In this edition of FMEP’s podcast series “Occupied Thoughts,” Peter Beinart is joined by Omar Shakir, the Director of the Israel and Palestine program at Human Rights Watch. Shakir is facing possible deportation from Israel/Palestine at the request of the Israeli government because of his past history supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement as a college student.

“Omar’s not wrong to highlight just how difficult it is to question the U.S.-Israel relationship, and to want that to change,” writes Jordan Weissman.

As lawmakers push to criminalize BDS, a pro-Palestinian, free speech Left is rising up.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and top Democrats will take floor action Wednesday in response to controversial remarks by Rep. Ilhan Omar about Israel, the second such rebuke of the freshman Democrat from party leaders in recent weeks.

Police in Israel have extended bans on top Palestinian officials who oversee Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa compound from entering the holy site, in a move analysts warned could further escalate tensions.

The Jerusalem court said it would close a contested building reopened by Muslim worshipers last month, unless an Islamic custodian, who refuses to appear before Israeli courts as a matter of principle, responds to the case.

“I don’t see any way to make peace with Netanyahu as prime minister, I don’t think he wants peace. And I’m not sure that Abu Mazen does either right now,” Carter said, referring to Abbas by his popular nickname.