Top news stories from Israel/Palestine: April 11, 2019

What We’re Reading

US-Israeli/Palestinian relations

Opinion: Congress cannot afford to ignore Netanyahu’s embrace of the far right,

“Netanyahu’s full-throated embrace of the far right’s extreme agenda has placed him on a dangerous track that is not in the interest of Israel, the Palestinians or the United States,” write Chris Van Hollen and Gerald Connolly.

Top House Republicans push for vote on bill to protect states that penalize Israel boycotters,

The law would protect U.S. states that penalize businesses that participate in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting Israel. It already passed the Senate, but many Democrats have renounced it as an infringement of civil liberties.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to make Israel his first official international trip,

DeSantis, who ran for governor touting his pro-Israel credentials, said that the May 25-31 trip will “strengthen the ties between Florida and the state of Israel.”

Israeli politics

Why the Zionist left died this week,

Stuck in a Zionist paradigm, Israel’s mainstream left-wing parties are unable to put forth a vision of equality and inclusion for all in Israel-Palestine.

The kids are all right-wing: How Israel’s younger voters have grown more conservative over time,

While American millennials have a reputation for liberal politics, young Israeli Jews have gone the opposite direction over time. For at least the past 10 years, these voters have identified as right wing at much higher levels than their parents.

Occupation/Human rights

A Palestinian Who’s Denied a Vote — and Trapped in Gaza,

Shada Shandghali didn’t cast a ballot Tuesday, and not because her life isn’t deeply connected to Israel. Quite the contrary.