In this episode of “Occupied Thoughts,” FMEP 2023 non-resident fellow Rabea Eghbariah speaks to award-winning writer and journalist Mohammed El Kurd about the importance of developing an understanding of Palestine rooted in the experiences and realities of Palestinians on the ground. Who gets the permission to narrate the situation in Palestine? What frameworks do we use and does language really matter? How can Palestinians share and maintain a sense of unity in a deepening state of fragmentation? Is identity politics a way forward? Join us for a conversation about framing and understanding Palestine today.

In this episode of “Occupied Thoughts,” FMEP non resident fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli anti-Zionist activist and solidarity organizer who has been repeatedly arrested and imprisoned by Israel for his involvement in Palestine solidarity protests in the West Bank. Jonathan is currently facing two charges, and is expected to demand his trial take place in Israel’s West Bank military court system, rather than in Israeli domestic courts. Peter explores the history and motivation of Jonathan’s activism, and how sees a role for Israelis in the struggle for Palestinian rights.

1. Smotrich Receives Near Unilateral Power Over Shortened Settlement Planning Process
2. Israel To Advance Plans for 4,799 New Settlement Units, Including Retroactive Authorization of an Outpost
3. Netanyahu Announces 1,000 New Units for the Eli Settlement in “Response” Palestinian Attack
4. Settlers Reoccupy Evyatar Outpost As Netanyahu Reportedly Decides to “Legalize” It & Ben Gvir Encourages More Illegal Settlement Activity
5. With Assistance from IDF, Settlers Establish a New Outpost Near Eli
6. Settler Violently Rampage Across West Bank with Little to No Repercussion
7. Eviction of Palestinian Ghaith-Sub Laban Family Scheduled
8. Bonus Reads

1.Bills, Resolutions & Letters

2. FY24 Approps & NDAA
3. Hearings & Events
4. Media & Reports
5. Members on the Record (Israel/Palestine)
6. Members on the Record (Iran)
7. Members on the Record (other Mideast countries)

“According to initial information collected by PCHR’s fieldworker, at approximately 13:58 on Wednesday, dozens of armed and masked settlers, from “Shilo” settlement, which is established in eastern Ramallah, broke into Turmus ‘Ayya village. The settlers immediately carried out retaliatory violence, indiscriminately opened fire at Palestinians and their houses and set many vehicles parked on the village’s streets ablaze. Meanwhile, villagers gathered and tried to confront the settlers with stones, so the latter directly opened fire at them and burned several residential houses. Afterwards, violent clashes broke out on the village’s streets and heavy smoke spread after several vehicles and houses were burnt. More settlers then arrived in the village and raided most of the residential houses to the right side of the village’s main entrance, forcing the residents out, and setting the houses and their gardens ablaze. Later, large Israeli forces moved into the village amid heavy firing of bullets and teargas canisters at the protestors to protect the Israeli settlers while conducting their attacks. Head of Turmus ‘Ayya Village Council, Lafi Adeeb Shalabi, said to PCHR’s fieldworker that the initial results of settlers’ attacks indicated that about 30 houses were completely burnt in addition to 60 vehicles.”

For more on the attack on Turmus Ayya (a West Bank village in which the estimated majority of villagers hold US citizenship), see: ‘In Chicago we could have been neighbours’: Palestinian Americans attacked by settlers (Middle East Eye); Haaretz Today | Israeli Settlers Attacked American Citizens. Will the U.S. Now Act? (Haaretz); Armed settlers opened fire during rampage in West Bank’s Turmus Ayya, footage shows (Times of Israel); What It’s Like in the Palestinian Town Attacked by Israeli Settlers (Time); and ‘Our taxes in the U.S. are being used to kill us here’ (+972): Illinois State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid, a Palestinian-American who spent six years living in Turmus Ayya as a child and who had come to visit the town with his wife and kids, told those assembled: “I have to have the conversation with my children — who are 7 and 5 years old — that every Palestinian parent has: that the Israeli government does not believe that we deserve equal rights; that the Israeli government believes that we can be hurt, or even killed, with no consequences or accountability.”” See also this Twitter thread from Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL) noting Illinois State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid’s experience in Turmus Ayya.

“AK: Settler violence is a daily reality throughout the West Bank. How is what happened in Turmus Ayya different? HS: Settlers will often go to the nearest junction and throw stones at Palestinians’ cars. That does not require much planning. But in Turmus Ayya, settlers set fire to houses and cars, which means they went in armed with flammable material. So that indicates to me that the Turmus Ayya attack was more premeditated and thus more violent. Overall, settlers are growing less concerned about the possibility of being stopped by law enforcement, and are acting with the knowledge that Israeli society in general is more accepting of their actions. AK: The attack on Turmus Ayya is one of hundreds of incidents of settler violence that have taken place during the first year of this Netanyahu-led government. Just five months ago, Israeli settlers entered the village of Huwara, where they torched cars and homes with Palestinians still inside. Why are these settler attacks escalating? HS: The attacks in Huwara and Turmus Ayya were made possible by Israel’s current government, which is a settler government. Sources in the defense establishment have told me that Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are supportive of the attacks. My colleague Yaniv Kubovich’s sources say it is government policy to deny Israel’s armed forces the reinforcements necessary to prevent attacks on Palestinians.”

See also: Spiraling Violence in the Occupied West Bank Signals a Loss of Control (NYT); Why these pogroms continue (Rabbi Arik Ascherman in Times of Israel); Israel’s Ben-Gvir rebukes police over ‘collective punishment’ of settlers (Arab News); West Bank: Over 85 settler attacks recorded in less than one week (Middle East Eye); Israeli settlers’ rampage against Palestinian villages continues for fifth day (Middle East Eye); Israeli settlers’ rampage against Palestinian villages continues for fifth day (Middle East Eye); Israeli settlers desecrate Quran and vandalise mosque, video shows (Middle East Eye); Why settler pogroms are now sweeping the West Bank (+972); Gallant orders four Israelis to be held without charge over West Bank riots (Times of Israel); IDF Chief: Officer Who Turns Blind Eye to Violence Against Palestinians Unfit to Serve (Haaretz)

““Either arm us or protect us,” an elderly man fervently told Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh in the village of Turmus Aya in the occupied West Bank hours after hundreds of Israeli settlers carried out a vicious attack there last week. In a video that went viral, the man, whose home was among 30 houses and 60 cars torched in the attack on June 21, held the Palestinian Authority (PA) responsible for failing to protect Palestinians. “You have 70,000 armed men. Distribute them across our villages,” he roared…Residents and analysts in the West Bank say while they do not believe the PA has the military capabilities – nor the political will – to confront the Israeli army, the least they could do is create mechanisms to protect the residents against further attacks.”

“The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns in the strongest terms the extrajudicial execution crime (assassination) committed by IOF that killed 3 Palestinian militants, including a child, after IOF warplanes targeted their vehicle last evening near al-Jalamah Crossing, north of Jenin. This was the first time IOF used their warplanes to carry out assassinations in the West Bank in about 18 years. This crime comes amid unprecedented escalation and Israel’s threats to launch a widespread aggression on the West Bank upon a decision from Israel’s top military and political echelons. PCHR warns that return to assassination and airstrikes policy in the West Bank, especially with the Israeli Government’s threats to launch a widescale military operation there, alarms of further deterioration that may inflict more civilian casualties. In this regard, PCHR points out what the Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, said after the assassination that: “we will take an offensive and proactive approach, will use all the means at our disposal, and we will exact the heaviest price from every terrorist or terrorist courier.”” Also See: “Israel conducts rare drone strike in West Bank, escalating already high tensions” (Axios); “New weapons, tactics further entangle U.S. in Israeli-Palestinian conflict” (Washington Post)

“I was entering my village when I saw an Israeli Civil Administration vehicle accompanied by a military vehicle, full of occupation soldiers, entering my village of Umm al-Khair. My first thought was:  “Who is about to become homeless?”…He gave our house a demolition notice for just two weeks from now, by July 7th…He immediately went to the next house, the house of my brother, to deliver the next demolition order…The terrifying scene continued for several more minutes, as they went and gave demolition notices for several other houses…These continuous attacks on the indigenous population, their lands and their homes are increasing significantly, and the clear goal of all this is to force the population to leave their lands. They demolish our homes because they want to kill our hope. The Civil Administration requires the residents to obtain a building permit, but they are the very ones who would issue these permits, and they rarely give these permits to Palestinians. Are we supposed to receive justice from the very entity who destroys our homes?” See also Amidst raids and increased settler violence, Israeli forces raze Palestinian lands in Masafer Yatta (New Arab)

“Two days ago, on June 25th, 2023 at Ofer Military Court, the final verdict hearing took place in the appeal of the case against prominent human rights defender Issa Amro, who founded the Youth Against Settlements organization in Hebron and leads the campaign to open up “sterile streets” to Palestinians in H2. The results of the verdict were as such: the judge overturned two of the convictions, acquitting Issa on one count of obstructing a soldier and one count of participating in an unauthorized march (from an incident in April 2012), based on insufficient evidence. Four of the counts in the initial conviction were upheld…The entire case from start to finish has been a clear targeted attempt to suppress Amro’s human rights work and political activities, violating basic human rights and protections that military court law does not guarantee to Palestinians living under occupation. You can read about the specifics of each of the six charges on which Amro was initially convicted here, and the specifics of the initial 18-count indictment and first trial here…On the other hand, however, we are very disappointed to see that the judge took no principled stance against the violations in freedom of expression, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly that are part and parcel of upholding the remaining charges. By convicting Issa Amro for activities such as participation in any “unauthorized” demonstration and march, or “disturbing public order” by protesting the occupation in public space, this ruling still unequivocally serves the discrimination and repression of occupation. Under military law in the occupied Palestinian territories, no assembly of over 10 people is considered a legal assembly, unless with the explicit permission of the Military Commander, thus criminalizing all forms of political protest in the occupied West Bank. We find it absurd to demand that Palestinians “ask permission” of their oppressors to protest their oppression, and we reject the legitimacy of this law in all of its forms.”

“The first step was dispossessing residents of the nearby Palestinian village of their land under the false pretext of making it a military training zone. When the Palestinians insisted on cultivating the land, Israeli soldiers sabotaged their tools. Soldiers were later ordered to use vehicles to destroy the crops. A radical solution was employed when this failed: a crop duster spread a toxic chemical. The substance was lethal for animals and dangerous for humans….The full details of the affair have been revealed 51 years later, thanks to a new project by the Taub Center for Israel Studies at New York University….Former state archivist Yaacov Lozowick headed the Taub Center project. He says creating the repository made him realize the Israeli government’s central role in the settlement project under successive prime ministers. “The government is the engine; everything goes through it,” he said. The historian Ronald W. Zweig, the outgoing head of the Taub Center, added: “Reviewing the material enables us to better realize that this huge national enterprise is the result of the initiative taken by Israeli governments for generations. Not only right-wing governments, but all of them.””

“Baladna head Nidaa Nassar explains how the Haifa-based NGO is raising a generation of Palestinians to overcome their fragmentation and erasure…“VS: Can you say more about Baladna’s work regarding gun crime and violence in Arab communities? NN: “In a study that Baladna conducted in 2022, pressing matters like crime and violence — in which youth are disproportionately involved as both perpetrators and victims — show that we as a society have lost our inviolability as human beings. It is obvious to us that Israel is the system that is directly responsible and activates crime and violence [in our community], but we also need to understand it on a societal level. On the one hand, what is happening inside our society that drives youth to crime and violence? On the other hand, how do we take societal responsibility without ignoring the occupation’s role? Baladna presented practical proposals to limit the spread of violence in the form of projects for young people, in cooperation with authorities such as municipalities, schools, and civil associations, in an attempt to block the path that might lead youth to violence and crime.” See also Five Palestinian citizens of Israel killed in shootings over 24 hours (New Arab); Why Israeli police aren’t the solution to Palestinian crime (Amjad Iraqi//+972)

“The Chair and Deputy Chair of The Elders today warned that a ‘one-state reality’ is now rapidly extinguishing the prospect of a two-state solution foreseen in the 1993 Oslo Accords to bring peace and security to both the Israeli and the Palestinian peoples…Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders, former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, and Ban Ki-moon, Deputy Chair of The Elders and former UN Secretary-General, spoke out at the conclusion of a three-day visit to Israel and Palestine. They met a range of Israeli and Palestinian political leaders and civil society organisations, foreign diplomats, and former members of the Israeli military and diplomatic service. They also saw for themselves some of the facts on the ground, and heard from Israeli, Palestinian and international human rights organisations about the ever-growing evidence that the situation meets the international legal definition of apartheid…They heard no detailed rebuttal of the evidence of apartheid. On the contrary, the declarations and policies of the current Israeli Government – whose Coalition Guidelines state that “the Jewish people have an exclusive and inalienable right to all parts of the Land of Israel” – clearly show an intent to pursue permanent annexation rather than temporary occupation, based on Jewish supremacy.” See also Violence in Israel puts spotlight on the ‘one-state’ reality (Ishaan Tharoor//Washington Post)

“Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Wednesday that tensions in the West Bank could undermine efforts to normalize ties between Israel and Arab states, including Saudi Arabia…Saudi-Israel normalization would represent a major foreign policy achievement for the Biden administration as it seeks to expand its predecessor’s Abraham Accords. The two countries, who share a common enemy in Iran, have a clandestine security relationship dating back to the 1960s. But Saudi Arabia and other regional holdouts have said they need to see progress on a two-state solution before establishing ties with Israel.”

“Since 1948, both the General Assembly and the Security Council have consistently called upon Israel to facilitate the return of Palestinian refugees and provide reparations. Despite these repeated appeals, Palestinian refugees have been systematically denied of their right to return and forced to live in exile under precarious and vulnerable conditions outside the borders of Palestine. The right of return constitutes a fundamental pillar of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. The fragmentation of the Palestinian people, both geographically and politically, through administrative methods of control based on residency and race, tantamount to apartheid, has obstructed the realisation of the right to return and self-determination. These practices serve the settler-colonial project pursued by Israel.”

“The State Department decided to reverse the Trump-era policy not long after President Biden assumed office, but it didn’t need to take any steps to implement the ban until recently, according to a source briefed on the issue. After researchers from an institute in the settlements applied for a grant from one of the foundations, the State Department told other U.S. government agencies and the Israeli government that it was reverting to the pre-2020 policy of limiting U.S. support for the activities of the three foundations.”

“US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed concern over increasing Israeli violence in the occupied West Bank affecting US citizens. In a call with his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen on Tuesday, “Blinken underscored the need for all parties to work to further de-escalate the situation”, according to a State Department spokesperson…”The [US State Department] is aware of the reports of US citizens and US Lawful Permanent Residents in Turmus Ayya being threatened and is actively engaging with the government of Israel on this matter,” the State Department spokesperson told Israeli daily Haaretz, referring to the West Bank village that was attacked by Israeli settlers.” See also Israel approves expansion of Eli settlement in West Bank despite US warnings (Al Monitor); Israel’s Smotrich, Ben-Gvir Snubbed From U.S. Independence Day Embassy Event (Haaretz)

“An official briefed on the preparations said the pilot will entail a 30- to 45-day period during which U.S. delegates will keep tabs on Palestinian-American travel through Ben-Gurion Airport and across West Bank checkpoints.”

“Nearly two-thirds of the Senate signed onto a letter, sent Wednesday, urging the administration to work to add Israel to the Visa Waiver Program this year, before an upcoming Sept. 30 deadline, a development that marks momentum in support for Israel’s effort to qualify for the program. A similar effort in December 2021 drew just 18 signatories. The bipartisan letter comes on the heels of a late May letter from 16 Democratic senators that — while stating support for Israel’s entry into the program in principle — argued that Israel still falls short of the requirements for admission into the program and is not likely to fulfill certain requirements by the September deadline. The new bipartisan letter sends the opposite message.”

“Nearly two dozen current and former officials at local federations and community relations councils are calling on the Jewish Federations of North America to clarify its position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after the umbrella group sponsored a conference promoting Israeli settlements earlier this month. Eric Fingerhut, president of the federations network, sent a video message to the Arutz Sheva Jerusalem Conference in New York City on June 4, and the organization was listed among the event’s sponsors.”

“Germany is definitely exceptional in Europe in the sense that anti-Palestinian racism is so institutionalised. Palestinians and their allies are preemptively banned from demonstrating in the streets to commemorate the Nakba, their catastrophe. It’s also one of the countries in Europe in which we received the most requests of legal support because of the extreme climate of censorship and repression against Palestinian rights advocates. The conflation of anti-Zionism and criticism of Israel with antisemitism is completely normalised, and this for so called raison d’état. Berlin is also the city in Europe with the biggest community of Palestinians, yet their identities are completely erased and denied. “

Journalist Arno Rosenfeld explains how the narrative pushed by establishment groups is disconnected from most Jewish students’ experiences on campus, especially around Israel.

“Israeli lawmakers on Sunday began debating a bill that would limit the Supreme Court’s powers, rebooting a fiercely opposed judicial overhaul instigated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition.Anti-government demonstrations had prompted Netanyahu to suspend his judicial drive in March to allow compromise talks with opposition parties. He declared those talks fruitless last week and ordered some of the legislation to be revived.” See also Analysis | The Next Step in Netanyahu’s Legal Coup Will Make Every Minister an Emperor (Haaretz); Dozens of Israeli air force vets threaten not to serve after Netanyahu resumes judicial overhaul (AP)