means one thing to Gazans: You are being watched. Palestinians in Gaza tell Haaretz what it’s like to live under a watchful and potentially lethal eye.” See also ‘We deserve peace’: Gaza ushers in new year with little relief in sight (Ruwaida Amer//+972 Magazine 1/8/26)
REGION//GLOBAL
Israel and Arab Nations Ask Trump to Refrain From Attacking Iran (NYT 1/15/26)
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has asked President Trump to postpone any plans for an American military attack on Iran, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday, even as the Iranian government continues to grapple with nationwide protests. Mr. Netanyahu spoke to Mr. Trump on Wednesday, the same day the American president said he had received information from “very important sources on the other side” that Iran had stopped killing protesters and was not going forward with executions. That appeared to signal that Mr. Trump was backing away from a potential U.S. attack on Iran, which he has been weighing for days…Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Egypt, all partners of Washington, have also been asking the Trump administration not to attack Iran, said an official from a Gulf Arab nation. Senior officials from those countries have been calling U.S. officials with that message over the last two days, the official said. They have told the Americans that a U.S. attack could lead to a wider regional conflict.” See also Trump’s Gulf Allies Do Not Want Him to Bomb Iran (NYT 1/14/26); From Iraq to Yemen, how Iran proxies are responding to protests (Al Monitor 1/12/26); Witkoff suggests US prefers to resolve Iran tensions with diplomacy, not military action (TOI 1/15/26); Report: Netanyahu Asked Trump to Delay Iran Strike Due to Defense Readiness Concerns (Haaretz 1/16/26); Iran strikes delayed as Trump aides and Israel raise concerns (Axios 1/15/26);
Trump admin designates three branches of Muslim Brotherhood as terror organizations (JI 1/13/26)
“The Trump administration labeled three Muslim Brotherhood branches as terrorist organizations, including chapters in Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan. The move follows an executive order President Donald Trump signed in November, which tasked Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent with identifying whether branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt should be designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and which should be deemed Specially Designated Global Terrorists.” See also Israel Strips U.N. Agency for Palestinian Refugees of Diplomatic Immunity (NYT 12/29/25)
With new trade restrictions, Spain looks to trigger EU cascade against Israel (TOI 1/2/26)
“When Spain began blocking Israeli products imported from the West Bank, Golan Heights and East Jerusalem this week, it officially kicked off what may be the largest state-level embargo of products and services from the Jewish state since the Arab League boycott launched around the time of Israel’s inception…Also on that day, Spain’s Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda Ministry contacted seven websites promoting vacation rentals and told them to immediately remove or block 138 different ads for apartments in “Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.”…Also on December 30, Spain announced an exception to a total ban that went into effect in September on the export and import to Israel of defense technologies, including “dual-use” technologies. That law had allowed for exceptions to be made for reasons of “national interest,” and on Tuesday, the government announced that aviation giant Airbus would be allowed to continue importing from Israel.” See also Can a Corporation Be Complicit in War Crimes? Sweden Is Trying to Find Out. (M. Gessen//NYT 12/30/25); No Amazon, No Gmail: Trump Sanctions Upend the Lives of I.C.C. Judges (NYT 1/10/26);
‘Data is control’: what we learned from a year investigating the Israeli military’s ties to big tech (Noa Yachot//The Guardian 12/30/25)
“In January this year, Harry Davies and Yuval Abraham first reported that Microsoft had deepened its ties to Israel alongside other major tech firms. Since then, the Guardian has published an award-winning series of investigations – in partnership with the Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and the Hebrew-language outlet Local Call – that has revealed a symbiotic relationship between Silicon Valley and the Israeli military…I asked Davies and Abraham to discuss what they learned this year – about the role of these technologies in Israel’s assault on Gaza, whether these business ties are sustainable, and what the revelations tell us about how the wars of the future will be fought.”
In first, Israel’s foreign minister visits Somaliland: What to know (Al Monitor 1/6/26)
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Dec. 22 Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, prompting angry reactions from the African Union, China, Turkey, Somalia and several other African countries. The European Union did not directly condemn the recognition but insisted that Somalia’s sovereignty should be respected. Israel became the first United Nations member to recognize Somaliland. Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates maintain close economic and strategic relations with Somaliland but have not officially recognized it.” See also Israel’s Somaliland gambit reflects a doctrine of endless escalation (Omar H. Rahman//+972 Magazine 1/13/26)
Adelaide festival apologises to Randa Abdel-Fattah and invites her to participate in 2027 writers’ week (The Guardian 1/14/26)
“The new Adelaide festival board has issued a public apology to Palestinian Australian academic Randa Abdel-Fattah, and has promised she will be invited to Adelaide writers’ week in 2027. Abdel-Fattah immediately accepted the apology, posting on Instagram that it was a vindication “of our collective solidarity and mobilisation against anti-Palestinian racism, bullying and censorship”.” See also An Australian writers’ festival cut a Palestinian author in the wake of a terror attack. Then it fell apart (The Guardian 1/13/26)
RIVER TO THE SEA
Israel poised to start construction of bypass through heart of West Bank (The Guardian 1/13/26)
“Israel plans to start work next month on a bypass road that will close off the heart of the occupied West Bank to Palestinians and cement the de facto annexation of an area critical for the viability of a future Palestinian state. The road is a key part of the blueprint for a vast illegal new settlement in the E1 area east of Jerusalem, which would fragment the occupied West Bank. The Israeli finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, said the plans were intended to “bury the idea of a Palestinian state”. Designed as a sealed transit corridor for Palestinian vehicles, the bypass will provide Israel with a pretext to bar Palestinians from existing roads in the planned settlement area, where only Israeli vehicles will be permitted.” See also For Hundreds of Palestinians, a 2-kilometer Jerusalem Commute Takes Three Hours (Haaretz 1/11/26); Palestinian child shot dead by Israeli troops in occupied West Bank (Al Jazeera 1/16/26); After Soldiers Kill Palestinian in West Bank Over Suspected Ramming Attack, IDF Says No Evidence Found (Haaretz 1/11/26);
Israel pushes ahead with vast illegal settlement in heart of West Bank (The Guardian 1/6/26)
“Israel is moving to start construction on a vast illegal settlement in the heart of the West Bank, designed to “bury the idea of a Palestinian state”…For years, construction was blocked by the US and the country’s European allies, for the same reason that the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and key ministers have embraced the plan. Both critics and supporters agree that moving tens of thousands of Israeli settlers into a triangle of occupied land between Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Ramallah would be critically damaging to efforts to reach a two-state solution.” See also Netanyahu: ‘Handful of kids’ not from West Bank behind rising settler violence (TOI 12/31/25); There is not a blade of grass that is not affected (Humans of Masafer Yatta//12/24/25); ‘A Handful of Kids?’ An Army of Israeli Youths Is Being Deployed to Expel Palestinians in the West Bank (Amira Hass & Matan Golan//Haaretz 1/9/26); Israeli troops steal 250 goats from Syria and smuggle them to occupied West Bank (Middle East Eye 1/16/26);
‘The settlers brought the violence’: the ethnic cleansing of a West Bank village (The Guardian 1/14/26)
“While Eshaq’s children loaded mattresses, a fridge, sacks of flour and suitcases of clothes into a truck, masked soldiers escorted a teenage Israeli shepherd down the main village road, where he posed for photos on his donkey, flashing a V sign. The ethnic cleansing of Ras ‘Ein al ‘Auja was underway, and the men and boys who made life untenable for Palestinians here had come to celebrate. Eshaq’s home, a community of about 135 families, was the largest and most established of the Bedouin villages dotted on hillsides in this part of the Jordan valley. By the start of this year, it was also the only one left. A campaign of intensifying settler violence – arson, mass theft, beatings, intimidation and destruction of property – forced out village after village until their last remaining neighbours, in nearby Mu’arrajat, fled in July. Israeli settlers now have full control of more than 250 sq km (100 sq miles) of land in this part of the occupied West Bank, where a decade ago only Bedouin herds grazed, said Dror Etkes, founder of settlement monitoring group Kerem Navot…The project to push them out of their homes began before the war in Gaza but gathered speed and strength as political and media attention focused elsewhere. “When the war started settler leadership understood they had an unprecedented opportunity to step up ethnic cleansing for the area,” Sarit Michaeli, international director of rights group B’Tselem. “The midterm goal is to remove Palestinians from all the open land in the West Bank, and they are doing this with the full participation of the Israeli government. The settler maps make clear that ultimately they want to empty the land of Palestinians.”’ See also ‘This Is Another Nakba’: How Over 100 West Bank Palestinians Had to Leave Their Homes In Just One Day (Matan Golan//Haaretz 1/13/26); An Attack Can Happen Any Second’: My Eyewitness Testimony of Rampant Settler Violence (Haaretz 1/8/25); ‘The Situation Has Become Too Difficult’: Palestinian Villagers Leave Their West Bank Homes Over Harassment by Israeli Settlers (Haaretz 1/11/26);
Palestinian bus drivers are on the front lines of Israeli racial violence (Charlotte Ritz-Jack//+972 Magazine 1/15/26)
“From Jerusalem to Haifa, bus drivers and ticket inspectors are facing an unprecedented surge in attacks — be it from ultra-Orthodox youth or soccer hooligans — forcing many to choose between livelihood and safety…During a mass demonstration by Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox community against conscription to the Israeli military last week, Palestinian bus driver Fakhri Khatib, driving Egged bus 64, found himself surrounded by a mob of young protesters banging on the side of the bus. He called the police for help, but none arrived. In a bid to escape the mob, he first reversed the bus several meters. But the protesters followed, and soon managed to prise open the door. As they forced their way inside, they kicked, spat at, and threatened Khatib, leading him to fear for his life. At this point he accelerated forward, unaware that 14-year old Yosef Eisenthal was clinging to the underside of the front bumper. Eisenthal was killed as Khatib drove away, while three more teenagers were wounded. Two other Palestinian bus drivers, neither of whom have spoken publicly, were attacked that night.…The case has thrust renewed attention onto a phenomenon that bus drivers and labor unions have been grappling with for years…But according to Koach LaOvdim (“Power to the Workers”), a trade union that has represented bus drivers since 2015 and now organizes roughly one-third of drivers nationwide, violence has surged to unprecedented levels over the past two years in a climate shaped by the aftermath of October 7 and Israel’s genocide in Gaza.”
Israel is ‘restoring governance’ to the Negev — by terrorizing Palestinians (Oren Ziv//+972 Magazine 1/9/25)
“With the pretext of a stolen horse, police have turned the Bedouin village of Tarabin Al-Sana into a war zone. A fatal shooting was only a matter of time…As in the West Bank, the state’s logic in the Negev is limited solely to the use of force, collective punishment, and ever bolder displays of meshilut — a Hebrew word meaning “governance” that has become a euphemism for harassment and collective punishment of Arab citizens.”
Why Israelis are leaving in record numbers (Hila Amit//+972 Magazine 1/7/26)
“In total, over 150,000 Israelis have left the country in the past two years alone, rising to over 200,000 since the current government took power. For this article, I interviewed several Israeli Jews who have left the country over the past two years. Their testimonies point to a profound loss of faith in the Zionist project itself — one that may signal a broader systemic unraveling. Mass emigration during what the state frames as an existential crisis exposes a central contradiction: If Israel is meant to serve as a safe haven for Jews, why are so many choosing to flee it?”
U.S. SCENE
US appeals court reverses decision that freed Mahmoud Khalil from ICE detention (The Guardian 1/15/26)
“A federal appeals court on Thursday reversed a lower court decision that ordered the release of the former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil from immigration detention, delivering the Trump administration a victory in its efforts to deport the pro-Palestinian activist…In a statement on Thursday, Khalil said: “Today’s ruling is deeply disappointing, but it does not break our resolve. The door may have been opened for potential re-detainment down the line, but it has not closed our commitment to Palestine and to justice and accountability. I will continue to fight, through every legal avenue and with every ounce of determination, until my rights, and the rights of others like me, are fully protected.”’ See also Calling Trump ‘Authoritarian,’ Judge Seeks to Restrict Student Deportations (NYT 1/15/26); How new protest laws are impacting political demonstrations (WaPo 1/2/26)
Netanyahu: Israel seeking to end U.S. aid within 10 years (JI 1/9/26)
“In an interview with The Economist released Friday, Netanyahu said that during his December visit to President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., he told Trump that Israel “very deeply appreciate[s] the military aid that America has given us over the years.” But, he said, “we’ve come of age and we’ve developed incredible capacity. And our economy, which will reach, certainly within a decade, will reach about a trillion dollars — it’s not a huge economy, but it’s not a small economy. So I want to taper off military aid within the next 10 years.”’
Militant pro-Israel group Betar US to halt NY operations after settlement with state attorney general (JTA 1/13/26)
“The militant pro-Israel group Betar US has agreed to halt its operations in New York in a settlement with state Attorney General Letitia James, whose office found that the group had committed a “campaign of violence, harassment, and intimidation against Arab, Muslim, and Jewish New Yorkers.” The settlement announced Tuesday followed a months-long investigation into Betar US triggered by “multiple complaints and public reports about Betar’s violence against and harassment of Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, and Jewish activists,” James’s office said. The investigation found that Betar encouraged its followers to bring weapons to pro-Palestinian protests, trespassed onto private property to steal Palestinian flags and followed and struck people wearing keffiyehs. The group boasted on social media about its activities, including incidents of violence, a practice that the settlement agreement notes. The settlement agreement details inflammatory social media posts that demeaned and called for violence against Palestinians in Gaza…Overall, James’ office found that Betar US violated civil rights regulations by harassing people who were exercising their constitutional right to protest.” See also New York Attorney General Slams Pro-Israel Group Betar U.S. for Biased Harassment of Arabs, Muslims (The Intercept 1/13/26);
PERSPECTIVES//LONG READS
De-Healthification: Israel’s Engineered Collapse of Palestinian Life (Layth Malhis//Al Shabaka 1/11/26)
“This policy brief introduces de-healthification as a framework for understanding Israel’s systematic destruction of Palestinian healthcare infrastructure, particularly in Gaza. Rather than viewing the collapse of Gaza’s health system as a secondary outcome of the genocide, the brief argues that it is the product of long-standing policies of blockade, occupation, and structural neglect intended to render Palestinian life unhealable and perishable…By tracing the historical evolution of de-healthification, this brief argues that naming the process is essential for accountability. Because intent is revealed through patterns of destruction rather than explicit declarations, the framework of de-healthification equips policymakers, legal bodies, and advocates to identify healthcare destruction and denial as a core mechanism of settler-colonial control.”
The ADL Could Focus on America’s Biggest Driver of Antisemitism. Instead, It’s Obsessed With Mamdani. (Joshua Shanes//Slate 1/1/26)
“During these same weeks, the most powerful Republican politicians and media personalities in the country have leaned deeply into open antisemitism…A week later was Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, at which a parade of speakers defended the right of open Nazis to exist within the Republican Party. Tucker Carlson spewed a series of claims about a cabal fighting American national interests as he defended himself against Ben Shapiro’s criticism for platforming Fuentes. Steve Bannon said, to cheers, that Shapiro—whose prominent Jewishness stood out at the affair—“is like a cancer, and that cancer spreads.” And J.D. Vance—the vice president of the United States—also defended the neo-Nazis in his party. He contrasted the GOP’s “free thinkers” to the threat of “a bunch of drones who take their orders from George Soros.” He concluded to the excited crowd: “By the grace of God, we always will be a Christian nation.”…So what does the country’s self-described defender against antisemitism, the Anti-Defamation League, have to say about the nation’s dominant political movement welcoming unapologetically antisemitic members into its ranks? Shockingly little. It has chosen not to focus much on these powerful people spouting or platforming explicit, even pro-Nazi, antisemitism. Indeed, it has ignored and even defended many of them. Instead, the ADL seems laser focused on Mamdani…So why the focus on Mamdani? The answer is that this is not about antisemitism but rather about preserving Israeli power over Palestinians. Though many Jews are unhappy that Mamdani won’t condemn the phrase “Globalize the Intifada”—he has said he dislikes it but will not denounce it—the mayor-elect is accused of antisemitism mainly because he supports Israel’s existence only as a democratic state and opposes one that gives preferential treatment to Jews over Palestinians.” See also The ADL’s turn away from civil rights was years in the making — Oct. 7 accelerated it (Arno Rosenfeld//The Forward 1/15/26);
Israel’s Religious Zionist Camp No Longer Denies Jewish Terror. It Celebrates It (Haaretz 1/8/25)
“According to UN data, in 2025 there were more than 1,770 settler attacks causing bodily harm or property damage – an average of five a day. More than a thousand Palestinians were injured, and thousands were forced to flee their homes. In an interview with Fox News last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempted to downplay the situation, claiming the perpetrators were “a handful of kids, about 70 kids, not from the West Bank, teens who come from broken homes.” The Makor Rishon interview exposes this as utter nonsense. The interviewees themselves testify that these young Cossacks grew up and were educated in the settlements, and that their actions are part of an organized, systematic mechanism of abusing Palestinians in order to seize their land. The army assists, the police look away, and the state encourages and funds it. These are the two faces of Israel: one that denies Jewish terrorism, and one that celebrates it openly, with fanatical pride. They are not contradictory; they are complementary. The lies from above create a façade and room to maneuver, while the sadistic joy rising from below fuels the militias.” See also Israeli Indifference to Palestinian Suffering Is Fertile Ground for the Growth of Sadism (Amira Hass//Haaretz 1/7/26)
Israel Is on the Brink of Civil War, Says the New Israel Fund Chief. Here’s What It Will Look Like (Haaretz 1/9/26)
“The Israeli left has gotten used to fighting small, isolated battles. Mickey Gitzin, head of the New Israel Fund, thinks on a completely different scale – and says leftists can’t leave now”
‘Steadfastness’ without substance: How Hamas narrates the Gaza war today (Menachem Klein//+972 Magazine 1/14/26)
“In an updated text, the group is unapologetic for its conduct, taking credit for the damage Israel’s genocide did to itself while offering no political horizon.”
Fighting fascism in America during a genocide in Palestine (Amahl Bishara//+972 Magazine 12/30/25)
“As Palestinians, we must insist on being at the center of our own liberation; others have spoken on our behalf for far too long. This movement for justice must be focused on the lived realities inside Israel-Palestine, as well among Palestinian refugees who have been on the frontline of dispossession for generations. At the same time, as members of other polities, we Palestinians in the diaspora have concurrent responsibilities. In the United States today, people refer to rising fascism here and I think about genocide there, whether in Gaza or Sudan, or genocide then, 80 or hundreds of years ago. We protest a prison at the mall here and must also remember prisons everywhere, from the Everglades to Egypt and El Salvador, while recognizing how everyday sites around us are proximal to systems of violence. Solidarity politics and a commitment to dignity for all demands that we think in relation. We are called to break those rules that cordon off one story, like the history of the Holocaust, from another, like the Nakba, or ICE detentions, or American settler colonialism. Indeed, the effective use of legal categories like genocide and the struggle against global systems of violence demand this connective work.”
NEW FROM FMEP
From Apartheid to Democracy: A Blueprint for Peace in Israel-Palestine (New Occupied Thoughts episode)
“FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Sarah Leah Whitson and Michael Omer-Man of DAWN, an organization supporting human rights and democracy in the Middle East & North Africa. They discuss the recently-published book that Whitson and Omer-Man co-authored, From Apartheid to Democracy: A Blueprint for Peace in Israel-Palestine. Practically, the book acts as a blueprint for ameliorating the conditions in Palestine-Israel today, such that the residents of the country may decide through democratic means how to organize society in the future.”
FMEP Legislative Round-Up December 19, 2025 (Lara Friedman)
- Bills, Resolutions; 2. Letters; 3. Hearings & Markup; 4. Selected Members on the Record; 5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements
Settlement & Annexation Report: December 19, 2025 (Kristin McCarthy)
- Rajabi Family Evicted from Home in Silwan, Settlers Move In; More Evictions Expected; 2. Israel Advances Plans for the Atarot Settlement; 3. Preliminary Details on 19 New Settlements; 4. Settlers Cross Into Gaza, Again, With No Repercussions; 5. Governing Coalition to Push Annexation Ahead of 2026 Elections; 6. Israel Continues Holding Jordan Valley Activist With No Charges; 7. State-Backed Settler Terror this Week; 8. The History and Power of Settler Militias; 9. Bonus Reads
GAZA
Israeli troops kill six Palestinians sheltering in Gaza school, say hospital chiefs (The Guardian 12/20/25)
“The Israeli military killed six Palestinians, including a baby, who were in a school that sheltered displaced people in Gaza City on Friday, hospital officials have said. The attack brings the number of Palestinians killed by Israel to 401 since the October ceasefire took effect. Israeli troops fired over the ceasefire line which they have withdrawn to, killing the Palestinians and wounding a number more, the Palestinian civil defence said in a statement.”
Israel Is Preparing for a Permanent Presence in Gaza, Satellite Images Reveal (Forensic Architecture & Drop Site 12/20/25)
“Since the so-called ceasefire came into effect in Gaza on October 10, Israel has been consolidating its control of over 50% of Gaza and—according to new research by Forensic Architecture—physically altering the geography of the land. Through a combination of the construction of military infrastructure alongside the destruction of existing buildings, Israel appears to be laying the groundwork to establish a permanent presence in the majority of the Gaza Strip. Israel has constructed at least 13 new military outposts inside Gaza since the ceasefire—primarily located along the yellow line, in eastern Khan Younis, and near the border with Israel, according to analysis of satellite imagery by Forensic Architecture.” See also Satellite Images Show Israel Continues Gaza Demolition Efforts Despite Cease-fire (Haaretz 12/22/25); ‘Gaza Belongs to Israel’: Settler Activists Illegally Breach Enclave, Raise Israeli Flag (Haaretz 12/18/25); ‘Every border lasts until the next war’: Israel’s settlers gather to ‘raise flag’ in Gaza (Middle East Eye 12/19/25);
Gaza no longer in famine but hunger levels remain critical, UN says (The Guardian 12/19/25)
“The famine in Gaza has ended as a result of increased humanitarian aid deliveries into the territory, the UN said on Friday, though it warned that levels of hunger and the humanitarian situation remained critical. Almost one in eight people in Gaza still faced food shortages, the UN said, adding that persistent hunger had been made worse by winter flooding and the colder weather. Most people in Gaza live in tents or other substandard accommodation as Israel destroyed much of the housing and civilian infrastructure during its two-year war. Israel has partly eased restrictions on the entry of aid since an October ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, but delivery was still limited and inconsistent, the UN said.” See also Hunger monitor says Gaza is still seeing acute malnutrition but not famine (WaPo 12/19/25)
From cash brokers to crypto, Gazans struggle to stay financially afloat (Ahmed Ahmed//+972 Magazine 12/19/25)
“Even as the intensity of Israel’s assault has slowed since the October ceasefire, Gaza’s economy shows few signs of recovery. Some banks have reopened, but still have no cash. At the end of November, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) warned that Gaza was going through “the fastest and most damaging economic collapse ever recorded,” with the economy having lost 87 percent of its prewar value. In 2024, UNCTAD reported, Gaza’s GDP per capita fell to $161 and inflation rose 238 percent, pushing all 2.3 million of its residents below the poverty line.” What is ‘home’ now? A woman’s two-year search for safety in the ruins of Gaza (The Guardian 12/16/25);
Israel kills Hamas leader in Gaza, challenging fragile truce (WaPo 12/13/25)
“The commander, Raed Saad, headed operations and production for Hamas’s armed wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, according to the European Council on Foreign Relations. His death marked the most significant assassination in Gaza since the ceasefire began two months ago…Pressure is building on Israel to move the Gaza truce to its second, more complicated phase, which in theory would include the disarmament of Hamas, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory and the creation of an international force to maintain security. But its first phase — the release of hostages by Hamas, the withdrawal of Israeli forces to an agreed-upon portion of Gaza and the facilitation of aid into the territory — has proved difficult to implement. Each side has accused the other of not fulfilling its commitments. Israel says Hamas has been slow to return the bodies of hostages, one of which remains in Gaza. Hamas points to the continued closure of border crossings for medical evacuations and aid and daily Israeli fire on Gaza.”
How Israel’s ‘yellow line’ is dividing Gaza with deadly consequences (The Guardian 12/17/25)
“Israel military chief, Eyal Zamir, announced on Monday that the ‘yellow line’, drawn up by the October ceasefire plan, was a ‘new border’ for Israel. This line has become a lethal boundary, preventing Palestinians entering an area representing 58% of their territory. The Guardian’s chief Middle East correspondent, Emma Graham-Harrison, describes life on the ground for those forced on an ever-smaller part of their land.” See also Israel says its military killed Hamas commander Raed Saed in Gaza City strike (The Guardian 12/13/25); Israel’s expanding ‘Yellow Line’ swallows Gaza districts and uproots families (Middle East Eye 12/13/25); Average Palestinian in Gaza Displaced Six Times During War, Israeli Human Rights Group Finds (Haaretz 12/19/25);
Families washed out of tents as flood waters course through Gaza (The Guardian 12/12/25)
“Gaza has been hit by heavy rains and low temperatures, deepening the misery of most of its 2.2 million population who are living in tents after two years of Israeli bombardment. Thousands of homeless people have been washed out of their makeshift shelters and forced to seek emergency refuge.” See also In Gaza, another winter of despair (WaPo 12/22/25);
Garbage Is Poisoning Gaza (Abdel Qader Sabbah and Sharif Abdel Kouddous//Drop Site 12/16/25)
“With Israel controlling all of Gaza’s major landfill areas, 900,000 tons of solid waste have been dumped across the enclave, exacerbating a public health crisis…Over the past two years, Gaza’s civilian infrastructure has been systematically destroyed by the Israeli military, including waste management services. Massive piles of garbage have accumulated across the enclave. Once busy markets and tree-shaded streets have turned into endless mountains of trash, severely exacerbating Gaza’s environmental and public health crisis.”
REGION//GLOBAL
US said to pitch ‘Project Sunrise’ — $112B plan to rebuild Gaza as luxury destination (TOI 12/20/25)
“A US proposal to rebuild war-torn Gaza into a high-tech, luxurious coastal destination over the next two decades has been pitched to possible donor countries, according to a report on Friday. The project, which would cost $112 billion over the first 10 years, was developed by a team led by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff over the past 45 days, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.” See also ‘They’re trying to get rich off it’: US contractors vie to rebuild Gaza, with ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ team in the lead (The Guardian 12/14/25);
Hamas: We Did Not Surrender and Will Not Abandon Our Struggle for Liberation (Jeremy Scahill and Jawa Ahmad//Drop Site 12/19/25)
“As the White House struggles to convince even a single nation to deploy forces in Gaza on a mission to disarm the Palestinian resistance, Hamas negotiators say there has been no formal communication from the U.S. on how it intends to proceed on any of the terms laid out in Trump’s sweeping plan. There have been no substantive discussions on how Gaza will be governed, who will be in charge of its internal security, when or how Israeli forces will withdraw, and what role Palestinians will play in determining their own destiny…Several Palestinian negotiators who maintain contact with regional mediators from Qatar and Egypt told Drop Site that what is happening behind the scenes is largely a negotiation between the U.S. and Israel, as well as consultations with regional mediators Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. The Palestinian side, Hamas officials said, is periodically briefed on the evolution of the U.S.-Israeli positions gleaned by the mediators, but it is not engaged in any process resembling a negotiation.” See also Israeli PM Netanyahu announces $35 billion gas deal with Egypt as US pushes for summit (CNN 12/18/25);
UK jails send Palestine Action hunger strikers to hospital (Middle East Eye 12/22/25)
“Two pro-Palestine activists held in British prisons have been transferred to hospital after weeks without food, prompting mounting concern from their families and members of parliament over prison conditions and medical care…According to the prisoner-led group Prisoners for Palestine, six detainees have now required hospital treatment since the hunger strike began on 2 November, the anniversary of the 1917 Balfour Declaration that led to the creation of Israel and the dispossession of Palestinians in 1948. Ahmed and Gib are among six detainees awaiting trial over break-ins at the UK subsidiary of Israeli arms firm Elbit Systems in Bristol and a Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire, protesting the UK’s continued complicity in the genocide in Gaza. They are being held on suspicion of involvement in a June break-in at Brize Norton airbase, where military aircraft were sprayed with paint. The UK government has claimed that the pair carried out criminal damage, aggravated burglary and violent disorder.”
UK makes first arrests for ‘Globalize the intifada’ chants, in shift spurred by Bondi attack (Times of Israel 12/19/25)
“UK police made their first arrests Wednesday since announcing officers will detain people who publicly chant pro-Palestinian calls to “globalize the intifada,” in a change prompted by Australia’s Bondi Beach massacre…It came hours after the Met and police in England’s northwest city of Manchester announced they would “be more assertive” in policing such protests to counter alleged antisemitism and incitement to violence through slogans.” See also ‘Protests had nothing to do with the attacks’: activists condemn premier’s plan to restrict rallies after Bondi shooting (Guardian 12/18/25);
Rising tensions with Israel have Lebanon fearing return to all-out war (WaPo 12/15/25)
“Thirteen months after a ceasefire was supposed to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon is bracing for another Israeli military escalation that could imperil its fragile recovery and fling the country back into war. Lebanese officials in recent days said messages from intermediaries, including the United States, have warned of a potential large-scale Israeli military operation in the country, though the timing is unclear…Since the truce was signed in November 2024, Israel has carried out near-daily airstrikes in Lebanon, demolished homes and other infrastructure during frequent raids, and continued to occupy five strategic areas in the south of the country — actions that Lebanese and U.N. officials have said represent repeated violations of the ceasefire.” See also U.S. strikes dozens of sites in Syria in retaliation for troops’ deaths (WaPo 12/20/25); U.S. Sanctions Two Additional ICC Judges, Citing Court’s ‘Politicized Actions Targeting Israel’ (Haaretz 12/18/25); Trump administration imposes sanctions on two more ICC judges (Reuters 12/18/25); Maersk resumes Red Sea passage after two-year halt amid easing Houthi threat (Al Monitor 12/19/25);
Killing the ‘brain trust’: How Israel targeted Iran’s nuclear scientists (WaPo 12/17/25)
“At about 3:21 a.m. on June 13, in the opening minutes of Israel’s 12-day war with Iran, Israeli weapons began slamming into apartment blocks and homes in the Iranian capital. Operation Narnia, the campaign against Iran’s top nuclear scientists, was underway…The massive, multipronged Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear program convulsed the Middle East, sparked promises of Iranian revenge, and, for now, have tanked the possibility of a diplomatic agreement to curb Tehran’s nuclear work and place it under tight international controls…The Washington Post, together with PBS “Frontline,” has uncovered new details about the attacks, the planning behind them and their impact in Iran. This report is based on interviews with multiple current and former Israeli, Iranian, Arab and U.S. officials, some of whom spoke to reporters for the first time and on the condition of anonymity to describe secret operations and assessments. Iran’s nuclear work probably has been set back years, officials from Israel, the United States and the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency said. But that is far from President Donald Trump’s claim that the program was “completely and totally obliterated.”’
Meet the U.S. Donors Funding ELNET, the AIPAC of Europe (Akela Lacy//The Intercept 12/15/25)
“U.S. donors are funneling millions to a group its leaders describe as the AIPAC of Europe. The European Leadership Network, or ELNET, takes elected officials on networking trips to Israel, hosts events with members of European parliaments, and lobbies on foreign policy issues — much like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee operates in the U.S. Its co-founder, Raanan Eliaz, is a former AIPAC consultant and alumnus of the Israeli prime minister’s office. The group credits itself for key pro-Israel foreign policy decisions, including getting Germany to approve a $3.5 billion deal to purchase Israeli drones and rockets, the largest in Israel’s history. Since the October 7 attacks in Israel — and amid two years of genocide in Gaza — ELNET has broken fundraising records. Funding ELNET’s work are more than 100 U.S. foundations, nonprofits, trusts, and charitable giving organizations that have poured at least $11 million into the group’s U.S. arm since 2022, an analysis by The Intercept found. This is the first major analysis of how U.S. donors are fueling the pro-Israel machine in Europe, exporting the same tactics that have for years helped AIPAC crush concern for Palestinians in the halls of power and advance unchecked support for Israel.” See also Eurovision winner Nemo to return trophy in protest at Israel taking part in 2026 (The Guardian 12/11/25);
RIVER TO THE SEA
Land Grab: Israel’s Escalating Campaign for Control of the West Bank (NYT 12/20/25)
“And since the Oct. 7., 2023, attack on Israel by Palestinian militants from Gaza, Israel’s far-right government has embraced a playbook of expanding settlements across the West Bank, transforming the region, piece by piece, from a patchwork of connected Palestinian villages into a collection of Israeli neighborhoods. The unrelenting violent campaign by these settlers, that critics say is largely tolerated by the Israeli military, consists of brutal harassment, beatings, even killings, as well as high-impact roadblocks and village closures. These are coupled with a drastic increase in land seizures by the state and the demolition of villages to force Palestinians to abandon their land. Many of the settlers are young extremists whose views go beyond even the far-right ideology of the government. They are not generally operating on direct orders from Israel’s military leadership. But they know the military frequently looks the other way and facilitates their actions. In many cases, it is the military that forces Palestinians to evacuate or orders the destruction of their homes once settlers drive them to flee…Across the West Bank, there is desperation among Palestinian villagers and farmers as they watch the takeover of their lands at a pace never seen before. And there is fear that the changes are already becoming irreversible…There is little due process and villagers live at the mercy of vigilante settlers and members of military platoons who exert almost total power over them. Settlers, who are subject to Israeli civil and criminal law rather than the military’s jurisdiction, are rarely detained or arrested for extremist or violent actions, while the military routinely rounds up Palestinians with little explanation or justification.” See also The Interview: Raja Shehadeh Believes Israelis and Palestinians Can Still Find Peace (NYT 12/20/25); Israeli settlers attack Palestinians with impunity, halting West Bank olive harvest (PBS News Hour 12/12/25); Palestinian teen reportedly shot dead by settler; footage appears to show he was killed while fleeing (TOI 12/16/25);
Israel approves 19 new Jewish settlements in occupied West Bank (The Guardian 12/19/25)
“Israel has approved a proposal for 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank as the government pushes ahead with a construction binge in the territory that poses a further threat to the possibility of a Palestinian state. It brings the total number of new settlements over the past few years to 69, a new record, according to the far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who has pushed a settlement expansion agenda in the West Bank.” See also The volunteers putting their bodies between Israel settlers and a Palestinian village (The Guardian 12/20/25);
‘Altering Demography’: Israel Bars Displaced Palestinians From Returning to West Bank Homes (Haaretz 12/17/25)
“Palestinian Authority officials said Israel is preventing the return of thousands of displaced families to refugee camps in the West Bank in an attempt to “eliminate” the refugee issue, disputing Israeli claims that the nearly year-long displacement stems from security concerns…The Israeli army began a wide-ranging operation in the West Bank last January with the declared goal of ensuring freedom of action across wide areas of the northern West Bank, destroying terror infrastructure and “ticking time bombs.” Over the course of the operation, dubbed Iron Wall, tens of thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in the Tulkarm, Nur al-Shams and Jenin refugee camps. In the meantime, the army has been razing many buildings in the camps, a process that continues even a year after the displacement.” See also New Israeli barrier will slice through precious West Bank farmland (The Guardian 12/13/25);
Palestinian prisoners speak out about how they were raped in Israeli jails (Middle East Eye 12/18/25)
“In exclusive interviews, two Palestinians detained in separate Israeli prisons recount harrowing details of violent sexual assault” See also Israel’s Ben Gvir proposes prison ‘encircled by crocodiles’ for Palestinians (Middle East Eye 12/21/25);
In the name of ‘urban renewal,’ Israel is trampling Lod’s 2,000-year-old heritage (Tawfiq Da’adli//+972 Magazine 12/22/25)
“The municipality is encouraging real estate sharks to tear up the city’s history in order to build towers that will likely drive out Palestinian residents.”
U.S. SCENE
‘An Electoral Liability’ | Majority of Young Republicans Oppose Aid to Israel, Poll Finds (Haaretz 12/18/25)
“According to new polling from the IMEU Policy Project, conducted by YouGov, young Republicans (defined as 44-years-old and younger) are rapidly shifting away from decades-old status quos surrounding the U.S.-Israel relationship, which could have significant ramifications in next year’s midterm elections and the 2028 presidential primaries…The survey of 1,287 Republicans found that young voters view military assistance to Israel as an electoral weakness, both in Republican primaries and in general elections between Republicans and Democrats. The data illustrates how America’s generational divide over Israel has quickly become a signature element of conflicts within the GOP. A majority of Republican voters under age 45 say they would prefer to support a candidate who supports reducing U.S. taxpayer-funded weapons to Israel in the 2028 Republican presidential primary (51 percent), while only 27 percent prefer a candidate who would maintain or increase weapons. Sixty-three percent of young Republicans – and 59 percent across age groups – agree that the U.S. should independently investigate credible accusations of the Israeli military killing American civilians, while half of young Republicans believe that “legitimate criticism of Israel that should be protected under free speech is too often accused of being antisemitic.”…The polling is the latest example of young Republicans rapidly evolving in their views of Israel. According to a March 2025 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 50 percent of Republicans under the age of 50 hold unfavorable views of Israel. This marks a 15-point increase from 2022, when Pew last posed the question.” See also MAGA Infighting Over Israel on Full Display at Turning Point USA Event (Haaretz 12/22/25); At AmericaFest, Shapiro, Carlson clash over the future of the conservative movement (JI 12/19/25); Trump warns that Israel, ‘Jewish lobby’ have lost influence in D.C. (Jewish Insider 12/17/25);
Trump’s New Travel Ban Targets Palestinians (Alex Kane//Jewish Currents 12/22/25)
“Last week, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that bans people from Syria, South Sudan, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Palestinians with Palestinian Authority-issued passports, from entering the United States…To learn more about this iteration of Trump’s travel ban, the implications for Palestinians, and what the new restrictions say about Trump’s broader immigration agenda, Jewish Currents spoke to Samah Sisay, a staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), which filed multiple challenges to travel bans Trump issued during his first term.” See also State Dept., GOP lawmakers meet with members of Germany’s far-right AfD party (Jewish Insider 12/15/25);
Trump administration prepares sweeping crackdown on leftist networks (WaPo 12/18/25)
“The Trump administration is embarking on an expansive effort to root out what it sees as rampant left-wing domestic terrorism, raising concerns among some security experts and lawmakers that broad categories of Americans’ political speech could come under surveillance.” See also White House Refuses to Rule Out Summary Executions of People on Its Secret Domestic Terrorist List (The Intercept 12/12/25); Longtime Paid FBI Informant Was Instrumental in Terror Case Against “Turtle Island Liberation Front” (The Intercept 12/16/25);
The Genocides The New York Times Forgot (Zachary Jablow//Jewish Currents 12/19/25)
“The paper’s Gaza coverage continues its pattern of downplaying US-backed atrocities in Bangladesh, East Timor, and Guatemala.”
StopAntisemitism Takes Credit for Getting Hundreds Fired. A Music Teacher Is Suing. (The Intercept 12/20/25)
“Lewis is one of at least 400 people StopAntisemitism has taken credit for getting ousted from their jobs in its online crusade, which has drawn widespread attention for targeting more prominent figures — including right-wing pundit Tucker Carlson, progressive actor-turned-activist Cynthia Nixon, and the popular children’s educator Rachel Accurso, known by her stage name Ms. Rachel. Lewis, without her own platform or mass audience, is one of only two recent StopAntisemitism targets pursuing active federal lawsuits against the blacklist organization…She sued StopAntisemitism for defamation in an Oregon state court over the summer, and the case was elevated to federal court last month. Her suit faces long odds, legal experts told The Intercept, but serves as a rare chance to register public dissent in the courts against the group’s targeting.”
PERSPECTIVES//LONG READS
Kings of famine (Mada Masr 12/11/25)
“The Palestinian National Economy Ministry’s report — obtained by Mada Masr and published here for the first time — reveals the features of the monopolistic system that has dominated the entry and transport of aid and commercial goods into the strip, a system that Israel established in the first few months of the war it launched on Gaza in October 2023. Several parties have participated in this lucrative scheme, which has generated billions of dollars through the storage, transportation, provision of security for and sale of goods at unprecedented rates — all at the expense of millions in Gaza suffering from hunger amid a genocide of unimaginable proportions. Behind this monopoly scheme stands a network of businessmen who profit from the “widespread starvation and destitution” that Palestinians in Gaza suffer. From his side, [Egyptian businessman Ibrahim al-] Argany controls what is known as “the Egyptian line,” while others control the “Israeli line.” Both sides have reaped staggering profits under this complicated system that has undergone several changes in the past two years but remains under complete Israeli control.”
How to Keep Resolution 2803 From Becoming a U.S.–Run Occupation (Carol Daniel-Kasbari//Quincy Institute 12/10/25)
“President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza — adopted by the U.N. Security Council as Resolution 2803 — risks becoming yet another U.S.–run occupation. Coming on the heels of U.N. findings that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, the plan would place Washington at the center of a post-genocide mission. This brief lays out how the U.S. can avoid a quagmire by aligning implementation with genocide-prevention obligations, Palestinian self-determination, and a credible exit strategy.”
After the Bondi massacre, we don’t have the luxury to grieve silently (Em Hilton//+972 Magazine 12/15/25)
“Sunday’s attack on Jewish Australians celebrating the first night of Hanukkah on Bondi Beach was the country’s deadliest mass shooting in almost 30 years, and the worst that its Jewish community has ever experienced…Immediately, the perverse dance we have grown so accustomed to in recent years began playing out all over again. Before the blood of the victims had even dried, right-wing politicians and public figures — in Australia and around the world — were declaring the attack a consequence of growing anti-Zionist sentiment and pro-Palestine activism, without any proof or indication of the attackers’ motivations (the authorities have since linked the two men to ISIS)…Israel’s genocide in Gaza has generated deep-seated rage around the world. The international community’s failure to stop it has allowed that rage to fester while fueling conspiratorial ideas about Jewish power — all of which has combined to make Jews less safe…In response to the Bondi attack, it is tempting, as many on the Jewish left have done for years, to promote the idea of safety through solidarity, according to which the strengthening of bonds between different marginalized communities is the key to each other’s protection. But as a colleague said to me recently, the pursuit of safety may be a delusion…Perhaps, if safety is currently unattainable, we should instead be aiming for a commitment to look after each other and face the risks ahead with clear eyes, and to resist the systems and politics that seek to erase our humanity.”
Crying Is Not Surrender (Abdullah Hany Daher//Jewish Currents 12/22/25)
“War revises emotion. Sorrow is stifled. Sadness is stunted. In Gaza, children are informed that their parents are martyrs, not victims. Women are applauded for remaining quiet during funerals, for sitting silently amid the veiled bodies of their children. Fathers stand at burial sites, shaking hands and accepting condolences. Their eyes are vacant, fixed on the spaces where the no-longer-living used to be…How many parents have buried their children without crying in public? How many people keep their screams inside, afraid of being perceived as weak or ungrateful or a distraction from the cause? People become monuments to suffering—unmoving, unspoken, unfinished…You stand in front of loss and feel nothing—then, guilt for feeling nothing. Later this becomes a wound.”
Why The Voice of Hind Rajab Will Break Your Heart (Ahmed Moor//The Nation 12/18/25)
“Hind Rajab, a beautiful 5-year-old girl from northern Gaza, was first terrorized and then murdered alongside six members of her family by Israeli soldiers on January 29, 2024. I can say so with certainty because I’ve listened to the voice recording she left behind—the last vestige of the little girl’s ever having existed…the Tunisian writer and director Kaouther Ben Hania made a film, The Voice of Hind Rajab, the subject of this review. The movie is a work of art—and of humanity. A spare examination of the hours, the eternity, spent by Hind’s would-be rescuers as they speak with the girl and try in vain, hopefully and then hopelessly, to save her life…Already, Hind’s story has attained symbolic proportions. But here, in this film, she is a child, a human being. A person whose life carried meaning, who deserved a warm bed and a childhood. I am so sorry for her, and for the more than 20,000 children—and the more than 100,000 Palestinians in Gaza—who were murdered by the Israeli state.”
Can Standing Together bear the weight of its contradictions? (Samah Watad//+972 Magazine 12/19/25)
“Founded by members of the Israeli Communist Party, including former Knesset member Dov Khenin and the organization’s current national co-director Alon-Lee Green, Standing Together positions itself as a grassroots Jewish-Arab movement built on street-level organizing, bilingual messaging, and coordinated mass action that aspires to reconstitute the long-stagnant Israeli left. Having grown steadily during its first eight years, the movement’s visibility has skyrocketed amid Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which has brought renewed scrutiny both locally and internationally over its role in the struggle for a just future in Israel-Palestine. Standing Together’s rapid expansion over the past two years — the movement now boasts almost 6,000 members, and its website lists nearly 80 employees — has been fueled in part by its growing appeal among young Palestinians in Israel who are disillusioned with traditional party politics. But as the movement grows, so do questions about its electoral ambitions, its stance on thorny issues like Zionism and Israel’s Jewish character, and its capacity to meaningfully engage the contradictions facing Palestinian citizens of Israel under an increasingly fascist Israeli government.” See also Is Israel’s genocide economy on the brink? (Amos Brison//12/16/25)
There’s No Such Thing as Settler Violence. It’s Israeli Violence (Jonathan Pollak//Haaretz 12/22/25)
“Settler violence doesn’t exist. The violence against Palestinians in all its forms – that which is carried out by Israel’s armed forces and bureaucrats and that which liberals like to imagine as taking place outside the law – isn’t an irregular phenomenon but the essence of Israeliness. As in the West Bank, so in Gaza, Jaffa, the Galilee and everywhere else. The West Bank isn’t the land of the settlers, and the attackers aren’t a handful of extremists. The attacks are the implementation of a long-established policy of ethnic cleansing that does not begin and does not end with “extremist settlers” or “the far-right government.” The West Bank isn’t extraterritorial. The whole land, from the sea to the river, is a land of one law. This is what Israel is.”
NEW FROM FMEP
FMEP Legislative Round-Up December 12, 2025 (Lara Friedman)
- Bills, Resolutions; 2. Letters; 3. Hearings & Markups; 4. Selected Members on the Record; 5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements
Christians in Gaza, Ecclesiocide, and Kairos Palestine II (New Occupied Thoughts episode)
FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi speaks with Dr. Yousef Kamal AlKhouri, Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies and Academic Dean at Bethlehem Bible College and a Christian Arab Palestinian theologian from Gaza. They discuss the Christian community in Gaza, the importance of Gaza in Christianity and Christian history, and the destruction of Christians in Gaza, which Dr. AlKhouri has termed ‘ecclesiocide.’ They also discuss the new Kairos document, called Kairos II, launched in Bethlehem in November 2025. According to the Kairos Palestine Initiative, Kairos II “declares the reality in Palestine as genocide and ethnic cleansing, challenges Western silence, and introduces a theology of resistance linking faith with justice. It exposes internal crises and reshapes the role of Christians in the struggle for liberation.”
Additional Occupied Thoughts podcast episodes in November & December 2025 (Full Index)
- Surrealism against fascism (FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor and author Naomi Klein)
- Boycott, solidarity & taking responsibility: Ahmed Moor speaks to Peter Beinart about the TAU speech (FMEP Fellows Ahmed Moor & Peter Beinart)
- Queerness and Liberation: A Discussion about ‘Fire in Every Direction’ (FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor & author Tareq Baconi)
- Jewish Institutions & Anti-Zionism (FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor with Rabbi Alissa Wise of Rabbis for Ceasefire and Arielle Angel of Jewish Currents)
- “Without memory, there can be no justice” – Archiving the Gaza Genocide (Lara Friedman and Zo Brown, founder of Databases for Palestine)
- Jordan, the Gulf, and American Policy in Palestine (FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor & Annelle Sheline of the Quincy Institute)
GAZA
‘Yellow line’ that divides Gaza under Trump plan is ‘new border’ for Israel, says military chief (Guardian 12/8/25)
“The “yellow line” that divides Gaza under Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan is a “new border” for Israel, the country’s military chief told soldiers deployed in the territory. The chief of the general staff, Eyal Zamir, said Israel would hold on to its current military positions. These give Israel control of more than half o Gaza, including most agricultural land and the border crossing with Egypt. “The ‘yellow line’ is a new border line, serving as a forward defensive line for our communities and a line of operational activity,” Zamir said during a visit to meet Israeli reservists in northern Gaza…Palestinians were forced out of this eastern portion of Gaza by Israeli attacks and evacuation orders. Almost all the surviving population, over 2 million people, are now crowded into a narrow zone of coastal sand dunes that is smaller than Washington DC. Zamir’s commitment to keep troops in Gaza appears to contradict the ceasefire agreement signed in October, which specifies that “Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza”.” See also How Trump’s Gaza Plan Is Enabling Another Israeli Land Grab (Jewish Currents 12/8/25); 12 dead and 27,000 tents destroyed in Gaza storms (Drop Site 12/12/25); Thirteen Gazans, Including Three Children, Killed by Hypothermia or Building Collapses Amid Storm Byron (Haaretz 12/12/25);
Along Israel’s expanding Yellow Line, the war in Gaza never ended (Ruwaida Amer//+972 Magazine 12/5/25)
“Since the illusory ceasefire took hold in Gaza, the lives of Palestinians in the Strip have been dictated by an imaginary line drawn up by the Israeli army. Crossing this “Yellow Line,” which indicates the boundary of Israel’s occupation of ethnically cleansed areas spanning more than half of Gaza, constitutes a death sentence — even for children collecting firewood for their wheelchair-bound father. Yet not only is it poorly demarcated; it is also continuously expanding. Residents describe a reality in which supposedly safe neighborhoods are transformed overnight into active frontlines, with no warning.” See also ‘Bloodshed was supposed to stop’: no sign of normal life as Gaza’s killing and misery grind on (The Guardian 12/6/25);
More than 9,000 children in Gaza treated for acute malnutrition in October, UN says (The Guardian 12/9/25)
“While the immediate threat of famine has receded for most of the 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza after the ceasefire announcement on 10 October, the UN and other aid agencies report continuing Israeli restrictions on their humanitarian aid shipments, which they say fall well below the needs of a population weakened and traumatised by two years of war, homelessness and living in flimsy shelters.” See also A winter storm chills Gaza and floods tent camps, exposing aid failures (AP 12/11/25); Families washed out of tents as flood waters course through Gaza (The Guardian 12/12/25)
Watched, Tracked, and Targeted Life in Gaza under Israel’s all-encompassing surveillance regime. (Mohammed R. Mhawish//NY Magazine 12/3/2025)
“Life in Gaza for the past two years has been a process of losing everything visible — our families, homes, streets. It also means losing what cannot be seen: the private space of the mind, the intimacy between people, and the ability to speak without fear of being monitored by a machine. A poll conducted just weeks before the October cease-fire by the Palestine-based research organization Institute for Social and Economic Progress found that nearly two-thirds of Gazans believed they were constantly watched by the Israeli government. This is the dystopian consequence of technology, supplied in part by American companies, being placed into the hands of authorities who have virtually unlimited control over a captive population they have openly villainized. It is the culmination of decades of monitored occupation, a totalitarian nightmare spliced with genocidal terror, a system that is already evolving and growing for whatever comes next. The old admonition of authoritarian regimes everywhere — If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to be afraid of — has no meaning in Gaza.”
Israel’s Gaza proxy strategy is collapsing (Muhammad Shehadeh//+972 Magazine 12/12/25)
“The assassination last week of Yasser Abu Shabab — the 32-year-old leader of the Israeli-backed “Popular Forces,” a militia operating in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip — is more than a lurid gangland hit. His killing at the hands of his own disgruntled militiamen is a clear representation of a policy coming undone. For months, Israel stitched together a sordid alliance of convicted felons, former ISIS affiliates, and opportunistic collaborators, presenting them as the embryo of a local governance alternative to Hamas in Gaza, while using them to orchestrate starvation and carry out attacks on Israel’s behalf. Now, this attempt to cultivate a network of criminal proxy gangs as subcontractors of its occupation is collapsing into paranoid infighting and bloody chaos.”
Amnesty says Hamas attacks and Gaza hostage treatment amount to crimes against humanity (Reuters 12/11/25)
“A new report by Amnesty International has found that Palestinian militant group Hamas committed crimes against humanity during its attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 and against hostages it took to Gaza. The London-based human rights group said that its report, published on Wednesday, analysed patterns of the attack, communications between fighters during the assault and statements by Hamas and the leaders of other armed groups…Its investigation found that the crimes against humanity included murder, extermination, imprisonment, torture, rape and other forms of sexual abuse and inhumane acts…Hamas denied in a statement that it had carried out the crimes mentioned in the report and urged Amnesty International to retract it.”
REGION//GLOBAL
Scoop: Trump plans to appoint U.S. general to lead Gaza security force (Axios 12/11/25)
“The appointment will further increase the U.S. responsibility for securing and rebuilding Gaza, which is turning into the biggest U.S. political-civilian-military project in the Middle East in more than two decades…The U.S. established a civil-military headquarters in Israel to monitor the ceasefire and coordinate humanitarian aid. The U.S. is leading the planning for the reconstruction of Gaza. Trump is expected to head the Gaza Board of Peace, and his top advisers will be members of an international executive board. Now, the U.S. will be in command of the enclave’s security force. Nevertheless, White House officials stress there will be no U.S. boots on the ground in Gaza.” See also Israel, US send mixed signals on Gaza phase 2 before Trump-Netanyahu meeting (Al Monitor 12/8/25); Differences over Hamas, Turkey and Iran overshadow Netanyahu-Trump summit (Al Monitor 12/9/25);
Hamas official says group needs guarantees on war’s end and statehood to disarm (Al Monitor 12/8/25)
“Hamas will begin to lay down its weapons if a political process for Palestinian statehood is initiated and the international community guarantees that Israel will not resume its military operations in the Gaza Strip, a senior member of Hamas’ political wing told Al-Monitor. Hamas official Basem Naim said that his group is prepared to “immediately” transfer political authority in Gaza to a committee of Palestinian technocrats, as envisioned by President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan. He also said Hamas would accept the deployment of an international stabilization force, provided it remains “near the border as a peacekeeping force” and doesn’t enter Gaza’s cities…Since its founding in 1987, Hamas has made armed struggle against Israel central to its identity. Some experts believe the Palestinian militant group could be persuaded to hand over its rockets and other heavy weaponry under an arrangement that allows the fighters to keep their smaller arms…Since the ceasefire came into effect on Oct. 10, Hamas has released the remaining living hostages and all but one of the deceased. In exchange, Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and its troops have withdrawn to the so-called “yellow line” bisecting Gaza. The implementation of phase two of the US-brokered ceasefire has stalled over the sequencing of the Israeli military’s complete withdrawal from Gaza, the deployment of an international stabilization force and the disarmament of Hamas. The truce remains fragile, with Hamas and mediators Qatar, Egypt and Turkey accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire with continued attacks and failing to ensure enough humanitarian aid reaches Gaza. Israeli strikes and gunfire have killed more than 350 Palestinians since the deal took effect two months ago, according to Gaza’s health authorities…Israel blames Hamas for attacks that have killed three Israeli soldiers in that same period. Israel has also accused the group of violating the ceasefire and criticized its slow pace on hostage returns.”
Lebanon-Israel direct talks pause operation against Hezbollah — but for how long? (Al Monitor 12/5/25)
“The United States this week blocked Israel from expanding attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon, but another round in the combatants’ long-standing conflict only appears to be a matter of time. The direct talks held Wednesday in Naqoura between Israeli and Lebanese representatives, under American patronage, the first in over three decades, failed to resolve Israel’s core concern — Hezbollah’s increasing rearmament.”
China to provide $100 million humanitarian aid for Gaza, Xi says (Al Monitor 12/4/25)
“China will provide $100 million in aid to the Palestinians to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and support reconstruction efforts, President Xi Jinping said on Thursday.”
Iceland becomes 5th country to boycott Eurovision over Israel’s participation (Axios 12/10/25)
“Iceland is refusing to take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest — joining Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain in protesting Israel’s participation in the European singing competition by boycotting the event.”
RIVER TO THE SEA
As Palestinians yearn for a leader, top candidate remains behind bars (WaPo 12/7/28)
“An advocate of a two-state solution who has also backed armed resistance to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands, [Marwan] Barghouti consistently outperforms all other Palestinian candidates in polls assessing the popularity of potential leaders, even as he serves five life sentences for his alleged role in attacks on civilians between 2001 and 2002. He has been seen in just a handful of photographs and videos over the past decade. His last major interview was 12 years ago. More recently, accounts from his family and lawyer suggested that he had been singled out by Israeli prison guards for abuse “to break the will of the prisoners by breaking his will,” his son Arab said in a recent interview with The Washington Post. Then in mid-October, President Donald Trump raised the possibility that, after nearly 24 years in prison, Barghouti might finally be released as part of a prisoner exchange to end the war in Gaza. Israel, however, vetoed the decision to release Barghouti in the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for hostages held by Hamas under the terms of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, his family said. “The Israelis don’t want to release him,” said Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. “They consider him to have blood on his hands. But they’re also aware that he’s a potentially unifying figure. And the very last thing that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and his coalition want is to reenergize Palestinians and to give them hope or to give them a sense that they could have a unifying leader.”’
‘This Is Illegal,’ He Said, Spreading His Arms. ‘This Is Illegal.’ (M. Gessen//NYT 12/4/25)
“For the second installment in my series on the state of international justice, I traveled to Israel and the occupied West Bank to talk to the activists who are documenting human rights violations committed in Gaza and the West Bank. (I could not visit the few researchers who continue to work in Gaza, which has been effectively closed to international journalists for more than two years.) I wanted to see how, having been designated as terrorists, placed under sanctions, harassed and threatened with prosecution, they are continuing their work. What I found is that they have expanded their idea of what that work is.”
How Israel Organizes and Arms Settler Militias to Terrorize Palestinians in the West Bank (David Schutz//Drop Site 12/10/25)
“In parallel with Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza that began in October 2023, Israeli violence from settlers and soldiers in the West Bank escalated to record levels. About 3,000 settler-related attacks causing Palestinian casualties or property damage were recorded between October 2023 and mid-2025, with more than 1,000 of them in the first 8 months of 2025, and 264 incidents in October 2025 alone—the highest monthly total since the UN began monitoring in 2006. Over the past two years, settlers have increasingly been “going into houses, holding people at gunpoint, and giving them 24 hours to leave, and many have…It happened in Khirbet al-Maktal, Umm Salam, Razeem, and elsewhere,” said a field researcher with Israeli human rights group B’Tselem…Settler violence against Palestinians often appears sporadic, but it is an official government system with an organized structure operating as intended.” See also Report: IDF actively supports construction of settler outposts and farms in West Bank (Haaretz 12/10/25);
Anatomy of a settler abduction (Faiz Abu Rmeleh//+972 Magazine 12/10/25)
“Ambushed, dragged to a hilltop outpost, beaten unconscious: Palestinian teen Owais Hammam recounts his brutal torture by Israeli settlers and soldiers.”
Legislating apartheid: How Israel entrenched unequal rule during Gaza war (Orly Noy//+972 Magazine 12/2/25)
“As a disturbing new report by the Haifa-based legal center Adalah shows, [the Israeli Knesset has] used the chaos of the past two years to advance more than 30 new laws entrenching apartheid and Jewish supremacy — joining Adalah’s existing list of now more than 100 Israeli laws that discriminate against Palestinian citizens. One of the report’s central findings is a sweeping assault on freedom of expression, thought, and protest across a wide array of arenas. It includes laws prohibiting the publication of content that includes “denial of the events of October 7,” as determined by the Knesset, and restricting broadcasts of critical media outlets that “harm state security.”’
An Educational Crusade in East Jerusalem (Jonathan Shamir//Jewish Currents 12/8/25)
“Under the pretext of “national security,” Israel is ramping up its longstanding attacks on Palestinian education in the city.” See also [Israeli] Authorities raid UNRWA offices in East Jerusalem, raise Israeli flag over compound (TOI 12/8/25);
Israel preparing largest ever act of ‘archeological cleansing’ in West Bank (Alon Arad//+972 Magazine 12/11/25)
“Subordinating scientific value to colonial expansion, Israeli archeologists are putting up no resistance as the state moves to expropriate swaths of Sebastia.”
U.S. SCENE
Exclusive: US weighs hitting UN Palestinian refugee agency with terrorism-related sanctions (Reuters 12/10/25)
“rump administration officials have held advanced discussions on hitting U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA with terrorism-related sanctions, said two sources with direct knowledge of the matter, prompting serious legal and humanitarian concerns inside the State Department. The United Nations agency operates in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, providing aid, schooling, healthcare, social services and shelter to millions of Palestinians…Top U.N. officials and the U.N. Security Council have described UNRWA as the backbone of the aid response in Gaza, where the two-year war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe.” See also Florida designates CAIR, Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist groups (Axios 12/8/25)
The billionaire family poised to rewire U.S. media in Israel’s favor (Will Alden//+972 Magazine 12/4/25)
“Having acquired Paramount and CBS and eyeing TikTok and CNN, the Ellisons are constructing a pro-Israel information empire with unprecedented reach.”
The GOP fed the antisemitism monster. Now it’s turning on its masters (Natasha Soffer-Roth//+972 Magazine 12/9/25)
“Republicans and their allies have mainstreamed far-right antisemitism while systematically downplaying it; at the same time, they have portrayed anti-Jewish prejudice as a uniquely left-wing problem to fuel a persecutory, authoritarian agenda…It is no secret that throughout most of the past Trump-MAGA decade, the Republican Party has mainstreamed a fairly transparent brand of antisemitism. There isn’t enough space to do a full accounting of this process here, but a partial list includes advancing conspiracy theories about George Soros and “global elites”; campaigning on antisemitic imagery; bringing committed white nationalists into the federal government; and a public flirtation with the straight-armed salute. At the center of all this is, of course, Trump himself, who has a long history of making antisemitic statements and has consistently encouraged the fascist elements of his base and administration…The fiasco surrounding the Carlson-Fuentes interview and its fallout is, ultimately, about much more than antisemitism and American Jews. It fundamentally reveals what kind of entity the Republican Party is and spotlights the dark forces it has marshalled and encouraged over the past decade. That, as much as anything else, tells us all we need to know about the contemporary GOP: Any commitment from its members and supporters to confront antisemitism in their own tent, at the same time as they advance a Christian-nationalist attack on other minority group rights, should not be taken seriously.”
Portrait of a Campus in Crisis (Will Alden//Jewish Currents)
“UCLA capitulated to its own hardline pro-Israel activists long before President Trump came calling. As a result, its students have repeatedly become targets of vigilante and police violence.”
The ADL Tried to Appease MAGA. The FBI Cut Ties with Them Anyway. (Mari Cohen & Alex Kane//Jewish Currents 12/10/25)
“The Jewish defense group—whose partnership with federal law enforcement goes back decades—has never been more isolated.”
PERSPECTIVES//LONG READS
Christian Zionism in the Global South: The Case of South Africa (Fathi Nimer//Al Shabaka 12/7/25)
“Christian Zionism has become a key vehicle of Israeli influence across the Global South, and South Africa has emerged as a central battleground. Once rooted in nineteenth-century imperial theology, Christian Zionism today functions as a political project that seeks to legitimize Israeli colonialism through religious narratives. In South Africa—long a stronghold of Black-Palestinian solidarity—its rapid spread threatens to erode public support for Palestinian liberation and strengthen pro-Israel lobbying efforts. Israel’s alliances with Christian Zionist networks have expanded alongside the growth of South Africa’s Pentecostal and prosperity-gospel movements over the past several decades. These theological currents frame support for Israel as a divine obligation and have helped cultivate both an active pro-Israel lobby and a broader devotional base that discourages engagement with Palestinian rights. Together, these forces risk reshaping South Africa’s political landscape at a moment of increasing coalition politics, where even small pro-Israel parties can exert disproportionate influence.”
What I Learned Discussing Israel with Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon and Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ian Ward//Politico 12/8/25)
“On Capitol Hill, the overwhelming majority of Republicans continue to back U.S. aid to Israel, and in the White House, Trump regularly expresses his support for the alliance. The recent backlash directed at the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, whose president, Kevin Roberts, was forced to apologize for his defense of Carlson’s interview with Fuentes after facing fury from staff and donors, underscores the political dangers facing conservatives who openly ally with anti-Israel figures. Yet as Republicans look to a post-Trump future, and polls find that over half of young conservatives now have an unfavorable view of Israel — a 15-point rise from three years ago — the anti-Israel right could find itself with an opening. My survey through the key figures of this movement shed light on how MAGA arrived at this fraught juncture — and where it might go next.”
NEW FROM FMEP
FMEP Legislative Round-Up October 24, 2025 (Lara Friedman)
- Bills, Resolutions; 2. Letters; 3. Hearings & Markups; 4. Selected Members on the Record; 5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements
Settlement & Annexation Report: October 24, 2025 (Kristin McCarthy)
- Knesset Votes to Advance Two West Bank Annexation Bill; 2. Israel Advances 248 New Settlement Units; 3. Settlers Take Over Cave in South Hebron Hills & Are Building New Outpost; 4. Settler Terrorism Targets the Olive Harvest; 5. Bonus Reads
Attacks on the First Amendment Continue (New Occupied Thoughts episode)
FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Jenin Younes, National Legal Director at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). They focus on Freedom of Speech in the United States, looking at the Covid pandemic and speech restrictions at that time and the acceleration of the assault on speech by Israel advocates. They discuss the contours of a principled speech position in the United States today.
Media, BDS, and Lessons from 25 Years of Solidarity Work (New Occupied Thoughts episode)
FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Mondoweiss editor Adam Horowitz about the role that Mondoweiss, an independent news organization, has played in the struggle for Palestinian rights over the past 25 years. They also discuss the moral case for the cultural boycott of Israel and what constitutes justice after genocide.
Gaza Ceasefire – Will it Last? (The Quincy Institute 10/22/25)
FMEP’s Lara Friedman interviewed by Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan on The Quincy Institute’s Always at War Podcast
GAZA
What Comes After Starvation in Gaza? (Clayton Dalton//New Yorker 10/18/24)
“For the severely malnourished, simply starting to eat normal meals again can cause sickness—even death. And survivors of starvation are at risk of chronic diseases and mental-health conditions for decades after they regain access to food. “You’ve stunted a generation,” Nathaniel Raymond, the director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale, told me. Ruth Gibson, a scholar at Stanford’s Center for Innovation in Global Health, spoke in even starker terms. “Can this be reversed?” she said. “The answer is, it can’t be.”’
‘It’s like a nuclear bomb has hit’: shocked Palestinians return home to desolation (The Guardian 10/18/25)
“When the Gaza ceasefire took effect a week ago, tens of thousands of Palestinians began to move from the sprawling camps in the south back to their homes in Gaza City and the surrounding area…What the returnees found on arrival was complete desolation. Large swaths of the north had simply been flattened. Their homes and neighbourhoods were no longer recognisable. Their communities had been erased. The sheer scale of demolition left families with an awful dilemma: stay and seek shelter in the shattered stumps of their former homes, or return to the tented camps in the south where they had a better chance of finding food and water. And looming over that decision was the great unknown of how long the truce would last, and whether it would ever take hold as a lasting peace.”
The Genocide in Gaza (Drop Site 10/22/25)
“Since October 11, the first full day of the ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 88 Palestinians in Gaza and wounded 315, while 436 bodies have been recovered from under the rubble, according to the Ministry of Health. The Ministry also confirmed it received an additional 30 bodies of dead Palestinians handed over by Israel on Wednesday, bringing the total number of bodies received since the ceasefire went into effect earlier this month to 195. Some of the bodies show signs of abuse, beatings, handcuffing, and blindfolding…The World Food Programme reported that only 520 trucks carrying 6,700 tonnes of food have entered Gaza in the 11 days since the ceasefire began on October 10…far short of needs…Hamas has begun a large-scale internal crackdown on armed groups accused of looting aid and collaborating with Israeli forces during the two-year war in Gaza.” See also At a Mass Burial in Gaza, Palestinians Mourn the Unknown Dead (NYT 10/22/25);
Rubble, gangs, and airstrikes: What was waiting for me back in Gaza City (Ahmed Ahmed//+972 Magazine 10/23/25)
“When I arrived in Gaza City, I barely recognized it. The streets were filled with twisted metal, shattered glass, and debris from houses and towers flattened by Israel’s methodical bombing of high-rise buildings and use of explosive-laden robots. Many roads were completely blocked…After I got back home, relatives who had remained in the city warned me about dangerous groups in our neighborhood that had collaborated with Israeli troops during the last days of their operation. They have been seen looting houses and threatening to kill displaced families as they returned, as well as fighting with Hamas forces. It is unclear whether these groups had decided to remain in the area or were “abandoned” by Israeli forces during the withdrawal…Clashes between Hamas and the militias continued for three days near my house…Israeli forces continued to bomb several areas after the ceasefire came into effect, including an airstrike on Oct. 19 that killed 11 members of the Abu Shaban family as they returned to their home in eastern Gaza City.” See also Scramble to shore up ceasefire as Israel hits Gaza with deadly raids (The Guardian 10/19/25); Palestinians in Gaza fear ceasefire ‘could collapse at any moment’ (The Guardian 10/19/25); ‘We expected to die’: Freed Gazan detainees recount Israeli torture (Ibtisam Mahdi//+972 Magazine 10/17/25); At least 135 mutilated bodies of Palestinians had been held at notorious Israeli jail, say Gaza officials (The Guardian 10/20/25)
Palestinians in Gaza Struggle to Retrieve Their Dead With Little More Than Hammers (Abdel Qader Sabbah//Drop Site 10/21/25)
“An estimated 10,000 Palestinians killed by Israel remain buried under the rubble, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense, with Israel preventing the resources and equipment required to retrieve them. Among those bodies are a handful of Israeli captives killed in the war that have been the focus of the international media and U.S. and Israeli officials as part of the ceasefire agreement.” See also Israel IDs more hostages’ bodies as Hamas says return of others will be hard (WaPo 10/22/25); Israel identifies body of 10th hostage recovered from Gaza (The Guardian 10/18/25); ‘We feel betrayed’: Israeli families still seeking return of deceased hostages (The Guardian 10/17/25);
“We Estimate That Nearly One Million of Gaza’s 1.1 Million Olive Trees Have Been Destroyed” (Drop Site 10/20/25)
“Gaza’s olive groves have been bulldozed by the Israeli military, dried up from lack of water, or remain inaccessible, leaving Palestinian farmers with little to harvest.”
Gaza Operations of Much-Criticized U.S. Aid Group Unravel (NYT 10/20/25)
“The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, once pushed by Israel as an alternative to the U.N.-led aid system in the enclave, is running out of money and faces serious logistical obstacles to resuming its work. The organization, known as the G.H.F., came under heavy scrutiny from international aid organizations over the past six months, accused of running a system that endangered the lives of desperate Palestinians who came to collect aid.” See also Gaza aid still critically scarce, say agencies, as Israel delays convoys (The Guardian 10/17/25); Rafah border crossing to stay closed ‘until further notice’, says Israel (The Guardian 10/18/25);
REGION//GLOBAL
Frustrations boil over as Vance delivers ‘firm’ message to Netanyahu (Politico 10/23/25)
“The White House is growing increasingly frustrated with Israel just two weeks after President Donald Trump triumphantly announced a deal to end the war in Gaza and bring peace to the Middle East. The mounting frustrations come as a succession of senior officials are passing through Israel this week looking to keep a fragile ceasefire in place…After assuring the U.S. that its response to a Hamas attack on two Israeli soldiers would be careful and limited, the counter-attack on Sunday left more than 40 civilians dead. Senior U.S. officials expressed their frustration about the severity of the attack, telling one Arab ally that Israel was “out of control,” one of the two people familiar with the conversation said. The administration’s private exasperation has begun to emerge in public view. Trump, in an interview published on Thursday, suggested Israel could lose all U.S. support if it annexed the West Bank, which followed condemnations from Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. That so many administration officials criticized Israel so unequivocally less than two weeks after Trump landed to a hero’s welcome and promised eternal friendship and peace underscores how frustrated the White House is with the Netanyahu government.” See also Israel Strikes Gaza and Temporarily Halts Aid, Saying Hamas Broke Truce (NYT 10/19/25); Trump says ‘rebels’ staged deadly attack on IDF troops in Gaza, echoing Hamas claim (TOI 10/20/25); ‘Out of Control’: White House Reportedly Frustrated With Israel Over Gaza Strikes, West Bank Annexation Vote (Haaretz 10/24/25);
Vance Says He’s Not in Israel to Babysit Gaza Truce and Emphasizes Partnership (NYT 10/22/25)
“Vice President JD Vance said recent visits by top American officials were to monitor the cease-fire, but not “in the sense of, you know, you monitor a toddler.”’ See also Vance says Knesset votes on annexing West Bank are an ‘insult’ as Netanyahu halts progress (The Guardian 10/23/25); Israel would lose ‘all support’ from the US if it annexes West Bank, Trump warns (TOI 10/23/25); ‘A real collision course’: Israel fumes at US takeover of policy on Gaza, West Bank (Al Monitor 10/24/25); Vance arrives in Israel to bolster fragile Gaza ceasefire (Al Monitor 10/21/25); Trump Says Israeli Annexation of West Bank Land ‘Won’t Happen’ (NYT 10/23/25);
Rubio seeks quick deployment of international Gaza force (Al Monitor 10/24/25)
“US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday he hopes to soon assemble an international force to police the Gaza ceasefire, adding that Israel — which objects to Turkey’s involvement — would have the power to veto potential participants. The international security force called for by the Gaza ceasefire agreement must consist of countries that Israel is “comfortable with,” Rubio said on Friday during a visit to Israel. Rubio added that the future of governance in Gaza still needs to be worked out among Israel and partner nations but cannot include Hamas, adding that any potential role for the Palestinian Authority has yet to be determined.” See also US military to start Gaza ceasefire monitoring as international force plans stall (Al Monitor 10/21/25); Rubio stresses there is ‘no plan B’ amid questions over Trump’s Gaza deal (WaPo 10/24/25); Gaza ceasefire burnishes Qatari image as global mediator (WaPo 10/20/25); U.S. Flies Drones Over Gaza to Monitor Cease-Fire, Officials Say (NYT 10/24/25); U.S. Diplomats Will Work With Troops to Maintain Gaza Cease-Fire, Rubio Says (NYT 10/24/25);
Palestinian factions say they agree to let independent technocrat committee run Gaza (The Guardian 10/24/25)
“The main Palestinian factions have said they have agreed that an independent committee of technocrats would take over the running of Gaza after Hamas said it had received “clear guarantees” from mediators that “the war has effectively ended”. A joint statement published on the Hamas website said the groups had agreed in a meeting in Cairo to hand “over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a temporary Palestinian committee composed of independent ‘technocrats’, which will manage the affairs of life and basic services in cooperation with Arab brothers and international institutions”. See also Israel will disarm Hamas and demilitarise Gaza, says Netanyahu (The Guardian 10/20/25); Trump: Hamas must ‘behave and be nice – If not, we’re going to eradicate them‘ (Haaretz 10/20/25);
Ceasefire Updates (Drop Site 10/22/25)
“Jared Kushner said reconstruction in Gaza will start only in areas under Israeli control, with no funds directed to regions still administered by Hamas. He outlined plans for a “new Gaza” to be built and secured by an international force, offering Palestinians housing and employment opportunities. Kushner added that all projects will require approval from President Trump and the newly formed “Board of Peace.”’
Wife of jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti appeals to Trump for his release (Al Monitor 10/24/25)
“The wife of imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti has appealed to US President Donald Trump to help secure the release of her husband, who is widely regarded as a unifying figure among Palestinians. “Mr. President, a genuine partner awaits you — one who can help fulfill the dream we share of just and lasting peace in the region. For the sake of freedom for the Palestinian people and peace for all future generations, help release Marwan Barghouti,” Fadwa Barghouti said in a statement to Time magazine.”
ICJ orders Israel to allow aid into Gaza and says restrictions breached international obligations (The Guardian 10/22/25)
“Israel must allow aid into Gaza, and its restrictions on doing so over the past two years have put it in breach of its obligations, the UN’s top court has found. The stinging advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice in The Hague also found that Israel had a duty not to impede the supply of aid by UN organisations including the beleaguered UN Palestinian relief agency Unrwa, which has been in effect banned from the territory since January. The court found Israel had not produced adequate evidence to justify ending cooperation with Unrwa on the basis it was not a neutral organisation under the Geneva conventions. The court instead found the organisation was the backbone of all humanitarian assistance in the area, requiring Israel to cooperate with the organisation in good faith.” See also ICJ says Israel obligated to work with UNRWA; Jerusalem ‘categorically rejects’ notion (TOI 10/22/25); Carney says Canada will arrest Netanyahu if he visits, in keeping with ICC warrant (TOI 10/20/25);
Jewish figures across the globe call on UN and world leaders to sanction Israel (The Guardian 10/22/25)
“Prominent Jewish figures around the world are calling on the United Nations and world leaders to impose sanctions on Israel over what they describe as “unconscionable” actions amounting to genocide in Gaza. Over 450 signatories, including former Israeli officials, Oscar winners, authors and intellectuals have signed an open letter demanding accountability over Israel’s conduct in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem…The signatories urge world leaders to uphold international court of justice (ICJ) and international criminal court rulings, avoid complicity in international law violations by halting arms transfers and imposing targeted sanctions, ensure adequate humanitarian aid to Gaza, and reject false claims of antisemitism against those advocating for peace and justice…The appeal follows a sharp shift in public opinion for US Jews and the wider electorate over the last few years. A Washington Post poll found that 61% of US Jews believe Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza, and 39% say it is committing genocide.” See also Far-right UK activist Tommy Robinson visits Israel on invite of Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli (The Forward 10/19/25); EU criticised for pausing sanctions on Israel in response to Trump Gaza efforts (The Guardian 10/21/25);
RIVER TO THE SEA
Settler terror devastates West Bank olive harvest (Oren Ziv & Basel Adra//+972 Magazine 10/24/25)
“Israeli military restrictions and over 150 settler attacks in the past two weeks have prevented many Palestinians from harvesting this year’s crop.” See also As the Olive Harvest Begins in the West Bank, Israeli Settlers Attack Palestinians While the IDF Watches (Haaretz 10/22/25); The IDF Can’t ‘Protect’ Palestinians From Settler Attacks. Settlers Are IDF Auxillaries (Hanin Majadli//Haaretz 10/23/25);
Erased: Israeli Settlers’ Brutal War on Palestinian Communities in the West Bank (Hagar Shezaf//Haaretz)
“These images appear again and again – from the ground, from the air, and on maps: dozens of Palestinian communities wiped off the landscape, while illegal Israeli settler outposts continue to spread across the West Bank. Since October 7, 2023, this phenomenon has intensified significantly. Unlike the war in Gaza, there is no discussion in Israel about ending this parallel campaign of dispossession. Quite the opposite: Large quantities of weapons have been distributed to settlers, who have since carried out raids on Palestinian communities while Israeli authorities stand by. Jewish settler violence goes unchecked. So does the illegal construction of new outposts. The Judea and Samaria District Police have been reduced to irrelevance. This state of affairs has allowed for a dramatic transformation on the ground.”
Construction in the E1 Area: Preventing Palestinian Geographical Contiguity (Mtanes Shihadeh, Ikram Mohammed//Arab Center DC 10/22/25)
“The Israeli government continues to exploit the post-October 7, 2023, situation to impose a new geopolitical and demographic reality in the occupied West Bank, alongside the genocidal war in the Gaza Strip. Since the beginning of the war on Gaza, Israel has increased the frequency of military incursions into towns and camps in the West Bank. It has destroyed entire sections of these camps, expanded settlements, and disconnected the territory. Perhaps the most dangerous Israeli government decision came at the end of August 2025 when it approved plans for construction in the so-called E1 area, on the pretext of retaliating against European countries’ plans to recognize a Palestinian state…The paper argues that this decision is one of Israel’s far-right government’s most dangerous since October 7, because construction in this area will divide the West Bank, prevent the geographical contiguity between its south and north, and turn densely populated Palestinian areas into Bantustans surrounded by Israeli settlements.”
One target at a time: The logic that helped Israeli liberals commit genocide (Yuval Abraham 10/20/25)
“Over the past two years, I have published numerous investigations exposing details of Israel’s open-fire policy in Gaza, several of which have helped substantiate legal claims of genocide. When South Africa filed its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in January 2024, it relied in part on our November 2023 exposé that revealed Israel’s AI-driven mass assassination campaign targeting the family homes of alleged militants. When a UN committee similarly reached the conclusion last month that Israel has committed genocide, it relied in part on another of our investigations showing that more than 80 percent of Gaza’s dead were civilians according to an internal Israeli intelligence database. Yet few of the dozens of soldiers and officers I spoke to over the course of these investigations, many of whom served willingly as whistleblowers, saw themselves as participants in genocide. When intelligence officers and commanders described bombing family homes in Gaza, they often echoed the university lecturer’s logic: Sure, we may have committed crimes, but we were not murderers because every act had a specific military objective…This mission-oriented framing played a crucial role in enabling ordinary Israelis to participate in genocide — perhaps more than obedience alone, which is usually assumed to be the primary motivator in such contexts. By understanding each act of violence as a discrete task, from targeting a Hamas operative to securing a perimeter, soldiers could avoid confronting their role in the mass slaughter of civilians.” See also Hidden cost of war: 125,000 Israelis emigrated between 2022 and 2024 (TOI 10/20/25)
U.S. SCENE
Suddenly, Democratic Politicians Are Running Away From AIPAC (TNR 10/21/25)
“When he launched his campaign last week for a Massachusetts U.S. Senate seat, Representative Seth Moulton made sure that one of his first moves was to announce that he is returning campaign donations that he received from individuals affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and would no longer accept campaign support from the group. Also last week, popular podcast hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan pressed Senator Cory Booker to answer whether he considered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal; The Ringer’s Van Lathan told Governor Gavin Newsom that Lathan would not support a 2028 candidate who took money from AIPAC…radio host Charlamagne tha God asked Governor Josh Shapiro if AIPAC donations improperly influence U.S. decisions on Israeli-Palestinian issues; and MSNBC’s Eugene Daniels asked Kamala Harris if Israel’s actions over the last two years constitute genocide. Those are the latest examples of a seismic new development in Democratic politics. For decades, Democratic politicians, particularly those running for Senate or president, have emphasized their support of Israel and commitment to maintaining strong U.S.-Israel ties, in part to woo pro-Israel center-left donors and activists. Now, we are seeing a new litmus test on Israeli-Palestinian issues: Many Democratic pundits and activists, particularly progressives, are demanding politicians rebuke Israel’s actions over the last two years and adopt a more even-handed approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. These progressives say they don’t want to support candidates unless those politicians declare that Israel’s recent actions are a genocide, disavow AIPAC, and pledge to condition U.S. military and diplomatic support on the Israelis treating the Palestinians better.”
Democrats call on Rubio to help secure release of Palestinian-American teen held in Israeli prison (The Guardian 10/22/25)
“More than two dozen Democratic lawmakers have written to the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and the US ambassador to Israel urging them to help secure the release of Mohammed Ibrahim, a 16-year-old Palestinian-American citizen who has been held in Israeli military detention for nearly eight months. Ibrahim, a dual Palestinian-American teenager from Florida, was arrested in a raid on his family’s West Bank home in February when he was 15 years old. Israeli forces allegedly blindfolded and handcuffed the boy at 3am, according to the letter led by senators Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley and representatives Kathy Castor and Maxwell Frost…The letter follows the Guardian’s initial reporting on Ibrahim’s detention in July, which noted that he lost a significant amount of weight and contracted scabies, according to state department correspondences obtained by the Guardian…The lawmakers also point to the March death of Walid Ahmad, a 17-year-old Palestinian who collapsed and died in Megiddo prison after six months of detention for allegedly throwing rocks. His autopsy showed he died from extreme malnutrition, torture, scabies and denial of medical care. Lawmakers warned that “it is the responsibility of the US government to ensure that this recent tragedy does not repeat itself with Mohammed.”’ See also Pressure mounts for Trump to secure release of U.S. teen held by Israel (WaPo 10/23/25);
The Meaning of Trump’s $10 Million Grant to a Jewish Nonprofit (Suzanne Schneider//Jewish Currents 10/23/25)
“When the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announced on September 15th it was awarding the Tikvah Fund a sum of $10.4 million, the largest grant in the agency’s history, to “combat the recrudescence and normalization of anti-Semitism in American society,” there was an audible groan from many Jewish studies scholars. Coming on the heels of the NEH’s decision last April to cancel over 1,000 grant projects—including, as The Forward reported last spring, multiple awards to Jewish studies scholars and Jewish institutions, with resources for Yiddish language and culture taking a particularly hard hit—the award to Tikvah is particularly notable…It’s not surprising that Trump’s NEH would turn away from the breadth of contemporary Jewish studies scholarship and toward the ideologically aligned Tikvah Fund. Founded in 1992 by the financier Zalman Bernstein to support educational projects that comport with its conservative Zionist worldview, the Tikvah Fund is rooted in a belief in the inseparability of American and Israeli interests, the righteous necessity of imperial power, and American exceptionalism, which it traces at least in part to the centrality of Jews to the American story…Tikvah’s commitment to Western civilization and American exceptionalism mirrors the NEH’s new statement of priorities.”
Suddenly, Democratic Politicians Are Running Away From AIPAC (TNR 10/21/25)
“When he launched his campaign last week for a Massachusetts U.S. Senate seat, Representative Seth Moulton made sure that one of his first moves was to announce that he is returning campaign donations that he received from individuals affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and would no longer accept campaign support from the group. Also last week, popular podcast hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan pressed Senator Cory Booker to answer whether he considered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal; The Ringer’s Van Lathan told Governor Gavin Newsom that Lathan would not support a 2028 candidate who took money from AIPAC…radio host Charlamagne tha God asked Governor Josh Shapiro if AIPAC donations improperly influence U.S. decisions on Israeli-Palestinian issues; and MSNBC’s Eugene Daniels asked Kamala Harris if Israel’s actions over the last two years constitute genocide. Those are the latest examples of a seismic new development in Democratic politics…Many Democratic pundits and activists, particularly progressives, are demanding politicians rebuke Israel’s actions over the last two years and adopt a more even-handed approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. These progressives say they don’t want to support candidates unless those politicians declare that Israel’s recent actions are a genocide, disavow AIPAC, and pledge to condition U.S. military and diplomatic support on the Israelis treating the Palestinians better.”
Key takeaways from Kushner’s and Witkoff’s “60 Minutes” interview (Axios 10/20/25)
“On visiting Gaza once the ceasefire came into effect, Kushner said the area he visited “looked almost like a nuclear bomb had been set off.”…On conflicts of interest claims, Stahl noted lines appeared to be blurred on their business dealings with Gulf states and what they’re doing “in terms of foreign policy and benefiting financially” from the Middle East…After Stahl pressed that the matter had become an issue, Kushner said: “What people call conflicts of interests, Steve and I call experience and trusted relationships that we have throughout the world. “If Steve and I didn’t have these deep relationships, the deal that we were able to help get done, that freed these hostages, would not have occurred.”’ See also Kushner: Israel must improve Palestinians’ lives if it wants ‘integration’ into region (TOI 10/20/25)
PERSPECTIVES//LONG READS
My last words to Gaza (Abdallah Aljazzar//+972 Magazine 10/21/25)
“I didn’t turn back to see my family again after saying goodbye. I felt too ashamed. I was leaving for peace, and all they had was famine and war.”
The Making of a Coal Boycott (Andreas Malm & Maxy Guedes//Jewish Currents 10/20/25) and Maxy Guedes
“Inside the campaign to break the toxic relationship between Colombian mining and Israeli militarism”
Everyone in Israel Knows Who Einav Zangauker Is. Few Know What She Really Did for Her Hostage Son (Haaretz 10/20/25)
“It’s hard to imagine there’s anyone in Israel today who doesn’t know Einav Zangauker. For two years, she led a relentless and uncompromising public campaign to bring her son home from Hamas captivity…But it wasn’t just speeches and roadblocks. Behind the scenes, Zangauker used every scrap of information – whether intelligence or personal – to achieve her goal. She even sent direct messages to Matan’s captors, including a filmed plea delivered in Arabic…But all that is behind her now. From the moment the news of the deal broke, only joy has kept her awake. Until his release from Ichilov Hospital Sunday, she spent all her time with Matan and her daughters, slowly learning everything. How his command of Arabic, which he spoke even before captivity, helped him – as confirmed by other freed hostages; how he had access to television and every Saturday night watched her speaking at the rally on Begin Road (her statements weren’t just for the media, but direct messages to him). And he knew she would never give up on him.”
Protective presence doesn’t work anymore (Andrey X//Vashti 10/19/25)
“Protective presence has been practised in the West Bank for decades…The idea is to leverage the privilege of an international or Israeli passport against settlers and soldiers by placing ourselves between them and the Palestinians they attack and harass…I was once asked why there is no accountability for the settler attacks. How is Yinon Levy walking free after killing a man in front of a dozen cameras? How are the settlers able to commit daily terror attacks and not even be detained for it? Because accountability is reserved for crimes. And what counts as a crime is defined by the ruling order of the land. The ruling order in Palestine doesn’t see settler terror as a crime — settler terror is an essential part of the state project. The Hilltop Youth are the frontline soldiers of the Israeli occupation, doing their part in fulfilling the near century-long state project of the ethnic cleansing of Palestine…The question we ask ourselves over and over is what can we do in this new reality? What can we do when settlers attack us, grab our phones, push us to the ground, and drag us over rocks with an ATV, as happened to a friend of mine in late August? What about when the same settlers then assault and even choke us as the cameras roll, while the police and army both decline to intervene, as happened to another? What difference can we make when we’re no longer recognised as a barrier to violence, but just another target?”
The Gaza War Opened a Moral Chasm Between American Jews and Israel (Daniel Sokatch//Haaretz 10/23/25)
“For millions [of American Jews] For millions, Israel has long been central to identity – but so has liberalism. And as liberals, American Jews have been horrified by Israel’s extremist, ultra-nationalist turn. A Washington Post poll shows that 61 percent of American Jews say Israel has committed war crimes. A shocking 4 in 10 say Israel is guilty of genocide against Palestinians. But perhaps more to the point: liberal American Jews are stunned that so many Israelis, and too many of their own institutions, are willing to justify the catastrophic destruction of Gaza and mass killing that took place there. According to polling by the aChord Center at Hebrew University, two-thirds of Israelis (64 percent) believe there are no innocents in Gaza. That is more than a political divide; it’s a moral chasm.”
How Israeli strikes that killed 5 journalists at a Gaza hospital unfolded (WaPo 10/21/25)
“With a ceasefire in place, rights groups and press freedom advocates say they plan to redouble their calls for accountability, including by appealing to the International Criminal Court, whose chief prosecutor said crimes against journalists were being examined as part of its investigation into the conflict. “Our experience over decades is that Israeli-led investigations into killings are neither transparent, nor independent,” Jodie Ginsberg, chief executive of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement. “And in not a single case over the past 24 years has anyone in Israel ever been held accountable for the killing of a journalist.”
‘The loss of education is the loss of the future itself’: Gaza’s children and teachers on two years without school (The Guardian 10/19/25)
“With 97% of schools destroyed or damaged, 600,000 children have just begun their third year out of formal education. Three students and a teacher share their stories – and their hopes”
NEW FROM FMEP
Accountability After Genocide and the Emerging Left-Right Consensus on Israel in America (New podcast episode)
FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Matt Duss, Executive Vice-President at the Center for International Policy and former foreign policy advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders. They discuss the Israeli genocide in Gaza and the new ceasefire; changes in public assessments of Israel’s standing in the U.S. and political relationships with Israel, including changing relationships with Israel among prominent Trump supporters as well as Bernie Sanders’s late recognition of genocide; and what accountability looks like for the genocide, including for members of the Biden administration.
The Starvation Regime and Plausible Deniability for War Crimes (New podcast episode)
FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with human rights attorney Sari Bashi and policy expert Bushra Khalidi about the current state of humanitarian aid in Gaza, the bureaucracy of restrictions — including the stated purpose of restricting aid — and whether international law continues to carry meaning after two years of genocide.
FMEP Legislative Round-Up October 17, 2025 (Lara Friedman)
- Bills, Resolutions; 2. Lettersl 3. Hearings & Markups; 4. Selected Members on the Record; 5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements
Settlement & Annexation Report: October 17, 2025 (Kristin McCarthy)
- Settlers Establish New Outpost to Encircle Umm Al Kheir, Court Pauses Move-In; 2. Eviction Date Looms for Six Families Facing Displacement from Homes in Silwan; 3. As The Olive Harvest Starts, Settler Terrorism Reaches New Heights; 4. Israeli Commitment Against West Bank Annexation is Not in Final Ceasefire Deal; 5. International Crisis Group Report: “Sovereignty in All but Name: Israel’s Quickening Annexation of the West Bank”; 6. Bonus Reads
GAZA
All living Israeli hostages freed and hundreds of Palestinian detainees and prisoners released as Trump leads Egypt summit (The Guardian 10/13/25)
“Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held a meeting on Monday with the presidents of France and Turkey, and Qatar’s emir and others to help coordinate the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction efforts for the territory, according to a statement by the Egyptian president’s office. The meeting was held on the sidelines of an international summit in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh to finalise an agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza…A last-minute plan by Donald Trump to invite Benjamin Netanyahu to a multinational Gaza summit in Egypt had to be aborted after the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said he would not land his plane in Sharm el-Sheikh if the invitation stood…Two busloads of Palestinian detainees were transferred from Israeli prisons to Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, on Monday, where jubilant crowds awaited them. In total, 88 of the nearly 2,000 prisoners were sent to the West Bank, with the rest deported to Gaza, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Commission…Trump declared that the ceasefire agreement marks the end of Israel’s war on Gaza, as well as the end of the “age of terror and death”…Netanyahu said Trump is the greatest friend Israel has ever had. “Donald Trump is the greatest friend that the State of Israel has ever had in the White House,” he told the Knesset. “No American president has ever done more for the state of Israel, and as I said in Washington, it ain’t even close,” the Israeli prime minister said.” See also Release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees: how the day unfolded (The Guardian 10/13/25); Blair, Kushner, Trump: who are the key people behind the Gaza ceasefire? (The Guardian 10/10/25);
Trump, in Egypt, signs Gaza peace deal, vows war ‘is over’ (Al Monitor 10/13/25);
“US President Donald Trump, along with the leaders of Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, signed a peace deal to end the war in the Gaza Strip during a ceremony in Egypt on Monday…Trump arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh earlier on Monday to co-chair, along with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the Gaza peace summit less than a week after Israel and Hamas agreed to proceed with the first phase of a 20-point Gaza peace plan that the US leader spearheaded last month, which includes a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a hostage-prisoner exchange. Shortly after the signing ceremony, Trump opened the summit, where dozens of world leaders convened to discuss efforts to advance the peace deal in Gaza, and he described the agreement as “historic” during his speech. “After years of suffering and bloodshed, the war in Gaza is over,” he claimed.” See also Trump and world leaders meet in Egypt on future of Gaza as Israel celebrates return of hostages (WaPo 10/13/25); Trump hails Gaza hostage deal in Knesset speech, vows to expand Abraham Accords (Al Monitor 10/13/25);
Hamas reasserts control on streets of Gaza, turning guns on its rivals (WaPo 10/15/25)
“They blindfolded eight men accused of collaborating with Israel, made them kneel and executed them at point-blank range on a busy street in Gaza City…Hamas may have stopped fighting Israel, but it has launched a new, violent campaign to reassert control over local families and militias that had challenged its power during the past two years of war — including those who, according to the leaders of two clans, had received support from Israel. Whether by carrying out armed raids in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip or holding public executions farther north in Gaza City, Hamas is trying to send a clear message that, after months of hiding from Israeli fire, the militant group is back as the only visible authority inside the Gaza Strip, according to rival militia leaders, Palestinian officials and political analysts. Hamas’s enduring grip has significant implications for the future of Gaza and President Donald Trump’s peace plan. With Israel largely restrained from attacking Hamas under the ceasefire sponsored by Trump, the group is again ruling the streets, controlling what is left of civil administration and gaining leverage in the upcoming negotiations over whether and how it will disarm and who will rule Gaza.” See also Hamas deploys armed fighters and police across parts of Gaza (The Guardian 10/13/25);
Gaza aid still critically scarce, say agencies, as Israel delays convoys (The Guardian 10/17/25)
“Aid remains critically scarce in Gaza one week into the ceasefire, humanitarian agencies have warned, as Israel delays the entry of food convoys into the territory. The Israeli government and Hamas continue to trade blame over violations of the truce. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday that it had brought about 560 tonnes of food a day on average into Gaza since the ceasefire began, but it was still below what was needed…As aid entry was delayed into the strip, Israel continued to fire on Palestinians. The Israeli army shelled a car which had crossed past the ceasefire line with Israel in the Zeytoun neighbourhood of Gaza, killing nine people. “They had crossed the so-called ‘yellow line’, an imaginary boundary mentioned by the Israeli army. I am certain the family couldn’t distinguish between the yellow and red lines because there are no actual physical markers on the ground,” said Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for the Gaza civil defence. The Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, said on Friday that the yellow line in Gaza will soon be physically marked.” See also Infectious diseases in Gaza ‘spiralling out of control’, says WHO (The Guardian 10/17/25); Israel won’t reopen Rafah crossing, will limit aid, to press Hamas for remaining slain hostages (TOI 10/14/25); Gaza deal’s secret humanitarian annex omits GHF, which isn’t poised for postwar role (TOI 10/14/25)
Israel and Hamas trade accusations as tensions rise over hostages’ remains (The Guardian 10/16/25)
“Israel accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement by failing to return the remains of deceased hostages. On Monday, Hamas returned the last 20 surviving hostages but handed back only nine of 28 deceased captives, saying it would need specialist recovery equipment to retrieve the rest from the ruins of Gaza. US advisers working on the implementation of Donald Trump’s ceasefire deal, and the Red Cross, have said there are significant practical difficulties in recovering remains of hostages amid the devastation caused by Israel’s offensive during the past 24 months.” See also Body handed over by Hamas is not hostage, says Israel, as Palestinian dead ‘arrive back in cuffs’ (The Guardian 10/15/25); Israel warns U.S. Gaza deal could stall if Hamas won’t return hostage bodies (Axios 10/15/25);
Gaza’s Broken Politics (Mohammed Mhawish//New Yorker 10/14/25)
“Whatever fragile political system existed in Gaza has collapsed, along with the institutions that once gave public life its structure. Hamas, weakened militarily and decapitated by the assassinations of its leaders, faces isolation abroad and a diminished mandate at home. The Palestinian Authority, long discredited in the West Bank, has been absent in Gaza. Leftist factions survive as symbols rather than as real organizations. Independent political figures are scattered or silenced. After two years of war, Gaza has no functioning political body with the authority or legitimacy to shape what comes next. President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan is being sold as the answer…Strip away the framing, and the design is clear. Gaza is to be managed from the outside, without a locally elected government. The P.A. is told to make reforms—anti-corruption and fiscal-transparency measures, increased judicial independence, a path to elections—before it can even be considered for a role in Gaza’s governance. Hamas is removed from political life by decree. Core questions—borders, sovereignty, refugees—are deferred. In this architecture, Gaza becomes a security-first regime, where aid, reconstruction, and “transition” are subordinated to Israeli security metrics under the oversight of the U.S. and its partners. Palestinians are offered administration without authority. The occupation is dressed in managerial language. The danger is that this “temporary” system becomes permanent, sustained by donors, monitors, and memoranda.” See also Palestinian government unveils $67 billion, five-year plan for Gaza reconstruction (AA 10/16/25)
Gaza must decide its own political future — before the world does for us (Mahmoud Mushtaha//+972 Magazine 10/16/25)
“What unfolded in Sharm El-Sheikh was not an effort to bring real change for Palestinians, but rather another act of regional choreography — a vision of a Middle East built around Israeli and U.S. interests, not Palestinian rights. Based on what we know so far, U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, which he touts as one that will lead to “strong, durable, and everlasting peace,” will see Israel retain control of the Strip’s borders, airspace, and aid flows, with the very international actors who armed and financed its genocidal assault now acting as mediators and monitors of compliance…Now that the outlines of the ceasefire, however shadowy, are beginning to surface, and the question of who will govern Gaza becomes relevant again, Palestinians must take responsibility — not for what was done to us, but for how we forge a path toward dignity and sovereignty. The most urgent question is who will define the direction of our national movement.” See also “We may have survived physically, but we haven’t survived mentally.” (Drop Site 10/10/25)
Palestinian bodies returned by Israel show signs of torture and execution, say doctors (The Guardian 10/15/25)
“Many of the 90 bodies of Palestinians returned to Gaza by Israeli authorities under the ceasefire deal showed signs of torture and execution, including blindfolds, cuffed hands and bullet wounds in the head, according to doctors’ accounts. As part of the US-brokered truce, Hamas has handed over the bodies of some of the hostages who died during the course of the war, and Israel has transferred the bodies of two groups of 45 Palestinians killed during the fighting. The exchange was carried out through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Doctors at Nasser hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, which received the Palestinian bodies from the ICRC, said on Wednesday there was substantial evidence of beatings and summary executions, and that none of the bodies were identifiable…Farra added that the bodies had been handed over by the Israeli authorities with no identification, and the hospitals in Gaza, heavily bombed over the course of two years of war, had no means of doing DNA analysis.” See also ‘Locked up for 24 years’: release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees sparks joy and sorrow (The Guardian 10/13/25);
Why Is Trump Threatening to Let Netanyahu Restart the Gaza War? (Amir Tibon//Haaretz 10/17/25)
“In the four days since the release of the Israeli hostages from Gaza, U.S. President Donald Trump has twice implied that the war between Israel and Hamas could be renewed. First, Trump said in a television interview that Israel could send its forces back into Gaza immediately “if I said so.” A day later, he wrote in a social media post that if Hamas continues to “kill people in Gaza,” then “we will have no choice but to go in and kill them.” The president didn’t explain who exactly he meant by “we” and whether that implied that American troops would be sent to fight in the Gaza Strip. These statements contradict Trump’s triumphant celebrations earlier this week and his declarations that the war in Gaza is over and a new day has begun in the Middle East.” See also Trump says Hamas will be forced to disarm or ‘we will disarm them’ (The Guardian 10/14/25); Trump: ‘If Hamas continues to kill people … we will have no choice but to go in and kill them’ (JTA 10/17/25);
Israel’s last living hostages describe trauma of Hamas captivity (WaPo 10/17/25)
“Israeli hospitals are treating the former captives, freed this week as part of the ceasefire deal, according to protocols honed over two years of hostage releases…In addition to the living hostages, Hamas has released the remains of nine of the 28 deceased hostages. It says it has yet to locate the 19 others amid the rubble and the unexploded ordnance that now litter the Gaza Strip. Hamas’s unwillingness or inability to do so underscores how precarious the ceasefire agreement may be. For its part, Israel on Monday released 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners, including 250 serving long sentences.” See also What to know about the 20 living hostages released by Hamas (Axios 10/13/25);
Returning to Shujaiya: Palestinians Are Going Back to Gaza City Despite Proximity of Israeli Troops (Abdel Qader Sabbah//Drop Site 10/16/25)
“Since the ceasefire went into effect on Friday, the Israeli military has killed at least 23 Palestinians in Gaza, at least five of them in one attack on Shujaiya on Tuesday. The Israeli military admitted to the killings, claiming a group of people approached its soldiers stationed there. That same day, the Israeli military spokesperson reiterated a warning to Palestinians not to approach certain areas in Gaza, including Shujaiya, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahia in the north, as well as locations in Khan Younis and Rafah in the south…Upwards of half a million Palestinians returned to the north following the ceasefire, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense, many of them to Gaza City. They returned to find much of the city in ruins. In Shujaiya—once one of the largest and most populous neighborhoods in Gaza City—every building has either been destroyed or heavily damaged. Despite the danger, a number of families have returned to the area, setting up makeshift tents on the rubble. Men, women, and children—many of them barefoot—walked the desolate streets carrying buckets, mattresses, and gas cylinders as they tried to build some sort of shelter.” See also My dream home lies in ruins. I will never forgive Israel, or the world (Ruwaida Amer//+972 Magazine 10/15/25); We Are Genocide Survivors. But Our War Is Far From Over. (Ali Skaik//The Nation 10/10/25)
A Memo in a Bunker, Intercepted Communications and Hamas’s Oct. 7 Plans (NYT 10/11/25)
“The computer held an image of a six-page memo, handwritten in Arabic, that the Israeli intelligence community believes was by his brother Yahya Sinwar, who as the powerful leader of Hamas in Gaza helped plot the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Dated Aug. 24, 2022, it appears to be a directive from Mr. Sinwar with instructions for the assault, according to seven Israeli officials. The memo, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times, calls for fighters to target soldiers and civilian communities — as well as to broadcast the violent acts so as to evoke fear in Israelis and destabilize the country. Commanders then issued similar instructions on Oct. 7, according to hours of previously unreported communications between commanders and subordinates intercepted by Israel during the assault and shared with The Times. The Israeli officials say the memo shows that Mr. Sinwar wanted his fighters to target civilians from the outset, contradicting what the group’s leadership has publicly claimed.” See also Released Israeli hostages give accounts of torture, torment and extraordinary danger (The Guardian 10/14/25)
REGION//GLOBAL
Netanyahu powerless as Trump advances Gaza plan with Arab, PA forces (Al Monitor 10/17/25)
“The Trump administration is moving ahead with the second phase of its plan to end the two-year Gaza war by cobbling together an international force to disarm Hamas and protect Gaza’s 2 million Palestinian residents. But Israel is balking both at the idea of Arab and Muslim forces on its border and at the emerging involvement of the Palestinian Authority in the plan’s implementation. “Everything now depends on Trump,” a senior Israeli diplomatic source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “Never has war in the Middle East, peace, reconstruction, negotiations, a redrawing of the geopolitical map and tens of billions of dollars all depended on the mood of one man.” “If Trump wants to advance to Stage B of his plan, we will advance to Stage B. If he loses interest, we will not,” said the senior Israeli diplomatic source, adding that everything depends on the American president because Netanyahu will not say no to him, nor will the Turks, the Qataris or the Egyptians.” See also US CENTCOM hastens to rally international force to stabilize Gaza (Al Monitor 10/16/25); Turkey’s long-sought Gaza mediator role brings high risks and high rewards (Al Monitor 10/11/25); Trump claims Saudis told him ‘yesterday’ they’re willing to join Abraham Accords (TOI 10/17/25); Steve Witkoff predicts Abraham Accords will ‘seriously expand’ after Gaza ceasefire (JI 10/17/25);
Witkoff, Kushner on Israel’s strike on Qatar: ‘Trump felt like the Israelis were getting a little bit out of control’ (Ben Samuels//Haaretz 10/17/25)
“U.S. President Donald Trump’s officials who headed the cease-fire struck between Israel and Hamas earlier this month, special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, shared details on the deal with the 60 Minutes TV show on CBS News, in a preview to an episode set to air Sunday. Regarding Israel’s strike on Qatar in September, Witkoff said that both he and Kushner felt “a little bit betrayed.” Kushner said that he believes Trump “felt like the Israelis were getting a little bit out of control in what they were doing, and it was time to be very strong and stop them from doing things that he felt were not in their long-term interests,” after Israel struck Hamas leadership in Qatar in September, in the midst of discussions to secure a hostage release and cease-fire deal. Witkoff added that the strikes “had a metastasizing effect, because the Qataris were critical to the negotiation, as were the Egyptians and the Turks. We had lost the confidence of the Qataris. So Hamas went underground and it was very, very difficult to get to them.” On Qatar’s mediation with Hamas, Witkoff said that after the strikes, “It became very evident how important that was.”’ See also Did Qatari Money Drive Trump’s Push for Gaza Ceasefire? (The Intercept 10/11/25); Mediator in chief: how role of Qatar will be central to Gaza ceasefire holding (The Guardian 10/16/25);
Arab states expanded cooperation with Israeli military during Gaza war, files show (WaPo 10/11/25)
“Even as key Arab states condemned the war in the Gaza Strip, they quietly expanded security cooperation with the Israeli military, leaked U.S. documents reveal. Those military ties were thrown into crisis after Israel’s September airstrike in Qatar, but could now play a key role in overseeing the nascent ceasefire in Gaza. Over the past three years, facilitated by the United States, senior military officials from Israel and six Arab countries came together for planning meetings in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan and Qatar…The documents show that the threat posed by Iran was the driving force behind the closer ties, which have been fostered by the U.S. military’s Central Command, known as Centcom.” See also These countries no longer arm Israel. It’s not making much difference. (WaPo 10/16/25)
What Israeli “Victory” Looks Like (Peter Beinart//Jewish Currents 10/14/25)
“Yes, the current agreement returns all the remaining hostages—an official war aim, and an achievement that Israelis value immensely. But Israel could have retrieved all the hostages much earlier, when more of them remained alive. “This deal could have been done a long time ago,” writes longtime Israeli hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin, “Hamas agreed to all of the same terms in September 2024.” Back then, Israel justified its refusal to accept such a deal because it claimed Hamas was not yet “demolished,” which Netanyahu had pledged to do after the October 7th attacks. But if demolishing Hamas means destroying its fighting force, that goal remains unfulfilled today. Israel has killed many Hamas leaders and fighters. But by slaughtering as many as 100,000 Palestinians in Gaza, it has also pushed more Palestinians in Gaza to take up arms…The Trump deal may not destroy or disarm Hamas, but it will likely fragment Gaza, forcing the Palestinians living there into smaller and less habitable enclaves and leaving more territory in Israel’s hands. For Israel, that’s a dramatic step forward…While the new Trump deal does not propose mass expulsion from Gaza, it furthers that goal by ratifying Israel’s takeover of much of the Strip…Meanwhile, the 60% of Gaza without Israeli troops will likely remain an extremely grim place. It is almost totally destroyed: Israel has razed 90% of Gaza’s homes and 80% of its farmland. The Strip now contains 17,000 unaccompanied children…Even with additional aid, it may be difficult to provide enough food…under the Trump deal, most of Gaza’s farmland will be in Israel’s hands.” See also The Uncomfortable Truth About Netanyahu’s ‘Victory’ (Shira Efron//NYT 10/12/25);
Starmer condemns ‘wrong decision’ to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from Aston Villa game (The Guardian 10/16/25)
“Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv will not be allowed to attend the Europa League match at Aston Villa on 6 November owing to safety concerns. West Midlands police said it had classified the fixture as “high risk” based on “current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Uefa Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam”…The move was condemned by the prime minister, Keir Starmer, who said: “This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.”
RIVER TO THE SEA
Israel’s hostage protest movement finally prevails — against its government (Oren Ziv//+972 Magazine 10/14/25)
“The mood in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square on Monday morning was one of total jubilation as tens of thousands gathered to watch a live broadcast of 20 Israelis returning home from captivity in Gaza. Many of those in the crowd had participated in protests in the same square over the past two years, which gave it its name. This was the moment they had fought for and dreamed about for so long…Protests in support of a hostage deal, led by the families of hostages themselves, have been a constant feature of Israel’s wartime landscape, their numbers and intensity waxing and waning with developments in Gaza…While gratitude for the Israeli government for finally agreeing to a complete hostage deal was in short supply, appreciation for the Trump administration has been ubiquitous ever since the agreement was announced last week. Many of those celebrating on Monday arrived with American flags, while some came dressed up as Trump. The prevailing sentiment was that without U.S. intervention, Netanyahu would have continued dragging out the war indefinitely.” See also After ‘Horrors,’ Israeli Hostages Taste Freedom and Savor Family Reunions (NYT 10/17/25); Handcuffed, caged, thrown in a pit: Hostages’ families describe two years of hell (TOI 10/15/25);
At Hostage Square, Witkoff and Kushner Gave Israelis What Their Own Leaders Won’t: Empathy (Haaretz 10/12/25)
“Representing Donald Trump at Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square on Saturday evening, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump were received with a warm embrace, while the mere mention of Netanyahu led to resounding boos. Perhaps it needs to be asked why the hostage families feel that the U.S. cares for and listens to them more than the Israeli government.”
The Israel-Gaza War Always Had an Unacknowledged Third Front (Andrew Ross//NYT 10/15/25)
“Under the hostage-prisoner exchange agreement of the cease-fire plan, Israel released about 2,000 prisoners and detainees this week. They represent only a small fraction of the total number of Palestinians held in Israeli facilities. The vast majority are being left to rot. In the West Bank and Jerusalem, far from Hamas-controlled Gaza, more than 19,000 Palestinians were swept up since Oct. 7, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Society. Some were released, but as of early October, more than 11,000 Palestinians were still locked up in Israeli prisons, almost a third of them under “administrative detention,” without charges or a trial. Some people were arrested for nothing more than messages they posted on social media. Thousands of Gazans were also held in Israeli military detention, many as “unlawful combatants,” without any legal process. Their numbers are difficult to verify, though a recent investigation by The Guardian, +972 Magazine and Local Call found that as few as one in four of them had been classified as fighters even in Israel’s own military databases. The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, echoing reports by Amnesty International and B’Tselem, the Israeli human rights organization, documented testimony by Palestinians who said that while incarcerated they have been subject to beatings, torture, rape and extreme deprivation…Legal experts and scholars will decide whether the alleged torture, denial of adequate food and death in these prisons meet the criteria to be termed genocide according to international law. There can be no doubt, however, that Israel’s war on prisoners was the third front in its assault on Gaza and the West Bank, and it involves possible crimes under the Geneva Conventions that have gone largely unseen by anyone but the victims. These prisoners, too, are hostages to the conflict, and they, too, deserve justice.” See also ‘Cruellest forms of torture’: freed Palestinians describe horrors of Israeli jail (The Guardian 10/14/25); Israel frees some Gaza medical staff, but a prominent hospital chief remains imprisoned (AP 10/15/25); Calls grow for release of Gaza’s Dr Hussam Abu Safia after ceasefire deal (Al Jazeera 10/13/25); Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti assaulted by Israeli prison guards, son says (The Guardian 10/15/25)
While the eyes of the world are on Gaza, Israeli settlers in the West Bank still behave with impunity (Israeli Knesset Member Ofer Cassif//The Guardian 10/16/25)
“Nowhere is the deceit more clear than in the occupied West Bank. There, the words of peace are but a weak and distant voice, but the horrifying sounds of settler violence and terror still echo loudly. More than 30 occurrences of settler violence against Palestinians have been documented since the announcement of Trump’s 20-point plan at the end of September, including physical assaults, theft of agricultural produce and torching of vehicles and property. The rise of settler terrorism is not coincidental. This period marks the start of the harvest seasons. More than a vital economic event, it is an important social and national moment that exhibits endurance under occupation. Precisely for these reasons, year after year settlers target Palestinians during this precious time…In the occupied West Bank, settler terrorism is nothing but a tool by the government to pursue de-facto annexation.” See also At This West Bank Checkpoint, ‘It’s Not Just Movement That’s Blocked. It’s Time Itself’ (Haaretz 10/13/25); Bureaucratic Antics for Three West Bank Villages Show How an Israeli Annexation Began Long Ago (Amira Hass//Haaretz 10/12/25); I Held Up This Sign at the Knesset as a Mirror of Truth – to Trump and the Public (MK Ofer Cassif//Haaretz 10/16/25);
U.S. SCENE
US non-profits ‘lock arms’ amid Trump’s menacing of George Soros: ‘We will not be intimidated’ (The Guardian 10/17/25)
“The US justice department has reportedly instructed US attorneys to come up with plans to investigate OSF as efforts to attack the left accelerate following the killing of the rightwing commentator Charlie Kirk…The menacing of Soros comes as part of Trump’s wider agenda to defeat progressive non-profits. This month, sources told Reuters that the US president plans to deploy the nation’s counter-terrorism apparatus – including intelligence agencies, the justice department, the Internal Revenue Service and the treasury department – against some leftwing groups it claims are backing political violence…The justice department’s instructions to US attorneys to investigate OSF reportedly cited as evidence a report by Capital Research Center, a rightwing group monitoring the funding of liberal non-profits. The group’s head admitted to the New York Times this month that the paper does not include evidence that the Soros network had committed any crime. The group has since quietly updated the report, changing its title from claiming OSF funds “pro-terror groups” to claiming it funds “extremism”. The 72-page report, which claims Open Society Foundations gave more than $80m to what it calls “pro-terror” groups, lists dozens of organizations, including some of the most prominent Palestinian-rights groups in the US and abroad…It lists some of the leading groups in the Palestine solidarity movement in the US, like Jewish Voice for Peace, the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, and the Center for Constitutional Rights…Still, [Women Donors Network president & CEO Leena] Barakat cautioned: “The Palestinian movement – they are our canaries. What they test on the Palestinian movement are strategies that will eventually impact all other movements.”’ See also The Anti-Soros Strategy at the Heart of Trump’s War on Progressive Nonprofits (Alex Kane//Jewish Currents 10/15/25)
A Test Now for Israel: Can It Repair Its Ties to Americans? (NYT 10/12/25)
“Israel’s reputation in the United States is in tatters, and not only on college campuses or among progressives. For the first time since it began asking Americans about their sympathies in 1998, a New York Times poll last month found that slightly more voters sided with the Palestinians than with Israelis. American Jews, long Israel’s strongest domestic backers, have turned sharply critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing government over the Gaza conflict. A majority believe Israel has committed war crimes as it has killed tens of thousands of civilians and restricted food aid, and four in 10 believe it is guilty of genocide, a new Washington Post survey found — a charge Israel denies. The shift has created new incentives for even moderate Democrats in Congress to get tough on Israel, including by curtailing U.S. military aid. The damage is also increasingly bipartisan. Despite Republican efforts to identify their party with Israel and to tag Democrats as providing aid and comfort to its enemies, younger evangelical Christians are breaking with their parents on the issue, seeing Israel as an oppressor rather than as a victim. And the breakup extends beyond evangelicals…Shibley Telhami, a pollster and scholar of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the University of Maryland, argues that it’s too late. “We now have a paradigmatic Gaza generation like we had a Vietnam generation and a Pearl Harbor generation,” he said. “There’s this growing sense among people that what they’re witnessing is genocide in real time, amplified by new media, which we didn’t have in Vietnam. It’s a new generation where Israel is seen as a villain. And I don’t think that’s likely to go away.”’
From Long Island to the Baltics: Drop Site Investigation Reveals New Details About Canary Mission’s Operations (Jaqueline Sweet//Drop Site 10/16/25)
“Drop Site uncovered new information about individuals, donor networks, and businesses helping Canary Mission, a pro-Israel organization serving the U.S.’s deportation and repression efforts…When Canary Mission began “doxxing” people for expressing pro-Palestine views a decade ago, the shadowy group mostly found traction among pro-Israel advocates who lobbied, with mixed success, to put a blacklist into effect. The group’s dossiers on activists and students led to firings, harassment, and death threats against its targets. Canary Mission has since risen to become an influential organ in President Donald Trump’s deportation machine, and its accumulated dossiers are now used by U.S. federal authorities and have led to immigration arrests of students.”
PERSPECTIVES//LONG READS
A ceasefire must not stall Israel’s growing isolation (Ahmed Moor//+972 Magazine 10/15/25)
“The overwhelming majority of Israelis who support the actions of their army and government seem unaware of the depth of people’s outrage and grief in response to the genocide. They do not yet understand the scale of the inevitable reckoning that awaits, or the meaning of the word “indelible,” and that memory is long and generational…after two years of genocide, and with awareness of Israel’s apartheid reality at unprecedented levels, global momentum for an arms embargo, sanctions, and cultural boycott has approached a tipping point. In the United States, the momentum for cutting off military aid to Israel has been driven in part by anger over the suppression of speech by people who prioritize Israeli interests over those of American citizens. Growing numbers on both the political left and right are increasingly resentful of this censorship — and of being made to underwrite the genocide. For a Democratic party in crisis, active resistance to the Israel lobby is beginning to look like a winning electoral strategy. Across Europe, Israel is more isolated than it has ever been…Perhaps most importantly, Jewish supremacy in Palestine — the core tenet of Zionism — is increasingly regarded as illegitimate across the globe. It is far too early to declare that the Zionist era in Palestine is over, but October 2025 portends a different future. If the genocide has rendered Gaza uninhabitable for Palestinians, it has also made the world newly inhospitable to Zionism…Israelis will not end the occupation and apartheid on their own. Therefore, individual countries must sever economic ties with Israel and Israeli companies wherever possible. States that recognize universal jurisdiction should support the effort to prosecute reservists and conscripts who participated in the genocide. Sanctions must also target the government and its cabinet ministers, along with the nightly commentators who incite mass murder.” See also The Myths of Camp David (Ahmed Moor interviews Robert Malley//The Nation 10/14/25); Boycotting Israel has gone mainstream: ‘We’ve never seen such traction before’ (The Guardian 10/11/25);
What Trump’s Peace Deal Really Means for Gaza (Diana Buttu and Daniel J. Wakin//NYT 10/15/25)
“What does President Trump’s peace deal between Israel and Hamas mean for Palestinians in the region? On this episode, the Opinion editor Dan Wakin interviews Diana Buttu, a former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization, about her concerns over the agreement and what it really means for Palestinians. “My fear is that in this agreement, we’re just going to go back to the way it was before,” she says. “It’s just going to be yet another papering over the harm that has been caused by these decades of occupation.”’
Can Palestinians Trust Donald Trump? (Omar Rahman//FP 10/10/25)
“While it is a positive that the people of Gaza will not have to wait out a long negotiation process to get some desperate reprieve, the durability of the cease-fire is questionable. And even if a broader agreement is somehow reached, Netanyahu may decide somewhere along the process of implementation that it serves his interests to abandon the deal and either resume his military campaign or find some other arrangement suitable to his interests. Underlying all of this, however, is a simple notion that makes even the phased negotiation and implementation structure irrelevant: Every concession made by Hamas is irreversible, while every concession made by Israel can be undone. For example, if Israel withdraws its military from Gaza one day, it can reenter the next; if it releases 1,000 Palestinian prisoners today, it can rearrest them tomorrow. On the other hand, once Hamas frees Israeli hostages, they are gone for good. If it decides to give up its weapons, a mechanism may be put in place to recover them if Israel reneges on the deal, but it will be hard-pressed to do so in practice. For Hamas, this underlying dilemma makes the guarantor of the agreement absolutely pivotal. Enter the less-than-reliable Trump. Although Hamas officials recently claimed that the group trusts the president to uphold the deal, this couldn’t be further from the truth—and with good reason.”
Will Israelis One Day Say of Their Country’s Atrocities in Gaza, ‘I Was Always Against It’? (Amira Hass//Haaretz 10/15/25)
“Optimists say that, ultimately, Israelis will grasp the scope of the atrocity they committed in the Gaza Strip. The truth will seep into their consciousness. The old videos of infants who were blown to bits by our bombs will at some point reach Israelis’ hearts and pierce them…At some point, the optimists say, Israelis will stop saying, “They deserved it, because of October 7. They attacked.” The numbers will stop being abstractions and “Who believes Hamas.” The readers will grasp that more than 20,000 children were killed – a third of all the dead – at our hands. More than 44,000 children were wounded – a quarter of all the wounded. They will realize that they abetted and supported a war of annihilation against a people and did not defeat a vicious armed organization…The daughters of decorated pilots will ask whether they dropped a proportionate bomb that killed a hundred civilians for one mid-level Hamas commander. Why didn’t you refuse? The daughter will sob…People are not born cruel; they become such. The cruelty of Palestinians towards Israelis is covered extensively in our media, articles and close-ups. It developed in response and resistance to our foreign and hostile rule. Our cruelty, that of Israeli society, is getting ever more sophisticated with the aim of protecting our spoils: the land and the water and the freedoms from which we expelled the Palestinians. The optimists believe that there is a road back. How lucky they are, the optimists.” See also Israel’s Policy of Separation Perpetuates Hamas (Amira Hass//Haaretz 10/17/25)
Be sure of this: many of the horrors the west allowed in Gaza will come closer to home (Owen Jones//The Guardian 10/14/25)
“t’s clear what Israel’s western-facilitated genocide has done to Gaza. But what has it done to us? Palestinians are the “canaries in a coalmine”, the Palestinian analyst Muhammad Shehada tells me. “We’re screaming of a major warning of what’s about to come your way. When you have a media-political class that’s relishing, delighting in the murder of our children, do you think they’re going to care about yours?”…What will boomerang back to the west from the killing fields of Gaza? Every genocide requires the total dehumanisation of its victims, and Palestinians are no exception…But this dehumanisation goes beyond its most violent expressions. There has been no pretence that a Palestinian life has even a fraction of the worth of an Israeli life. Look at what has been normalised. Hospitals bombed and destroyed, with more than 1,700 health workers killed. Civilians massacred while sheltering in schools. More than 2,600 starving Palestinians gunned down trying to collect food since May. Teenagers shot in different parts of the body “like a game of target practice”, as British surgeon Dr Nick Maynard testified…We could go on, but these are all horrors that are among humanity’s darkest moments. That they were facilitated by western governments, and cheered on or simply tolerated by western media outlets, will have profound consequences. So will the fact that westerners who protested against this wanton barbarism were demonised, sacked, deplatformed, beaten by police officers, arrested, and menaced with deportation. So too will the destruction of whatever remained of an “international order”, torpedoed to protect Israel from accountability, as was the case when international criminal court judges were sanctioned by the US after it issued arrest warrants against Israeli leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Life in Gaza may go from utter hell to mere nightmare. What happens now? (Hussein Agha and Robert Malley//The Guardian 10/14/25)
“Israel seldom has enjoyed such unrivalled regional military dominance and has never been more isolated. The Palestinians have rarely benefited from such widespread support, and their national movement hardly ever been more adrift. Neither side managed to convert the tremendous assets they accumulated into tangible political gains. It took an American president unbound by traditional domestic constraints, immune to laws of political gravity, willing to break with convention, engage with Hamas and tackle Israel, to get this done and provide the parties with what they could accept.”
Her Optimism Has Won Her Some of the Most Powerful Enemies in the World (M. Gessen//NYT 10/16/25)
“[Francesca] Albanese became a hometown hero after the White House branded her an enemy, which it did because of her work, over the past three years, as the United Nations special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories. In the course of that work, she has pursued strategies that are as legally ambitious as they are politically risky. She has documented human rights abuses, as her predecessors did. She infuriated some of her allies by condemning the Hamas violence of Oct. 7, 2023, then caused a storm when she leaped onto social media to contest a boilerplate statement by the president of France that framed the violence as antisemitic. Perhaps most explosively, she has called out the corporations, including some of the largest in the United States, that enable and benefit from human rights abuses, and which are likely to continue to do so, regardless of the cease-fire.”
PODCAST: Rethinking Palestinian public opinion (+972 Magazine 10/9/25)
“In this episode of The +972 Podcast, we speak with Zayne Abudaka, co-founder and senior fellow at the Institute for Social and Economic Progress in Ramallah. An economist and entrepreneur, Abudaka leads the institute’s efforts to collect and analyze Palestinian public opinion in the West Bank and Gaza, adapting polling methods throughout the war to reach Palestinians under extraordinarily difficult conditions. Among other issues, Abudaka discusses his team’s recent findings on Palestinians’ attitudes toward party politics, armed resistance, the two-state paradigm, and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement. He also explains how dominant polling practices often flatten or outright distort Palestinian perspectives, and how Israel and the international media have cynically used public opinion data — especially about how Gazans view Hamas’ actions on October 7 — to justify the ongoing genocide.”
Forty-Eight Hours in Israeli Captivity (Emily Wilder//Jewish Currents 10/14/25)
“A journalist captured on a flotilla mission recounts treatment at the hands of the Israeli navy, border police, and prison guards.”
NEW FROM FMEP
FMEP Legislative Round-Up October 9, 2025 (Lara Friedman)
- Bills, Resolutions; 2. Letters; 3. Hearings & Markups; 4. Selected Members on the Record; 5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements
MAGA & the FBI Break Up with the ADL (New Occupied Thoughts podcast)
FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with journalist Mari Cohen and researcher Emmaia Gelman about the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), including the history and current activities of the ADL and the ADL’s approach to advocacy for Palestinian rights and criticism of the state of Israel. They also discuss the ADL’s relationship with the U.S. government, including including the ADL’s role in surveilling Americans and FBI Director Kash Patel’s recent decision to suspend the ADL’s longstanding partnership with the ADL.
GAZA
What to know about the Gaza ceasefire deal as it takes effect (WaPo 10/10/25)
“The Israel Defense Forces announced Friday that civilians would be allowed to return to the north of Gaza after the ceasefire went into effect. Streets running along the enclave’s coast were thronged with people carrying belongings. With the ceasefire in place, Israeli troops began to reposition, withdrawing to an agreed line well within the borders of the Gaza Strip — a move that started the clock on a high-stakes, 72-hour timeline for Hamas to release hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel and a surge of aid, under the terms of the agreement’s initial phase…Many key details of the deal remain unclear. Trump said Thursday that the hostages would be released Monday or Tuesday and that he would travel to Egypt for a signing of the plan. The deal’s first phase, now in force, stems from a framework put forward by Trump to end the war in Gaza. But the initial agreement only addresses several of the 20 points in Trump’s broader proposal, much of which appears to be left for future negotiations. Here is what we know, and what we don’t, about the agreement and what could happen next.” See also Palestinians displaced to southern Gaza begin journey home as ceasefire comes into effect (The Guardian 10/10/25); Israel begins Gaza pullback (Al Monitor 10/10/25); Report: About 250,000 displaced Palestinians return to Gaza City since cease-fire began (Haaretz 10/10/25);
Gaza ceasefire deal: what has been agreed for first phase and why now? (The Guardian 10/9/25)
“An agreement was made between the two sides after indirect talks this week in Egypt and announced by Trump on his Truth Social platform. The deal, signed by both sides on Thursday, was ratified by the security cabinet of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the country’s coalition government on Thursday evening. Israel has said it will pause hostilities “within 24 hours” of the security cabinet meeting and that after that period, the hostages held by Hamas – of whom about 20 are thought to be alive – will be freed within a further 72 hours. The remains of the other hostages will follow. Around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners are to be freed from Israeli jails, including 250 serving long sentences for serious security offences. Israeli troops will pull back to new positions and there is expected to be an increase of desperately needed aid.” See also Israeli Cabinet approves agreement to stop the war in Gaza (Axios 10/9/25); Hamas and Palestinian Factions Agree to Gaza Ceasefire; Trump Confirms Deal Was Reached (Drop Site 10/8/25); Hamas praises Trump but says Tony Blair not welcome in post-war Gaza role (The Guardian 10/10/25); Scoop: Trump plans leaders summit on Gaza during Egypt visit next week (Axios 10/10/25); Israel publishes list of 250 security prisoners slated for release as part of Gaza deal (TOI 10/10/25); Who Are the Hostages Believed Alive in Gaza? (NYT 10/9/25)
Trump promised not to let Israel break Gaza ceasefire to get deal (Axios 10/10/25)
“As negotiations for a Gaza peace deal approached the finish line, President Trump provided a personal guarantee he wouldn’t let Israel abandon it and resume the war, two U.S. officials revealed in a briefing with reporters…Trump’s assurances were a key factor in convincing Hamas to take the deal, the sources say.” See also Trump’s ‘maximum pressure’ on Israel won Gaza ceasefire, White House says (WaPo 10/9/25);
UN is ready to surge aid into Gaza and waiting for green light from Israel after deal (AP 10/9/25)
“The United Nations said Thursday that 170,000 metric tons of food, medicine and other humanitarian aid is ready to enter Gaza and that it is seeking a green light from Israel to massively increase help for more than 2 million Palestinians following a deal to pause the war. In the last several months, the U.N. and its humanitarian partners have only been able to deliver 20% of the aid needed to address the dire situation in the Gaza Strip, U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said. Following the announcement Wednesday of a ceasefire deal, he said all entry points to Gaza must be opened to deliver aid at “a much, much greater scale.”’ See also Aid Groups Prepare to Provide Quick Relief to Gaza Under Cease-Fire (NYT 10/10/25); UN official says scaled-up aid deliveries to Gaza will begin Sunday (Haaretz 10/10/25)
‘First Night Without Bombs in Two Years’ Gaza City Residents Return en Masse as Cease-fire With Israel Goes Into Effect (Haaretz 10/10/25)
“With the announcement of the IDF’s withdrawal from the Netzarim corridor about 20 minutes after noon, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians burst into joy and crossed the corridor – which separates Gaza City and northern Gaza from the rest of the Strip. The Palestinian Police Administration in the Gaza Strip announced that it would begin deploying police personnel in all areas from where the IDF had withdrawn…Residents who remained in the areas from which the army withdrew reported extensive destruction…At the same time, thousands of residents remaining in the Gaza City area and the northern Strip began to return to the areas from which the army withdrew earlier on Friday. A spokesperson for the Gaza Municipality said in an interview with Qatari network Al-Araby that the levels of destruction in the city are very high…”This is the first night I have spent without bombs in two years,” Yasmine Saado, 34, told the Palestinian news agency Wafa. “The nightmare is over. My children and I spent a quiet night without fear of death and destruction. A night filled with the confidence we lost during two years of terror.” She described how even her children slept safely, and “they were no longer frightened by the sound of bombs in the middle of the night.” Saado, whose son was killed in an attack on a school in the Shati refugee camp in western Gaza City, said she could now visit his grave without fear.” See also These Horrific Numbers Show the Scale of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza Two Years On (Zeteo 10/8/25);
The Genocide in Gaza (Drop Site 10/10/25)
“Over the past 24 hours, 17 dead and 71 injured Palestinians arrived at hospitals in the Gaza Strip, according to Gaza’s health ministry, while five Palestinians were injured while seeking aid. The total recorded death toll since October 7, 2023 is now 67,211 killed, with 169,961 injured. Among the Israeli attacks on Gaza on Thursday was the bombing of the Ghabboun family home in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City, according to the Civil Defense spokesperson. At least four Palestinians were killed and 40 trapped under the rubble. News outlets reported heavy Israeli bombing across Gaza up until the ceasefire went into effect at 12 p.m. local time on Friday, hours after Israel’s Cabinet approved the deal. The Israeli military announced that its troops have withdrawn to lines still deep within Gaza agreed upon in the plan and warned Palestinians not to approach them.” See also At least 92 Palestinians killed every day in Gaza for 2 straight years (Drop Site 10/7/25); Young lives cut short on an unimaginable scale: the 18,457 children on Gaza’s list of war dead (The Guardian 10/8/25); How Israel’s invasion has shattered lives, livelihoods and learning in Gaza (WaPo 10/8/25)
Famine’s Long Shadow (Alex de Waal//Jewish Currents 10/6/25)
“Even now, the means to end the hunger are readily at hand. The UN and experienced humanitarian agencies have the resources, expertise, and plans to provide food and medicine, and are standing ready just a few miles away. Should Israel give the signal, the basic survival needs of many Palestinians in Gaza could be met within days. But even if food is surged into Gaza today—as it must be—irreparable harms have already been done to those who have endured prolonged starvation. We know from history that a famine’s legacy is generations long, its traumas remaining imprinted on the bodies of the survivors even after sustenance is at hand. In the immediate term, severely acutely malnourished children cannot be saved by food alone—their starvation is so advanced that they need specialized hospital care. In the longer term, children who are malnourished in their first thousand days of life, or in utero, face “potentially irreparable physical and neurocognitive damage,” including increased susceptibility to a range of chronic diseases as adults. The collective harms of famine are no less grave. As humans starve, our bodies seek out and consume every reserve of fat, followed by muscle and essential organs. The drive for food then becomes all-consuming. Hunger overrides social norms as people are forced to scrabble and fight for food…Indeed, because food is not just a source of nutrition but also what binds together families and communities, scholars of mass starvation have long found that wherever famine unfolds, it threatens not just individual lives but also a society’s way of life.” See also Almost 55,000 preschool children in Gaza acutely malnourished, Lancet study estimates (The Guardian 10/9/25);
In One Month, Israeli Fire Killed Over 130 People in ‘Safe Zones’ Designated by the IDF (Haaretz 10/9/25)
“The Israeli military has killed at least 130 people in areas of the Gaza Strip that it had declared safe zones since September 12…Yet the military has continued attacking in these areas almost every day since then.”
REGION//GLOBAL
Top U.S. Officials: Mideast States to Oversee Disarming Hamas, U.S. Will Not Enter Gaza (Haaretz 10/10/25)
“Forces from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey will operate in Gaza when the cease-fire takes effect, working in collaboration with Israel and the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), senior U.S. officials said overnight into Friday. The officials said that the United States would not send forces to the enclave. Rather, it would assist in managing Gaza from abroad, and “initially have 200 people on the ground” to “oversee and observe” enforcement of the agreement in coordination with Israel, one of them said. They said Middle Eastern states will be responsible for disarming Hamas.” See also Pentagon bolsters Gaza ceasefire oversight with 200-troop mission to Israel (Al Monitor 10/10/25); Hamas will be disarmed, Netanyahu vows after ceasefire begins (The Guardian 10/10/25);
Gaza plan: Looks Like peace, acts like occupation (Carol Daniel-Kasbari//Responsible Statecraft 10/6/25)
“Donald Trump’s 20-point plan promises ceasefire, hostages home, Israeli withdrawal, and reconstruction. It sounds complete. It isn’t. Without enforceable mechanics, maps, timelines, phased verification, and real local ownership; it risks being a short-lived show, not a durable peace…The design breaks down where hard agreements usually do. First, it effectively treats disarmament as surrender, demanding that an armed actor relinquish leverage before credible political guarantees and security protections exist. Durable settlements don’t start with a leap of faith over a void…Second, the withdrawal language is vague. If a “pullback” arrives bundled with continuing perimeter control, airspace, crossings, or security carve-outs, residents will experience it as occupation under a new brand…There’s a deeper political absence, too. This deal does not deliver what Palestinians actually hope for: self-determination and a say in their future…If Trump is serious about peace, Jerusalem and the West Bank must be inside the plan, not promised to some later round. Facts on the ground are moving the other way.”
The Recognition Trick (Jonathan Shamir//Jewish Currents 10/6/25)
“By making Palestinian disarmament a prerequisite for statehood, Western countries are still facilitating Israel’s goals.” See also Hundreds of thousands march across Europe in support of Palestinians (AP 10/5/25); Spanish MPs back move to enshrine in law arms embargo on Israel (The Guardian 10/8/25);
Gaza flotilla members allege beatings and insults in Israeli detention (The Guardian 10/6/25)
“International activists, journalists and lawyers deported from Israel after attempting to breach the 16-year maritime blockade of Gaza as part of a humanitarian flotilla have alleged being subjected to brutal physical and verbal abuse by Israeli forces during their detention. The alleged abuses included sleep and medication deprivation, beatings, having automatic rifles pointed at their heads, dogs set upon them, having to sleep on the floor, being subjected to insults and being made to watch footage of the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023. “I was beaten from the moment we entered the port until the very end,” said Saverio Tommasi, an Italian journalist. “Blows to my back, blows to my head – and they [the Israeli soldiers] laughed, laughed at all of it. Anyone who failed to keep their eyes down was punished with a hit to the head.”…The national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has said he was “proud” of the way staff behaved at Ketziot. He said in a statement on the activists: “They should get a good feel for the conditions in Ketziot prison and think twice before they approach Israel again.”…D’Agostino and several other members of the flotilla said Israeli forces appeared to single out Thunberg for harsher treatment than the others.” See also Gaza flotilla activists allege mistreatment while being detained in Israel (AP 10/5/25); Israel Deports Greta Thunberg and 170 Gaza Flotilla Activists Amid New Abuse Allegations (Haaretz 10/6/25);
RIVER TO THE SEA
As Israelis Breathe a Sigh of Relief, Some Ask Why a Deal Took So Long (NYT 10/9/25)
“Despite the general sense of exhilaration, some Israelis expressed frustration that it had taken their government so long to reach this point. “There should be no doubt, this deal came about solely because of President Trump,” Yehuda Cohen, father of Nimrod Cohen, a 21-year-old soldier held in Gaza, told an Israeli TV channel on Thursday…Like Mr. Cohen, many Israelis say they believe that Mr. Netanyahu prolonged the war to stave off a public reckoning and to appease his far-right political partners who wanted Israel to keep fighting and establish permanent rule in Gaza.” See also Hostage families say ‘struggle is not over until all 48 hostages return’ at Tel Aviv demonstration (Haaretz 10/10/25); ‘It feels like a dream’: protests come to end as Israelis sing in ‘hostages square’ (The Guardian 10/9/25); Netanyahu gamble appears to pay off as Israelis cheer Gaza retreat, planned hostage release (Al Monitor 10/10/25); Amid Hope, Parents of Slain Gaza Hostages Fear Their Bodies May Never Be Found (Haaretz 10/10/25);
PTSD and suicides spike among Israeli troops amid devastation of Gaza war (WaPo 10/5/25)
“Two years into Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza, returning soldiers are confronting post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, in numbers unprecedented for Israel, mental health professionals say. Since the start of the war, the longest in the country’s history, more than 11,000 soldiers have been admitted to the Defense Ministry’s psychological rehabilitation program for those who are war-wounded, according to a ministry statement. Tens of thousands more are believed to have PTSD without recognition or treatment. The military is investigating at least 37 cases of suicide since the start of the war, it said — more than triple the total recorded during Israel’s last large war in Gaza in 2014, which lasted only 50 days.” See also Israel at War With Itself (Roger Cohen//NYT 10/5/25); Inside the Minds of Young Israelis Mocking Gaza’s Suffering on TikTok (Haaretz 10/4/25);
U.S. SCENE
Report on Soros Cited by Justice Dept. Does Not Show Funding for Terrorism (NYT 10/10/25)
“When the Justice Department urged federal prosecutors last month to investigate the billionaire George Soros, it cited a report by a conservative watchdog group that accused the liberal megadonor of financing groups “tied to terrorism or extremist violence.” But the report by Washington-based Capital Research Center does not show evidence that Mr. Soros’s network knowingly paid for its grantees to break the law, which legal experts said would be necessary to build a criminal case. In fact, the report does not offer proof that groups that received money from the Soros-backed Open Society Foundations used those donations to commit acts of violence or terrorism…Scott Walter, the president of Capital Research Center, agreed that his group had not found evidence that the Soros network had committed a crime.”
Trump’s war on the left: Inside the plan to investigate liberal groups (Reuters 10/9/25)
“The Trump administration plans to deploy America’s counter-terrorism apparatus – including the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department – as well as the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department against certain left-wing groups it accuses of funding and organizing political violence, the officials said. The effort marks an escalation in the administration’s efforts to target domestic opponents, raising alarm among civil rights groups and Democratic leaders about the use of executive power.” See also MAGA erupts after Trump doesn’t win Nobel Peace Prize (Axios 10/10/25); Here are the “8 wars” Trump says he deserves a Nobel Prize for ending (Axios 10/10/25);
Many American Jews sharply critical of Israel on Gaza, Post poll finds (WaPo 10/6/25)
“Many American Jews sharply disapprove of Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, with 61 percent saying Israel has committed war crimes and about 4 in 10 saying the country is guilty of genocide against the Palestinians, according to a Washington Post poll. The findings are striking given the long-standing ties between the U.S. Jewish community and Israel, suggesting the potential for a historic breach over the Gaza war…Sixty-eight percent give negative marks to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership of Israel, with 48 percent rating it “poor” — a 20-percentage-point jump from a Pew Research Center poll five years ago. But Jews also overwhelmingly blame Hamas, with 94 percent saying Hamas has committed war crimes against Israelis…Many of those who spoke to The Post in follow-up interviews said they supported Israel’s military incursion at first, given the brutality of the Hamas attack and the need to respond. But as the war has dragged on, with reports of atrocities accumulating and little evident progress, they have recoiled at Israel’s actions.” See also Bari Weiss to Head CBS News as Pro-Trump, Pro-Israel Billionaire Ellison Family Expands Media Empire (Democracy Now 10/8/25); Who is Bari Weiss, the pro-Israel, iconoclast new head of CBS News? (TOI 10/6/25); Legacy Journalists from NYT, CNN Are Mentors in a Fellowship Founded for Pro-Israel “Information War” (Sharif Abdel Kouddous//Drop Site 10/8/25); See also Over 1,000 Rabbis and Jewish Peace Activists in Brooklyn Demand Gaza Ceasefire (Democracy Now 10/3/25)
How Zohran Mamdani Came to Embrace the Palestinian Cause (NYT 10/8/25)
“Mr. Mamdani’s unapologetically pro-Palestinian platform would once have been almost unimaginable for a leading mayoral candidate. Since Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack tipped the region into all-out war, he has accused Israel of committing genocide, vowed to arrest its leader and said he could not support the country as long as it is an officially Jewish state that gives lesser rights to Palestinians. On the two-year anniversary of the massacre this week, the Israeli Foreign Ministry issued an unusual denunciation, calling him “a mouthpiece for Hamas propaganda” despite his condemnation of the terrorist group’s massacre. Yet polls suggest that as the war drags on, New Yorkers are moving toward Mr. Mamdani’s position, which was once far outside the mainstream.” See also Mamdani attends Israelis for Peace vigil after his 7 October statement draws ire from Israel (The Guardian 10/7/25)
PERSPECTIVES//LONG READS
Two years after October 7, Palestine has become a graveyard of failed strategies (Muhammad Shehada//+972 Magazine 10/7/25)
“My loved ones have become ghosts of their former selves. They have been broken many times throughout 730 days of non-stop bombardment, starvation, and displacement. They have been reduced to scurrying for food and shelter while being attacked wherever they run. Every single aspect of their lives has become an excruciating struggle for survival. Those who manage to escape this concentration camp are physically transformed…For those still trapped inside, the physical toll is almost impossible to describe in words. …And that is before even considering the psychological toll of the genocide on the people of Gaza. The full scale of this will only become clear once the bombing stops, and survivors regain the mental energy required to process the memories and emotions their brains have long suppressed while in survival mode. Gaza has become a place where death is so constant and survival so compromised that even silence now speaks louder than any appeal for justice. And the legacy of this genocide will be with us for generations, because Israel has given every single Gazan a personal vendetta.”
We Are Elated by the Gaza Ceasefire News. Now, the World Must Hold Israel to Account for 2 Years of Genocide (Diana Buttu//Zeteo 10/9/25)
“No one is happier that Israel’s bombs will stop than Palestinians. No one. We can finally start to try to locate and bury our dead, collecting our loved ones from beneath the rubble, and begin to comprehend, collectively, what we went through for the past two years. Every day, for two years, we have held one another, physically and with our words, shielding one another from unending gaslighting and dehumanization. We have watched the most sophisticated technology transformed into the most merciless killing machines, shredding children’s bodies with cruelty I never imagined I would ever see. We saw anew what happened to our parents and grandparents in the last century, with this callous destruction of the remains of Palestine at the hands of people who have never cared for it. I am elated and relieved that it may be over. We all are. I can breathe. We can breathe. Yet, I am worried.”
A ‘magic pill’ made Israeli violence invisible. We need to stop swallowing it (Diana Buttu//The Guardian 10/5/25)
“As I write this, confusion swirls around Donald Trump’s plan to end the war and hope is mounting for a hostage and prisoner swap. While an end to the bombing, the freedom of captives on both sides and allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza would bring some relief in an otherwise unbearably bleak landscape, it would be a mistake to view the plan as a historic breakthrough for Palestine. Trump’s vision is yet another American-Israeli concoction cooked up without any input from Palestinians that would retain Israel’s perpetual control over Gaza’s future. The world has never listened to Palestinian voices or taken seriously the existential threat Israel poses to Palestinian life, and this has not materially changed despite the increase in performative angst. To the contrary, Palestinians have for three-quarters of a century endured the world telling us that Israeli “security concerns” – however defined by Israel – are more important than our rights and lives. As a result Palestinians live with two omnipresent forms of violence: Israeli violence directly inflicted upon our bodies, land and society, and western violence, where only our erasure prompts the world to notice us and see our humanity – but only barely…Rhetoric without consequence has been the west’s modus operandi for decades. The cost has been catastrophic.”
Disappearing people, disappearing morals – how two years has changed Gaza and Israel (Orly Noy//The Guardian 10/7/25)
“It is extremely hard to put into words the unprecedented hell these past two years have brought, but perhaps the single word that best captures their indescribable essence is this: disappearance. It feels as if everything has vanished. Not only the tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza erased without graves, without records, as if they had never existed – so many other things have been hollowed out: basic conceptions of morality, decency, compassion, humanity, hope, future…Two years ago, days after the massacre of 7 October, I warned of revenge that would achieve nothing but yet more violence and suffering. I feared the unbridled Israeli response I knew would follow, but even in my worst nightmares I did not imagine it could amount to such systematic, calculated annihilation. I did not believe Israel would reach the point of starving people to death. I did not believe it would, on average, erase a classroom of children every single day for two whole years. Nor did I believe the world would permit Israel to do all this – a perverse, inverted antisemitism that effectively says: the rules of humanity do not apply to this Jewish collective.”
This war of revenge has lasted two nightmare years. There’s only one hope for peace: Israel recognising Palestine (Raja Shehadeh//The Guardian 10/7/25)
“On the West Bank, we have no previous experience of what it would mean to live next to a state committing genocide against our people and the widespread tolerance of the Israeli people of these actions. We watch in horror what is taking place in Gaza, and also with trepidation. We wonder when our turn will come for the kind of attacks from the air that Gaza has been subjected to…There is no doubt about the Israeli army’s fighting capabilities. But Israel must choose between perpetual war or living in peace. This can only happen if the country recognises Palestinian self-determination – a prospect that, at present, seems remote. At the culmination of this war, Israel might end up destroying Gaza, but it will also destroy itself.”
The Zionist consensus among US Jews has collapsed. Something new is emerging (Shaul Magid//The Guardian 10/7/25)
“In fact, for the American Jewish community, the last two years have seen the collapse of a half-century-old consensus on Zionism itself…For some, that has meant a move to the right; after 7 October many American Jews defended Israel’s actions as necessary and justifiable. Witnessing Israel’s response prompted others to move to the left and question the Zionist project entirely. That is especially true for young American Jews on the left, for whom anti-Zionism has as much to do with redefining their own Jewish identity as it does with their critique of the country.”
A Time That Refuses to Pass (Abdulla Hany Daher//Jewish Currents 10/8/25)
“Two years have passed since October 7th, 2023. I wrote those words in anticipation of publishing this piece on October 7th, 2025. But that turned out to be impossible. From the night of October 6th until the morning of the 8th, the bombing in Qizan Abu Rashwan, the area south of Khan Younis where my family has been staying, was relentless—so fierce that I could no longer tell the difference between the urge to publish and the urge to survive. A hand cannot tremble and write at the same time…This land that once held streets and homes is now a blank space dotted with tents. The only shelter as far as the eye can see: thin sheets fragile enough for a stone to pierce. Walls have been replaced with fabric, entire neighborhoods erased. Will children only remember this white city? Will they know that Gaza once had doors and windows, houses brimming with life? What will remain of all that living?” See also “An Elegy for All of Palestine” (Maram Faraj//Jewish Currents 10/7/25: “The Gazan poet Adel al-Ramadi reflects on making art under genocide.”)
Between a revolution and a whisper (Thawra Abukhdeir//+972 Magazine 10/6/25)
“For Palestinians in Israel, self-censorship has long been a survival mechanism, our silence the condition of our citizenship. But encountering solidarity abroad, I realized my body forgot what it feels like to speak freely.“
These Attempts To Crush Protest Won’t Keep Jewish People Safe (Emily Hilton//British Vogue 10/6/25)
“On Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, there was an attack on a synagogue in Manchester. Two people were killed, several others injured. Our community is in shock, grief and fear…We’d barely had time to absorb what had happened in Manchester before the media kicked into gear, and politicians wasted no time in weaponising our pain to slander the pro-Palestine movement. The Prime Minister called for a Defend Our Juries vigil planned for Saturday afternoon, a protest against the ban on direct action group Palestine Action, to be called off, to “respect the grief of British Jews”…Let’s be clear: you do not keep Jewish people safe by repressing Palestinian solidarity. It is perfectly possible to stand against antisemitism and at the same time to stand against Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The rush to suggest otherwise is as harmful as it is offensive…The government’s efforts to shut down protest only further conflate Jews in the UK with the actions of the Israeli state. Politicians using us to bolster their own anti-Palestinian agenda serves only to direct empathy away from our community at a time of enormous grief and vulnerability.”
A long ‘journey’ for Nobel chemistry winner born to Palestinian refugees (WaPo 10/8/25)
“U.S. chemist Omar Yaghi, who on Wednesday became the first Palestinian scientist to win a Nobel Prize, reached the pinnacle of his profession after “quite a journey,” he said in remarks posted to X from the official Nobel account, recorded just after he learned the news. He was born into a family of refugees, he told the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awarded him the Nobel Prize in chemistry for groundbreaking work in molecular architecture, along with collaborators Susumu Kitagawa and Richard Robson. “My parents could barely read or write,” he said. Yaghi grew up in Amman, Jordan, where his parents moved after fleeing Gaza in 1948, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced from their homes amid the war of 1948 that led to the creation of the Jewish state.”
NEW FROM FMEP
FMEP Legislative Round-Up October 3, 2025 (Lara Friedman)
- Bills, Resolutions; 2. Letters; 3. Hearings & Markups; 4. Selected Members on the Record; 5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements
On the new 20-Point-Plan, Recognition of Palestinian Statehood, and Popular Pressure to End the Genocide (New Occupied Thoughts podcast)
FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi speaks with analyst Mouin Rabbani about political and diplomatic developments relating to the Israeli genocide in Gaza. They discuss the “20 Point Plan” that President Donald Trump released today, as well as his joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asking about actual provisions to limit Israel’s genocidal behavior and noting the colonial structure of the internationally-headed “Board of Peace” that will rule Gaza, according to the proposal. They discuss the symbolic measure of many countries recognizing Palestinian statehood at the UN last week; Mouin notes that this recognition is the first time that Western governments have taken steps for Palestinians in response to pressure from their own constituencies, and suggests that this action demonstrates that popular pressure can affect policy. Finally, Hilary and Mouin look at current initiatives, including the “United for Peace” proposal and the Gaza Sumud Flotilla, that aim to intervene directly in the genocide, and talk about the importance of replacing impunity with accountability.
GAZA
As Israel Pounds Gaza City, an Overwhelming Exodus (NYT 10/1/25)
“The hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fleeing Israel’s expanded ground offensive are further straining services, aid groups say. Hospitals are overflowing, water is low and diseases are spreading.” See also Red Cross temporarily suspends Gaza City operations due to hostilities (Reuters 10/1/25); IDF: Over 750,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City to Strip’s south amid offensive (TOI 9/27/25); Water ‘more precious than gold’: Palestinians fleeing Gaza City face perilous journey south (Rasha Abou Jalal//Al Monitor 9/27/25)
I vowed never to flee Gaza City. But Israel’s assault has left me no choice (Ahmed Ahmed//+972 Magazine 10/2/25)
“On Tuesday, I left Gaza City for the first time in two years. Until then I had refused Israel’s orders throughout the genocide to flee to the so-called “humanitarian zone” in the south, even as I was forced at times to move between neighborhoods within Gaza City to escape Israeli tanks and heavy aerial bombardment. I was also committed to remain in the north as a journalist. I felt a duty to document the stories of the voiceless in the face of Israel’s ban on foreign journalists entering the Strip and its systematic targeting of local reporters, which has often forced me to write anonymously. Even in recent weeks, when the army ordered the evacuation of all of Gaza City’s residents and ramped up its attacks on my surroundings, I vowed to stay put. But it soon became clear that this operation is like no other, and I had to take my survival into my own hands. The assault began in the city’s most densely populated neighborhoods — Zeitoun and Al-Sabra in the west, where I grew up — before advancing north into Jabalia, Sheikh Radwan, and Al-Jalaa. Residential towers are being systematically leveled to strike fear into people’s hearts and drive families south. Unmanned, explosive-laden vehicles are sent in to demolish entire residential areas in massive blasts.” See also “More Dangerous by the Hour”: A Report From Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City (Abdel Qader Sabbah and Sharif Abdel Kouddous//Drop Site 9/29/25); “Death is Better Than This Life”: Displaced Palestinians in Gaza Are Being Bombed in Their Tents (Abdel Qader Sabbah//Drop Site 10/2/25);
Genocide in Gaza (Drop Site 10/3/25)
“At least 49 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza today, including 31 in Gaza City, according to Al Jazeera. Over the past 24 hours, 63 dead and 227 injured arrived at hospitals in the Gaza Strip, according to Gaza’s health ministry, while 15 Palestinians were killed and 80 injured while seeking aid. The total recorded death toll since October 7, 2023 is now 66,288 killed, with 169,165 injured. Two Palestinians, including a child, died of starvation and malnutrition over the past 24 hours, according to the Gaza health ministry, bringing the total since the start of the war to 457 Palestinians, including 152 children. Meanwhile, northern Gaza has been effectively cut off from aid as Israel closed the main coastal road, disallowing travel north, and there are no aid distribution sites in the north. UNRWA warned that statements by Israel officials labeling the roughly 250,000 civilians remaining in Gaza City and northern Gaza as “terrorists or terror supporters” suggest Israel may be planning large-scale massacres…On October 1, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said, “This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south. Those who remain in Gaza will be considered terrorists and terror supporters.”’ See also Genocide in Gaza (Drop Site 10/2/25): “At least 45 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza today, according to Al Jazeera. Over the past 24 hours, 77 dead and 222 injured arrived at hospitals in the Gaza Strip, according to Gaza’s health ministry, while two Palestinians were killed and 44 injured while seeking aid. The total recorded death toll since October 7, 2023 is now 66,225 killed, with 168,938 injured.” See also Genocide in Gaza (Drop Site 10/1/25): “Over the past 24 hours, 51 dead and 180 injured arrived at hospitals in the Gaza Strip, according to the Gaza’s health ministry, while four Palestinians were killed and 57 injured while seeking aid…The health ministry reported that two Palestinians, including a child, died of starvation and malnutrition over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 455, including 151 children. Israel’s defense minister Israel Katz on Wednesday issued a final warning for Palestinians in Gaza City to flee.” See also Israeli Fire Kills 77 in Gaza in Past Day, Health Ministry Says, as Death Toll Passes 66,000 (Haaretz 9/28/25); Israel says ‘last opportunity’ for Gaza City residents to leave (The Guardian 10/1/25);
The destruction of Gaza City is a crime against history (Baker Zoubi//+972 Magazine 9/30/25)
“As residents scramble to escape death, there is little capacity to mourn the destruction of their city. But the Israeli army’s systematic erasure of Gaza City — flattening one neighborhood after another, as it did already in Rafah, Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya, and much of Khan Younis — is wiping out thousands of years of Palestinian and Arab heritage, representing a crime against history itself. Many of the Gaza Strip’s multi-civilizational treasures have already been obliterated over the course of Israel’s two-year genocide. But Gaza City’s ancient origins, along with its centrality in the formation of Palestinian national identity and resistance against the Israeli occupation, make its ruination more than simply a human tragedy. The city’s history dates back many thousands of years, and it is referenced in the Book of Genesis as having been inhabited by Canaanites. Its strategic location between Africa and Asia has made it a vital port and a target of conquest for the Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, Hasmoneans, Romans, and Ottomans.”
‘Will my baby be born in a tent? Will it have food?’: what it’s like to be pregnant in Gaza (Nour Ziad al-Batash//The Guardian 10/1/25)
“In Gaza these days, I can only wonder whether I can find food to keep my baby healthy and how it will be to give birth in a tent…Displacement has made us bankrupt. I have run out of food. My health condition is critical because of pregnancy. I have bleeding due to blood formation inside the uterus as a result of extreme fatigue. I went to Doctors Without Borders and was classified as a malnourished patient. I was transferred to a specialised clinic to examine my pregnancy. The result was they say my pregnancy is high-risk. I will most likely lose my baby. I need to stay in the hospital. But the hospital does not have the capacity for me to stay. I constantly have questions for myself about where I will give birth and whether the baby will be healthy. Will I find healthcare when I need it and will there be food for the baby?…We used to live a beautiful life. My husband was an optician in a leading hospital. We have two children aged six and four. Then the war came and destroyed our home and my husband’s work. We have been displaced and have had to live through weeks in areas besieged by Israeli forces bombing and shelling around us. My children do not eat enough and have become malnourished, making it easy for them to fall ill and hard for them to move.”
As Hamas and Islamic Jihad Decry Trump Plan, Many Gazans Say ‘Anything Is Better Than Bloodshed’ (Haaretz 9/30/25)
“After nearly two years of war, many Palestinians in Gaza say they want the fighting to end at almost any cost – even if that means Hamas loses power – while political factions remain divided over the U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to halt the war. While residents describe living through relentless bombardment, displacement and food shortages, their overriding demand is for the violence to stop. “Frankly, the proposal is very bad, but it is better than nothing. Anything is better than the bloodshed,” one displaced father sheltering in Khan Yunis told Haaretz. Yet among Palestinian leaders, reactions to the White House plan have been fractured: Islamic Jihad rejected it as an American-Israeli dictate, Hamas offered mixed signals and the Palestinian Authority cautiously endorsed Washington’s mediation.”
REGION//GLOBAL
Hamas agrees to some of Trump’s plan but seeks negotiations (Al Monitor 10/3/25)
“Hamas said on Friday it would agree to some aspects of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza war, including releasing hostages and handing over administration of the enclave, but that it would seek negotiations over many of its other terms. In a copy of the statement seen by Reuters, Hamas issued its response to Trump’s 20-point plan after the U.S. president gave the Palestinian militant group until Sunday to accept or reject the proposal…Notably, Hamas did not say whether it would agree to a stipulation that it disarm, a demand by Israel and the U.S. that it has previously rejected.” See also Hamas agrees to release all Israeli hostages as it accepts part of Trump’s plan (The Guardian 10/3/25); Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages, Begin Negotiations Over Trump’s Gaza Cease-fire Proposal (Haaretz 10/3/25); Trump posts Hamas’s statement announcing its response to his proposal to end Gaza war (TOI 10/3/25); Trump says if Hamas does not accept proposed peace deal by Sunday, ‘all hell’ will break out (PBS 10/3/25)
How Hamas Is Navigating Trump’s Gaza Ultimatum (Jeremy Scahill and Jawa Ahmad//Drop Site 10/2/25)
“Hamas officials are conducting an intense series of meetings with Palestinian factions and regional mediators to formulate the Palestinian response to the 20-point Gaza plan announced by President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday. On Tuesday, Trump gave Hamas “three or four days” to respond to what is effectively an ultimatum, threatening the U.S. would empower Israel to indefinitely continue its war of annihilation on Gaza if Hamas did not agree to the plan wholesale. When asked if there is room for Hamas to negotiate the terms, Trump replied, “not much.”…While [Mohammed] Nazzal [a veteran Hamas official and longtime member of its political bureau] said some aspects of the proposal may be acceptable to Hamas and closely align with principles the group had previously agreed to, he described most of the terms as Israeli edicts. “Public opinion within the Palestinian factions is uncomfortable with the plan that was presented. There are some positives in the plan, but the negatives outweigh them,” he said. “Unless the plan is changed or significant modifications are made to certain points, I believe it will be difficult to accept it as it stands.”’ See also Egypt foreign minister urges Hamas to accept Trump Gaza plan and disarm (The Guardian 10/3/25)
How Ramallah sees Trump’s Gaza plan (Daoud Kuttab//Al Monitor 10/1/25)
“Palestinian leaders welcomed the US announcement of a plan to end the Gaza war, noting that despite lingering questions about the timeline and Ramallah’s involvement, recent international backing for statehood has shifted the balance of power and strengthened the position of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in postwar governance.” See also Trump’s 20-Point Gaza Plan: A Rubber Stamp of Legitimacy on Israel’s Subjugation of Palestine (Jeremy Scahill and Jawa Ahmad//Drop Site 9/30/25); The Trump–Netanyahu Gaza Peace Deal Promises Indefinite Occupation (Jonah Valdez//The Intercept 10/1/25); Trump’s peace proposal welcomed by world leaders but Palestinians remain sceptical (The Guardian 9/30/25)
Trump and Netanyahu to Hamas: accept Gaza peace plan or face consequences (The Guardian 9/29/25)
“Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, have delivered an ultimatum to Hamas, warning the militant group to accept their 20-point peace plan for Gaza or face the consequences. The two leaders met at the White House in Washington on Monday then held a joint press briefing in which they hailed their proposal as a historic breakthrough and new chapter for the Middle East…Both Trump and Netanyahu made clear that they were not offering Hamas a choice in the matter. If the group refused, Trump told reporters, “Israel would have my full backing to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas. “But I hope that we’re going to have a deal for peace, and if Hamas rejects the deal … Bibi, you’d have our full backing to do what you would have to do.” The Israeli prime minister said ominously: “If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr President, or if they supposedly accept it and then do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself. This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done.”’ See also What’s in Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza? (The Guardian 9/29/25); Postwar Gaza authority potentially led by Tony Blair ‘would sideline Palestinians’ (The Guardian 9/29/25);
Trump gives Qatar unprecedented security guarantee after Israeli attack (Axios 10/1/25)
“President Trump signed on Monday an executive order to provide Qatar a U.S. security guarantee with conditions similar to NATO’s Article 5, according to the text of the order published by the White House…This is an unprecedented security agreement between the U.S. and an Arab country. It says the U.S. will treat any “armed attack” on the country “as a threat to the peace and security of the United States” and respond accordingly. The upgraded U.S. security guarantee is part of the “compensation” to Qatar for the failed Israeli strike against Hamas officials in Doha three weeks ago…The U.S. move shows how Qatar managed to leverage the crisis to both isolate Israel and get a strategic breakthrough no other Arab country has managed. Under pressure from Trump, Netanyahu had to apologize to Qatar both in private and in public for the strike — a major political humiliation. Trump’s advisers also leveraged the Israel-Qatar crisis to get Netanyahu to accept a plan for ending the war in Gaza for the first time since the Hamas Oct. 7 attacks.” See also Israel may have underestimated Trump’s links with Qatar (Susannah George//WaPo 10/2/25); Qatari Diplomat Was Present in Trump-Netanyahu White House Meeting (Haaretz 10/3/25); Qatar to continue mediation after Israel expresses regret over strike on Hamas (BBC 9/30/25); How Trump Used Fury Over Israel’s Qatar Attack to Push Netanyahu on Gaza (NYT 10/3/25);
Israeli naval forces board pro-Palestinian flotilla 75 miles from Gaza (The Guardian 10/1/25)
“A number of boats from a pro-Palestinian flotilla have been boarded by Israeli forces roughly 75 miles off the coast of Gaza, as the vessels attempted to breach the maritime blockade of the war-torn territory and bring aid. The raid began with the flotilla’s leading vessel, Alma, whose crew were detained by Israeli soldiers on Wednesday. A video from the Israeli foreign ministry showed the most prominent of the flotilla’s passengers, Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, sitting on a deck surrounded by soldiers.” See also Israel’s Gaza flotilla interception triggers protests, diplomatic expulsions and calls for strikes (The Guardian 10/2/25); Final boat of 42-strong pro-Palestinian flotilla intercepted by Israel (The Guardian 10/3/25); Israel seizes last flotilla boat, readies to deport hundreds, as more ships set sail for Gaza (TOI 10/3/25); What It’s Like on the Gaza-Bound Flotilla Attacked by Drones (The Intercept 9/26/25); Israel Illegally Boards Humanitarian Flotilla Heading to Gaza (Drop Site 10/1/25); Israel intercepts Gaza aid flotilla, detains Thunberg and other activists (WaPo 10/1/25); Italian union says 2 million joined general strike over Gaza, as masses march nationwide (TOI 10/3/25);
Labour conference backs motion saying Israel is committing genocide in Gaza (The Guardian 9/29/25)
“The Labour conference has backed a union-led motion accepting a UN finding that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and urging the British government to act to prevent it.” See also Manchester synagogue attack: what do we know so far? (The Guardian 10/3/25); Home secretary denies the recognition of Palestine has emboldened antisemites (The Guardian 10/3/25)
RIVER TO THE SEA
How Netanyahu Aims to Obstruct the Gaza Plan He Was Forced to Accept From Trump (Amos Harel//Haaretz 10/1/25)
“Netanyahu – intimately familiar with Trump and fully aware of the power imbalance between them – has, for the moment, been compelled to flatter and comply. In the studios of his loyal media outlets, some pundits appeared apoplectic. How to reconcile promises of annihilation and dreams of population transfer in Gaza with a humiliating apology to the Qatari prime minister, following Israel’s botched assassination attempt on Hamas’ negotiating team in Doha just three weeks ago?…The fact that the drafters of the plan didn’t set a binding timetable for the IDF’s withdrawal could complicate things down the line. At the same time, Netanyahu will leverage objections from the messianic right-wing parties in his coalition and scatter hints and declarations aimed at stressing Hamas and making the organization’s leaders believe that Israel will violate the agreement when the opportunity arises.” See also Thousands Rally in Israel Demanding Netanyahu Accept Trump’s Gaza Cease-fire and Hostage Deal (Haaretz 9/27/25); Deputy Knesset Speaker From Netanyahu’s Likud: ‘Israeli Interest Is No Arabs’ in the West Bank, All Should Be Expelled (Haaretz 9/28/25);
The Israeli right’s ‘time of miracles’ is over. The Palestinians are going nowhere (Meron Rapoport//+972 Magazine 10/2/25)
“While problematic for many reasons, Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza appears to spell the end of the Israeli government’s expulsion fantasies…Much has been left ambiguous in the White House’s 20-point plan, but when it comes to the question of migration, the language is unequivocal. “No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return,” Article 12 states. “We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.” The “time of miracles,” that once-in-a-century opportunity to eliminate the Palestinians from Gaza once and for all, is over. Battered and bruised, the Gazans remain. Article 16 further states that “Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza.” Together with Trump’s comments last week implying that West Bank annexation is also off the table for the time being, the government’s wish list is fast slipping away.”
U.S. SCENE
Americans’ Support for Israel Dramatically Declines, Times/Siena Poll Finds (NYT 9/29/25)
“Nearly two years into the war in Gaza, American support for Israel has undergone a seismic reversal, with large shares of voters expressing starkly negative views about the Israeli government’s management of the conflict, a new poll from The New York Times and Siena University found. Disapproval of the war appears to have prompted a striking reassessment by American voters of their broader sympathies in the decades-old conflict in the region, with slightly more voters siding with Palestinians over Israelis for the first time since The Times began asking voters about their sympathies in 1998…A majority of American voters now oppose sending additional economic and military aid to Israel, a stunning reversal in public opinion since the Oct. 7 attacks. About six out of 10 voters said that Israel should end its military campaign, even if the remaining Israeli hostages were not released or Hamas was not eliminated. And 40 percent of voters said Israel was intentionally killing civilians in Gaza, nearly double the number of voters who agreed with that statement in the 2023 poll…Nearly two years ago, Democrats were evenly divided, with 34 percent sympathizing with Israel and 31 percent with Palestinians. Now, rank-and-file Democrats across the country overwhelmingly side with Palestinians — 54 percent said they sympathized more with Palestinians, while only 13 percent expressed greater empathy for Israel…Republicans still sympathize with Israel more than Palestinians, 64 percent to 9 percent. But those numbers indicate a drop in support of 12 percentage points since 2023, when 76 percent sided with Israel.” See also An Entire Generation of Americans Is Turning on Israel (Politico 9/29/25); Democrats Pull Away From AIPAC, Reflecting a Broader Shift (NYT 10/2/25);
Judge issues blistering opinion against Trump policy to deport pro-Palestinian students (The Guardian 9/30/25)
“A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration’s policy to detain and deport foreign scholars over their pro-Palestinian views violates the US constitution and was designed to “intentionally” chill free speech rights. The case was brought by the national American Association of University Professors (AAUP); its Harvard, Rutgers and New York University chapters; and the Middle East Studies Association (Mesa), following the arrest and detention of several non-citizen students and scholars who have spoken out for Palestinian rights. In a 161-page ruling issued on Tuesday, the judge, William G Young, a Ronald Reagan appointee, called the case “perhaps the most important ever to fall within the jurisdiction of this district court”. “This case … squarely presents the issue whether non-citizens lawfully present here in United States actually have the same free speech rights as the rest of us,” Young wrote in the ruling. “The Court answers this Constitutional question unequivocally ‘yes, they do’…Several state department officials testified in court that they had been instructed by higher-ups to compile allegations about the individuals targeted, sometimes relying on dossiers from the rightwing Canary Mission, a secretive, pro-Israel group dedicated to doxing thousands of pro-Palestinian scholars.” See also Larry Ellison Vetted Marco Rubio for Fealty to Israel, Hacked Emails Reveal (Drop Site 10/2/25)
U.S. used a transnational crime unit to secretly target campus protesters (WaPo 10/2/25)
“When Rumeysa Ozturk was grabbed by masked federal agents outside her Massachusetts home in March, the video of the Turkish graduate student being handcuffed and hustled into an unmarked vehicle spread around the world. A federal trial that ended Tuesday revealed for the first time the story behind the images, showing how the government assigned a special team to target Ozturk and other pro-Palestinian activists, laying the groundwork for their highly unusual arrests. Ozturk had committed no crime, yet her detention was a priority for the new Trump administration. U.S. officials used the immigration system in unprecedented ways to covertly research and detain noncitizen students, relying on an investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security whose work traditionally has focused on crimes such as drug smuggling and human trafficking.”
Trump’s Blueprint to Crush the Left Draws from Decades of Counterterrorism Policy (Chip Gibbons//Drop Site 10/3/25)
“If there was any question as to whether his Executive Order was merely bluster, Trump clarified the matter three days later when he issued National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7). Bearing Trump’s signature, NSPM-7 was clearly drafted with a deep understanding of the U.S. counterterrorism bureaucracy. It seeks to “disrupt” not just those allegedly carrying out left-wing violence, but those who fund it and those who “radicalize” and recruit individuals to partake in it. It declares domestic terrorism to be a top priority and defines domestic terrorism priorities to include “civil unrest” and “doxing.”…At the heart of the strategy lies the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).”
Targeting OSF, Trump Aims for a Chilling Effect on Liberal Funders (Connie Mathiessen//Inside Philanthropy 9/26/25)
“According to a New York Times report yesterday, the Department of Justice is now formulating plans to open a criminal investigation into the Open Society Foundations. A department directive obtained by the Times laid out how the DOJ may proceed: “Possible charges [against Open Society Foundations] included racketeering, arson, wire fraud and material support for terrorism.” Also yesterday, Trump issued a presidential memorandum seeking to establish “a new law enforcement strategy that investigates all participants in these criminal and terroristic conspiracies — including the organized structures, networks, entities, organizations, funding sources and predicate actions behind them.” As evidence to support the Department of Justice’s investigation of OSF, a DOJ lawyer pointed to a report by the Capital Research Center (CRC), according to the Times…Open Society Foundations issued a statement in response to the administration’s reported investigation that reads, in part, “The Open Society Foundations unequivocally condemn terrorism and do not fund terrorism. Our activities are peaceful and lawful, and our grantees are expected to abide by human rights principles and comply with the law. These accusations are politically motivated attacks on civil society, meant to silence speech the administration disagrees with and undermine the First Amendment right to free speech.”…It is still unclear how far the administration plans to go to target philanthropy, or exactly what strategies it will pursue beyond its apparent moves against OSF…as Georgetown Law Professor David A. Super told Kavate, the administration’s threats will have a chilling effect — and that is the goal. “The pattern we’ve seen in the other areas suggests that they can get a great deal of results from a relatively modest amount of intimidation, and that model is attractive to them,” Super said. Targeting big names like Ford and Open Society, he believes, will serve to silence other organizations and encourage them to keep their heads down.” See also The Philanthropy-Backed Think Tank Behind Trump’s Soros Investigation (Inside Philanthropy 10/3/25);
Judge Rejects Trump’s Argument and Throws Out Suit Against U.N. Agency (NYT 10/2/25)
“A federal judge, rejecting the Trump administration’s position, has dismissed a lawsuit accusing a United Nations agency of providing more than $1 billion that enabled Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. In a ruling this week, the judge, Analisa Torres of Federal District Court in Manhattan, said the organization, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, was protected because it was part of the United Nations, which enjoys immunity from such lawsuits.”
FBI cuts ties with ADL after row over extremist label for Charlie Kirk’s advocacy group (TOI 10/1/25)
“The FBI has cut ties with advocacy group Anti-Defamation League, Kash Patel, the bureau’s director, says. “This FBI won’t partner with political fronts masquerading as watchdogs,” Patel says in a post on X. A day earlier, the ADL said that it took down its Glossary of Extremism and Hate after right-wing US activists assailed the online database for including an entry about Turning Point USA, the conservative advocacy group led by slain influencer Charlie Kirk. X owner Elon Musk, who has branded the US-based antisemitism watchdog an anti-Christian hate group, and Donald Trump Jr., the US president’s son, were among the prominent figures who criticized the database, which served as a resource for researchers, journalists and others.” See also Elon Musk calls ADL a ‘hate group’ that ‘hates Christians (JTA 9/29/25); FBI’s Kash Patel attacks ADL as ‘extreme group functioning like a terrorist organization’ (JI 10/1/25); ADL deletes ‘Glossary of Extremism and Hate’ amid flurry of right-wing criticism (JTA 10/1/25);
Inside Israel’s ‘Esther Project’: DOJ filings reveal paid US influencer campaign amid AI-powered PR blitz (Asaf Elia-Shalev//JTA 9/30/25)
“Newly filed records with the Department of Justice show that Israel’s government has quietly launched a two-track influence operation in the United States, blending big-budget political advertising with grassroots-style influencer campaigns. The filings reveal that a firm called Bridges Partners LLC has been hired to manage an influencer network under a project code-named the “Esther Project.” It is unclear if there is any link to Project Esther, a plan to combat antisemitism published by the Heritage Foundation, an American right-wing think tank. In its disclosure, required under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, Bridges said its work was intended to “assist with promoting cultural interchange between the United States and Israel” and specified that the engagement runs through a German division of the global PR firm Havas…There is evidence that the work is already underway: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with a group of influencers on Friday in New York City…The Bridges filings — unreported until now — add new information about Israel’s sweeping current diplomacy push, in what Israeli officials have taken to calling an “eighth front” in the country’s current war. They complement a separate, larger deal that has drawn public attention this week: Israel’s $1.5 million per month contract with Brad Parscale, a former campaign strategist for President Donald Trump.” See also Israel is paying influencers $7,000 per post (Nick Cleveland-Stout//Responsible Statecraft 9/30/25); Former Trump campaign manager registers to advocate for Israel (Axios 9/30/25);
PERSPECTIVES//LONG READS
UK, France and other Western nations recognize Palestinian state ahead of UN meetings – but symbolic action won’t make statehood happen (Dr. Maha Nassar//The Conversation 9/19/25)
“That a host of Western nations are adding their names to the near-universal list of Global South countries that already recognize a Palestinian state is a major diplomatic win for the cause of an independent, sovereign and self-governed nation for Palestinians. Conversely, it is a massive diplomatic loss for Israel – especially coming just two years after the West stood shoulder to shoulder with Israel following the Oct. 7 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas. As a scholar of modern Palestinian history, I know that this diplomatic moment is decades in the making. But I am also aware that symbolic diplomatic breakthroughs on the issue of Palestinian statehood have occurred before, only to prove meaningless in the face of events that make statehood less likely…The U.S. remains opposed to Palestinians gaining statehood independent of the Oslo process. So long as the U.S. has a veto on the Security Council, achieving a truly sovereign Palestinian state will likewise be off the table. And that remains the case, regardless of what individual members – even fellow Security Council members like France and the U.K – do. In fact, many Palestinians and other critics of the status quo say Western nations are using the issue of Palestinian statehood to absolve them from the far more challenging diplomatic task of holding Israel accountable for what a U.N. body just described as a genocide in Gaza.”
Can the World Make Recognition of Palestine’s Statehood Matter? (Amjad Iraqi//ICG 9/26/25)
“What are the dangers of recognition? The biggest risk is twofold. First, critics note that the positive case for recognition rests largely on aspirational benefits that the Palestinians will reap only if foreign governments show a sustained political will that has deserted them in the past. They reasonably worry that recognition will prove a distraction – drawing attention away from more concrete steps that can be taken to end the war in Gaza and aid the Palestinian people amid an existential crisis. Some speculate that the recognition wave is an intentional diversion, designed to give cover to governments wishing to be seen as doing something besides issuing words of condemnation…Secondly, the Netanyahu government is essentially calling the world’s bluff…They are also demonstrating readiness to retaliate…How might recognition affect Palestinian politics? Palestinians have mixed views about recognition. Some cautiously welcome its prospective benefits, arguing that it could bolster foreign leaders’ confidence to take more concrete actions. Others believe it will make no meaningful difference. Still others believe it is dangerous – not just for the reasons noted above, but because they see it as truncating Palestinian national demands, reducing Palestine to what they describe as a shrivelled bantustan without addressing the rights of exiled refugees (who make up over half of the Palestinian people) or the injustices of the 1948 Nakba (Arabic for “catastrophe”), the mass expulsion and dispossession that enabled Israel’s creation. Virtually all, however, seem to agree that recognition alone will do little or nothing to halt the present war, which looks set to bring about even greater horrors amid the assault on Gaza City.”
Give Palestinians Something More Than Statehood Recognition (Dr. Mustafa Barghouti//NYT 9/22/25)
“Recognition of Palestinian statehood — now formalized by some 150 countries — is welcome in the face of Israel’s decades-long denial of the Palestinian right to self-determination and a settlement expansion plan that “buries the idea of a Palestinian state,” as Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, recently put it. However, it is empty symbolism at best, and at worst, a distraction from a lack of action to stop Israel’s war in Gaza and the starvation and forced displacement of roughly two million Palestinians living there. Any recognition of Palestinian statehood should be accompanied by concrete action to hold Israel accountable for its illegal, destructive policies…The international community must finally recognize the failures of the past and the reality on the ground. No true or lasting peace can be made without the dismantling of Israel’s apartheid system. Real pressure must be applied to Israel for this to happen.”
The Kushner-Blair Gaza plan is a moral atrocity – and a policy catastrophe (Josh Paul//The Guardian 9/30/25)
“And yet here we are again, in 2025, talking about a western occupational government imposed on a region of the Middle East – and one led by Blair, no less – complete with the same old visions of economic prosperity disconnected from the realities on the ground or the rights of the people. It will not work, and it should not be trusted. First, and most fundamentally, there is the question of legitimacy and local ownership. Self-determination is not just a right under the UN Charter – it is a fundamental desire of all peoples to shape their own affairs, and to build their own societies. The imposition of governance from the outside – a colonialist venture with a long history premised on the extraction of wealth through the repression of freedom – is simply not a sustainable path to a stable politics, because it is by nature lacking in popular support or buy-in, and incapable of an accurate and sufficiently nuanced understanding of local culture and dynamics.”
What Happened to Human Rights for Palestinians? (Agnès Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International, & Federico Borello, acting executive director of Human Rights Watch//NYT 10/1/25)
“The Trump administration on Sept. 4 imposed sanctions on three leading Palestinian human rights organizations: Al Haq, founded in 1979 and a pioneer in documenting violations in occupied Gaza and the West Bank; Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, which for more than two decades has meticulously chronicled laws of war violations in Gaza; and the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, which has long provided legal aid to victims, particularly from Gaza. In June, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on another leading Palestinian rights group, Addameer, under a different set of measures. This is part of a broader Trump administration effort aimed at those who support justice for Palestinians…Beyond what has been done to the Palestinians, the Trump administration has undermined the rule of law, protection of human rights and international justice, which all lie at the heart of a rules-based global order…So far, other governments have carefully balanced their reactions to the U.S. sanctions for fear of provoking the Trump administration. This is a flawed strategy and out of step with the urgency the situation demands. Governments need to condemn efforts to undermine the I.C.C.’s independence and to silence those who are documenting abuses. They should use regional and national laws, like the European Union Blocking Statute, which can be employed to nullify external laws in the union, to mitigate the impact of U.S. sanctions on those working with the court. Those who helped establish the international court and claim to uphold the values underpinning it must step up to defend them.
Jeffrey Epstein Helped Broker Israeli Security Agreement (Murtza Hussain & Ryan Grim//Drop Site 9/28/25)
“Jeffrey Epstein used his political network and financial resources to help broker a security cooperation agreement between the governments of Israel and Mongolia, according to a trove of leaked emails from former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. This new set of emails between Barak and Epstein has largely been ignored by the mainstream press, but includes crucial new context on Epstein’s operation.”