1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings
4. Israel/Palestine in 2024 Elex/Politics
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

New:

• Netroots Nation Conference (featured panel) 7/12/24: Defending Dissent: Palestine, Freedom of Speech, and the Future of Protest, organized by JustVision — ft. Suhad Babaa (JustVision/moderator), Fadi Abu Shammalah (Just Vision), Sabiya Ahmed (Palestine Legal), Lara Friedman (FMEP), Vincent Warren (Center for Constitutional Rights); Simone Zimmerman (Diaspora Alliance and co-founder of IfNotNow)
• New episode of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts podcast, The Assault on the Khalidi Library in Jerusalem, ft. FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaking with Columbia Professor Emeritus Rashid Khalidi about how and why Jewish settlers are trying to take over the Khalidi Library in Jerusalem and the history of Israel’s treatment of Palestinian educational institutions. They also reflect on the current war, looking at its impact on Palestinians, on U.S. politics, and the ways in which it is strengthening Hamas.

1. Bills & Resolutions

Press releases 7/10/24 [no bill in Congressional Record as of 7/12/24]: Rubio, Cardin Introduce Resolution Honoring Victims of Terrorist Attacks Against Argentina’s Jewish Community; Cardin, Rubio Resolution Honors Argentina’s Jewish Community, Victims of Terrorist Attacks

(Senate NDAA) S. 4638: Introduced 7/8/24 by Reed (D-RI), the “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.” Also see: Press release 7/8/24 — SASC Completes Markup of National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025; Executive Summary; Report; Jewish Insider 7/9/24: Senate defense bill pushes for review of U.S.-Qatar relationship. NOTE: Stay tuned for Israel/Middle East details of this bill in a future edition of the Round-Up.

2. Letters

• 7/11/24: Representatives Lawler and Torres Lead Letter Urging President Biden to Nominate Abraham Accords Special Envoy [letter text]. Also see: House lawmakers urge administration to ‘immediately’ nominate Abraham Accords ambassador [“33 lawmakers said Biden should name an envoy ‘as soon as possible,’ adding that they’re aware of no progress in that direction“] (Jewish Insider 7/11/24)
• 7/10/24: Rubio, Graham, to Biden DOJ: We Must Not Allow the CCP to Succeed in Information War Against Our Country [letter text]. The letter is focused on alleged Chinese efforts to “sow discord in the United States” on the wake of the Oct 7. 2023 Hamas attacks, and suggests that US protests of Israel’s war on Gaza reflect “attempts by our primary adversary to exploit our open system to promote its malign agenda.” The letter goes on to request a briefing on steps the Department of Justice and other US agencies are is taking to prevent such efforts, and specifically asks the briefing to address “investigative efforts” into a list of specific organizations “for potential violations of FARA.” That list includes: Code Pink, Shut It Down for Palestine, ANSWER Coalition, Al-Awda NY, National Students for Justice in Palestine, Palestinian Youth Movement, Palestinian American Community Center NJ, and Samidoun.
• 7/10/24: McCaul, Moolenaar Underscore Potential Risks, Request Intelligence Briefing on Microsoft’s Billion Dollar Partnership with UAE Firm G42 [letter text]
• 7/10/24: Graham: ODNI in Violation of Law for Failing to Report to Congress on Iran Nuclear Threat [letter text]. Also see: Graham to place hold on all ODNI nominations [“His move comes after the Office of the Director of National Intelligence missed deadlines for Iran nuclear program assessments”] (Jewish Insider 7/12/24)
• 7/9/24: Gottheimer, Bilirakis Lead Bipartisan Letter Urging Secretary Blinken to Address President Erdoğan’s Pro-Hamas, Anti-Israel Foreign Policy — Highlights Turkish leader’s repeated support of Hamas terrorists who perpetrated the October 7 attack on Israel [letter text]. Also see: Bipartisan group of lawmakers expresses ‘serious concerns’ about Erdoğan’s hostility toward Israel (Jewish Insider 7/9/24)
• 7/9/24: Smith, Comer, Foxx Demand DOJ Investigate The Palestine Chronicle for Providing Support to Terrorism, Potential Tax Crimes [letter text]. Also see: House committee chairs ask DOJ to investigate publication linked to Hamas affiliate who held hostages (Jewish Insider 7/10/24)

3. Hearings & Markups

July 9, 2024: The House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing entitled, “Confronting Union Antisemitism: Protecting Workers from Big Labor Abuses” (hearing video). Witnesses were: Ilana Kopmar, Staff Attorney, Nassau County Legal Aid Society (statement); William Sussman, Graduate Student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (statement); Anne Marie Lofaso, Professor of Law, West Virginia University College of Law (statement); and Glenn Taubman, Staff Attorney, National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation (statement). Also see: Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) opening statement; Rep. Good press release – Chair Good Exposes Union Antisemitism and Big Labor Abuses. Also see: Congressional witnesses accuse unions of fostering hostile, antisemitic environments (Jewish Insider 7/10/24); House subcommittee hears testimony about Jew-hatred in labor unions (Jewish News Syndicate 7/9/24). NOTE: The UAW’s federal monitor twice pressured the union to back off its call for Gaza ceasefire, then launched an investigation (Drop Site 7/11/24)

July 10, 2024: The House Foreign Affairs Committee marked-up & passed a list of measures, including a number related to Palestine (mark-up video Part 1, Part 2):

• HR 8345 (introduced by Baird, R-IN, and having 7 Republican cosponsors, including HFAC chair McCaul, R-TX), “To limit funds to the United Nations and other organizations that provide any status, rights, or privileges beyond observer status to the Palestine Liberation Organization, and for other purposes.” [reminder, from press release: “Current U.S. law prohibits U.S. funding to organizations, such as the UN, which give the PLO full membership or standing as a member state. The NOPE Act updates the existing funding prohibition to organizations that offer the Palestinian Authority or the Palestine Liberation Organization “any status, rights, or privileges beyond observer status.”]. NOTE: based on the recent move by the UN General Assembly, this bill would require the immediate de-funding of the United Nations. Following extensive, shameless grandstanding by committee members in support of Israel and totally disconnected from the events of the past 9 months in Gaza (including members who oppose HR 8345), plus a bit of more moderate commentary by, for example, Castro (D-TX), the bill passed by a mostly party-line vote of 28-18.
• H. Res. 1323 (introduced by Burchett, R-TN, and having 9 cosponsors, including 2 Democrats – Gottheimer, D-NJ, and Moskowitz, D-FL), “Rejecting the United Nations decision to place the Israel Defense Force on a list of child’s rights abusers.” Passed by a voice vote.
  
• HR 7914 (introduced by Sherman, D-CA, and having 23 bipartisan cosponsors), “To require the imposition of sanctions on the Popular Resistance Committees and other associated entities, and for other purposes [aka the “Accountability for Terrorist Perpetrators of October 7th Act”]. Passed by a voice vote.
• HR 8232 (introduced by Mast, R-FL, and having 4 cosponsors, including 1 Democrat – Gottheimer, D-NJ) “To authorize the Secretary of State to withdraw from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Federal funds previously made available to such organization.” Passed by a party-line vote of 24-22.  Also see: Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans pass measure to claw back UNRWA funding with no support from Democrats (Jewish Insider 7/12/24)
• H. Res. 554 (introduced by Slotkin, D-MI, and having 10 bipartisan cosponsors), “Affirming the nature and importance of the support of the United States for the religious and ethnic minority survivors of genocide in Iraq.” Passed by a voice vote.
• H. Res. 1328 (introduced by James, R-MI, and having 2 Democratic cosponsors), “Recognizing the actions of the Rapid Support Forces and allied militias in the Darfur region of Sudan against non-Arab ethnic communities as acts of genocide.” Passed by a voice vote.
  
• Also see: Al-Monitor 7/11/24 – US lawmakers advance bill to block new UN rights for Palestine -The House Foreign Affairs Committee also voted on legislation to claw back UNRWA funds and denounce a UN decision to list Israel as an abuser of children’s rights.

July 10, 2024: The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe held a hearing entitled, “Putin’s Syrian Puppet: War Crimes and Complicity from Syria to Ukraine.” Witnesses were: M. Night Shyamalan, Film Director, Producer, and Screenwriter & Co-Founder and President of The M. Night Shyamalan Foundation; Mohammed Alaa Ghanem, Syrian Civil Society Leader and Human Rights Activist; and Mouaz Moustafa, Executive Director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force. Also see: video.

July 9, 2024: The House Ways and Means Committee held a mark-up of a number of measures that use claims of antisemitism to target US academia (and reported the out of committee:

• HR 8914, the “University Accountability Act.” Introduced 7/2/24 by Malliotakis (R-NY) and having 12 Republican cosponsors, HR 8914 seeks to impose massive fines on universities over allegations of antisemitism – (press release issued on introduction). Also see: Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) Description of HR 8914; Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (ANS) to HR 8914; JCT Description of the ANS to HR 8914. ANS was passed by a voice vote; HR 8914 passed (as amended) by a party-line vote of 24-12.
• HR 8913, the “Protecting American Students Act.” Introduced 7/2/24 by Ferguson (R-GA) and having 9 Republican co-sponsors, HR 8913 seeks to revoke tax benefits for US educations institutions over pro-Palestine protest (press release issued on introduction). Also see: JCT Description of HR 8913; ANS to HR 8913; JCT Description of the ANS to HR 8913. ANS was passed by a voice vote; HR 8913 passed (as amended) by a party-line vote of 24-13.
• Also see: Democrats reject bills threatening tax penalties on colleges and universities (Jewish Insider 7/10/24); House Republicans Advance 2 Contested Antisemitism Bills (Insider Higher Ed 7/10/24)

4. Israel/Palestine in 2024 Politics/Elex

AIPAC & Elex

• Portland Mercury 7/10/24: How a Super PAC Upended Portland’s 3rd Congressional District Race — Polling shows candidate Susheela Jayapal had an impressive lead in spring, before AIPAC spent big money to help Maxine Dexter defeat her.
• Arab America 7/10/24: AIPAC and The “Squad”
• City Journal 7/10/24: Lessons from a Squad Member’s Demise — Democrats can learn from Jamaal Bowman’s defeat—and George Latimer’s victory.
• Discourse 7/10/24: A Critical Look at AIPAC’s Political Clout — The pro-Israel interest group shows how outside entities can decisively change the course of policymaking
• TruthDig 7/8/24: With Democratic Friends Like These… The historic spending campaign against Jamaal Bowman highlights the Democrats’ billionaire-funded effort to undermine the party’s fledgling left wing.

Other stuff

• Jewish Insider 7/11/24: RJC endorses challengers to eight endangered House Democrats — The RJC is backing challengers to nearly all Democrats in toss-up districts [“The incumbents hold varying records on Israel and other Jewish issues, although some have broken with others in the Democratic Party on multiple occasions in recent months in support of pro-Israel legislation and issues. In a statement, the RJC described many of its endorsees as strong supporters of Israel, while characterizing their opponents as unreliable on or hostile toward Israel.“]
• Washington Times 7/10/24: Democratic House candidate invests in distillery that hosted pro-Hamas chef
• Democratic Socialists of American 7/10/24: Status of DSA National Endorsement for Rep. Ocasio-Cortez; also see: Jewish Insider 7/11/24: DSA pulls endorsement of AOC over Israel, antisemitism
• Jewish Insider 7/8/24: Rep. Cori Bush draws ire of St. Louis Jewish community [“One St. Louis rabbi: ‘I look at Cori Bush and what she has done as being dangerous to the safety of Jews, both here in the States, as well as the safety of Jews in the Jewish state’”]

5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

• Jewish Insider 7/11/24: Lawmakers express optimism about hostage deal prospects after Israel visits [“Rep. Josh Gottheimer said the mood in the region is ‘the most optimism that I’ve seen’ about a hostage deal”]
• Kustoff (R-TN) 7/8/24: ICYMI: Kustoff Meets with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Addresses Members of the Knesset, and Visits Sites of Oct. 7th Attack
• Jewish News Syndicate 7/8/24: A congressman from the Bible Belt comes to Israel as a friend [“’We need to show America, Israel and the entire world that the U.S. stands firmly with Israel,’ says Rep. David Kustoff of Tennessee.”]

Netanyahu on the Hill

• The Forward 7/11/24: Netanyahu’s speech: Some members of Congress will boycott. Who else have they snubbed? – As Congress prepares to host Netanyahu, a look back at the past two decades shows that Israel’s leaders are not the only ones that have been boycotted
• Jerusalem Post 7/11/24: When Israel wobbles, Judaism trembles: Netanyahu must use Congress talk to unite Jews – opinion
• The Forward 7/11/24: If members of Congress truly cared about Israel’s well-being, they would boycott Netanyahu’s speech
• LGBTQ Nation 7/11/24: Why we must uninvite Netanyahu from addressing the U.S. Congress
• Jewish Insider 7/9/24: Hostage families to fly on Netanyahu’s plane to attend address to Congress

• Jewish Insider 7/12/24: Memorial for Buenos Aires Jewish center bombing to highlight connection to Oct. 7 terrorism [“Members of Congress, government officials from around the world and Argentina’s president are expected to attend a ceremony marking 30 years since Hezbollah attacked the AMIA Jewish center“]
• Inside Higher Ed 7/12/24: Columbia’s President Denounced Her Before Congress. Firing Could Be Next. [“Law professor Katherine Franke has long been outspoken in her support of Palestinians. Now, after House Republicans and her university president called her out in an antisemitism hearing, she faces potential termination.“]
• Jewish Insider 7/12/24: Washington warned of Iranian influence in Gaza protests. Now what?
• Jewish Insider 7/12/24: How Marco Rubio’s changed foreign policy views are making him more palatable to Trump [“…The main source of contention stems from Rubio’s vote in April against a $95 billion aid bill for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, which passed the Senate by an overwhelming margin.”]
• Ballotpedia 7/11/24: Three candidates challenge incumbent Cori Bush in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District Democratic primary
• Jewish Insider 7/11/24: House Appropriations Committee Republicans approve $10 million cut to Department of Education’s civil rights office [“Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee approved a bill cutting funding for the Office of Civil Rights, which is responsible for investigating antisemitism claims“]
• Times of Israel 7/11/24: Window for Biden to broker Israeli-Saudi deal before election has shut — sources [“With Congress in session for only 4 more weeks before US presidential vote, there’s not enough time left for Senate to ratify agreement, which first requires still-elusive Gaza truce“]
• Mace (R-SC) 7/11/24: Rep. Nancy Mace: Iran’s Influence is Just the Tip of the Iceberg
• Cruz (R-TX) 7/11/24: Democrats Block Arms for Israel, Put Americans in Harm’s Way to Aid Hamas — Cruz’s remarks on the Senate floor here and here.
• The Intercept 7/10/24: Even Centrists Are Questioning Biden. But the Squad Is Divided. — Several Squad members who were vocal critics of Biden’s handling of Israel’s war on Gaza have voiced support for the president.
• State Department 7/10/24: 2024 Report to Congress on Section 5 of the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-441) [as amended] [“Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization that has vowed to annihilate Israel and repeat the October 7, 2023, massacre, during which it murdered almost 1,200 Israelis, took more than 240 people hostage, and committed horrific acts of sexual violence. In response, Israel has engaged in military actions in Gaza with the stated intent of defending itself against future Hamas attacks. By the end of the reporting period, tens of thousands of Palestinians were killed and over a million displaced as a result of Israel’s military actions. Israel has an inherent right to defend itself consistent with international law, in response to the October 7 attack, and the United States has made clear that Israel has a moral obligation and a strategic imperative to protect civilians, investigate allegations of any wrongdoing, and ensure accountability for any abuses or violations of international human rights law and violations of IHL. As President Biden stated in his 2024 State of the Union address, ‘Israel has an added burden because Hamas hides and operates among the civilian population. But Israel also has a fundamental responsibility to protect innocent civilians in Gaza. This war has taken a greater toll on innocent civilians than all previous wars in Gaza combined.’ Secretary Blinken has urged Israel to do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties and has consistently reiterated at the highest levels that Israel’s military operations in Gaza must comply with IHL.“]
• Jewish News Syndicate 7/10/24: Biden report to Congress under Elie Wiesel Act seems to use Hamas stats, blame Israel for war deaths
• Wall Street Journal 7/10/24: Where’s the Report to Congress on Iran’s Nuclear Program? – The White House has missed legal deadlines for more than a year.
• CNY Central 7/9/24: Senator Gillibrand backs Biden, calls for new Israel defense strategy
• McConnell (R-KY) 7/9/24: McConnell Delivers Remarks At The Reagan Institute NATO Summit Event [excerpt: “Slow-walking aid to Ukraine didn’t stave off further Russian escalation. It only guaranteed that this terrible conflict will be longer and bloodier. Conditioning further assistance will weaken Ukraine’s hand and risk emboldening the very tyrant we hope to defeat. By the same token, micromanaging Israel’s defense strategy doesn’t lessen the costs of war for innocent civilians. It just shields the terrorists responsible from justice. Our friends in Israel and Ukraine are fighting existential wars of survival. Their enemies are working together to weaken the American-led order. The security of the free world will either be strengthened by our friends’ victory or weakened by their defeat. They deserve our support. This is Reagan 101.“]
• Mace (R-SC) 7/9/24: Rep. Nancy Mace Speaks About Democracy at the 2024 Free Iran Conference
• Gottheimer (D-NJ) 7/9/24: Gottheimer Questions U.S. Secretary of Treasury Yellen  [“Questions Treasury on rising childcare costs. Follows up on efforts to enforce sanctions against Iran and its state sponsorship of terrorism. Asks Treasury to look into state banking laws posing a conflict of interest with federal anti-money laundering requirements“]
• Insider Higher Ed 7/9/24: The GOP’s Bad Faith Focus on Campus Antisemitism
• Jewish Insider 7/9/24: Mike Johnson channels Ronald Reagan while touting Trump’s foreign policy [“‘He doesn’t treat China like an enemy,’ he said of Biden. ‘He’s stopped supporting Israel and has cozied up to Iran to revive the failed nuclear deal.’…]