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

New from FMEP:

• Newly-released resource: The Gaza Catastrophe: 2024 Congressional Briefing Series, presented by FMEP & MEI, sessions co-moderated by FMEP’s Lara Friedman & MEI’s Khaled Elgindy (recorded over 4 weeks during April 2024). The congressional briefing series is an educational program conducted annually by the Middle East Institute’s Palestinian Affairs Program and the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) to brief members of Congress and their staff on the most pressing issues facing Israel and Palestine today.
  • Interview with Lara Friedman & Khaled Elgindy introducing the series to the public (podcast; video)
  • Session 1 – How We Got Here, ft. Mkhaimar Abusada (Al-Azhar University of Gaza) & Mairav Zonszein (International Crisis Group);
  • Session 2 – The U.S. Role & Responsibility, ft. Josh Paul (former official at the U.S. Department of State), Zaha Hassan (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace), Tess McEnery (Middle East Democracy Center);
  • Session 3 -International Law & Humanitarian Crisis, ft. Raz Segal (Stockton University), Sherine Tadrous (Amnesty International),  Chris Gunness (Former UNRWA spokesperson);
  • Session 4 – What Comes Next? ft. Abdelhadi Alijla (Social & Political Scientist), Nour Odeh (Political Activist), Mouin Rabbani (Jaddaliya)

Also see: Israel and Hamas Conflict In Brief: Overview, U.S. Policy, and Options for Congress (Updated June 3, 2024) — Congressional Research Service

1. Bills & Resolutions

Targeting the ICC

(SANCTION ICC IF IT DARES TO HOLD ISRAEL ACCOUNTABLE TO SAME LAWS/STANDARDS AS THE REST OF THE WORLD) HR 8282 [bill text]/ S. 4484 [bill text]: Introduced in the House 5/7/24 by Roy (R-TX) and 20 cosponsors (all Republicans), and in the Senate 6/5/24 by Cotton (R-AR) and 9 cosponsors (all Republicans), “To impose sanctions with respect to the International Criminal Court engaged in any effort to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any protected person of the United States and its allies,” aka the “Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act.” HR 8282 was brought to the House floor 6/4/24 without any committee hearings (other than in Rules, for details see Section 3, below), and passed by a roll call vote of 247-155 — with ALL Republicans voting “Yes”, except for 2 voting “present” (Davidson, R-OH and Massie, R-KY),  joined by list-of-shame consisting of 42 Democrats). More details:

• Floor consideration/statements: here, here; a lot of members published press releases/statements in this vote – check X and websites for details.
• Biden Admin OPPOSES: White House Statement of Administration opposing HR 8282 [“The Administration strongly opposes H.R. 8282, the “Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act.” H.R. 8282 would impose mandatory sanctions and visa restrictions on any foreign person determined to aid, materially assist, or provide financial support for efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to undertake certain investigations and prosecutions, among others. This legislation could require sanctions against court staff, judges, witnesses, and U.S. allies and partners who provide even limited, targeted support to the court in a range of aspects of its work. The Administration is deeply concerned about the ICC Prosecutor’s heedless rush to apply for arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials. At the same time, the Administration opposes the imposition of sanctions against the ICC, its personnel, its judges, or those who assist its work. There are more effective ways to defend Israel, preserve U.S. positions on the ICC, and promote international justice and accountability, and the Administration stands ready to work with the Congress on those options.“]
• ACLU OPPOSES: ACLU letter opposing HR 8282
• AIPAC Celebrates: AIPAC X-post 6/4/24: “House Adopts ICC Sanctions Legislation — AIPAC commends the House for adopting the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act (H.R. 8282), which imposes sanctions on foreign persons aiding the International Criminal Court’s morally bankrupt and legally baseless attack against Israel….We thank @SpeakerJohnson, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman @RepMcCaul, @RepChipRoy, and @RepBrianMast for leading this measure. AIPAC urges the Senate to adopt this important legislation.”
• REMINDER – the Israeli Govt Explicitly Asked AIPAC to work on this: Israeli Foreign Minister Katz X-post 5/20/24: “This evening, I met with @AIPAC leaders Michael Tuchin and Howard Kohr. The State of Israel owes them much for their longstanding support. I asked them to work with the administration and Congress to take dramatic steps against the decision by the Prosecutor of the ICC to demand arrest warrants for PM Netanyahu and the Defense Minister. The PM of the Jewish state and other senior officials cannot be declared war criminals and equated with Hamas murderers. Israel is a strong country that knows how to ensure its existence, but on the international stage, we need the unconditional support of the United States, stemming from genuine friendship“
• Media: House passes bill that sanctions those who help ICC pursue Israeli officials [“‘Absent decisive leadership at the White House, Congress must stand in the breach defending our allies and our sovereignty,’ said Rep. Chip Roy, of Texas.”] (Jewish News Syndicate); 42 House Democrats join Republicans in support of ICC sanctions – The White House had strenuously opposed the bid for sanctions, and bipartisan talks in the House about a response to the ICC’s moves against Israel fell apart (Jewish Insider 6/4/24); Republicans advance sanctions on International Criminal Court (The Hill); US House passes bill sanctioning ICC for seeking Netanyahu, Gallant arrest warrants (Times of Israel 6/4/24); House passes proposal sanctioning top war-crimes court after it sought Netanyahu arrest warrant (PBS 6/4/24); House votes to punish International Criminal Court (The Hill 6/4/24); House Votes to Impose Sanctions on I.C.C. Officials Over Israel Prosecution [“The Republican-written bill, which the White House strongly opposes, stands little chance of becoming law after lawmakers failed to reach a bipartisan deal on penalizing measures.“] (New York Times 6/4/24);
• Senate: [GOP] Senators Applaud House Effort to Sanction ICC After Actions Against Israel; Cotton press release 6/5/24 –Cotton, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Sanction ICC (referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; note that SFRC chair Risch, R-ID, is a co-sponsor and issued his own press release touting the bill); Cardin ‘disappointed’ by administration’s opposition to ICC sanctions [“The Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman said he’s going to keep pursuing a bipartisan sanctions effort“] (Jewish Insider 6/4/24) UPDATE: Jewish Insider added a correction to its 6/4/24 article: “Editor’s note: Cardin said in a statement following the initial publication of this story that he was expressing disappointment with House Republicans’ legislation, not with the Biden administration’s opposition to sanctions” – also see X-posts from Cardin and Jewish Insider;  Van Hollen says effort to sanction the ICC is ‘mafia thug’ behavior [“The Maryland senator also complained that the Biden administration wasn’t being tough enough against Israel in Center for American Progress appearance”] (Jewish Insider 6/3/24).

Targeting the Palestinians

• (BAN PALESTINIAN ENTRY TO THE US) HR 8629 [bill text)]: Introduced 6/5/24 by Gaetz (R-FL) and 3 cosponsors (all Republicans), “To provide that an alien who holds a passport issued by the Palestinian Authority may not be admitted or paroled into the United States or be issued a visa or other documentation to enter the United States,” aka the “Guarding American Zones Against Palestinian Immigration Act.” Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. Also see: press release – Congressman Gaetz Leads Republicans in Introducing the “Guarding American Zones Against Palestinian Immigration Act; Palestinian immigrant ban led by GOP House maverick: ‘Too dangerous’ – Former President Trump has promised not to take in Palestinian refugees (Fox News 6/5/24)

Targeting Support for Palestinians

• (PUNISH MALDIVES!) HR XXXX: On 6/6/24, Axios reported: “U.S. lawmakers are crafting legislation aimed at stopping the Maldives from banning Israeli passport holders from entering the country, Axios has learned. Why it matters: The tiny, Muslim-majority archipelago and luxury tourist destination this week became the first country since the Oct. 7 attack to announce plans to institute such a passport ban in response to the war in Gaza. Driving the news: Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) is developing legislation that would condition U.S. aid to the Maldives on allowing Israeli passport holders into the country, a source familiar with the matter told Axios. Gottheimer, one of Israel’s most steadfast defenders in Congress, is working with colleagues in both parties on the bill, which will be called the Protecting Allied Travel Here (PATH) Act, the source said.“

Never Enough US-Israel Cooperation & Support for Normalization!

• (PRO-ISRAEL/ANTI-IRAN COOPERATION IN SPACE!) S. 4482 [bill text]: Introduced 6/5/24 by Rosen (D-NV) and Ernst (R-IA), “A bill to require the Secretary of Defense to develop, in cooperation with allies and partners in the Middle East, an integrated space and satellite security capability, and for other purposes,” aka the “Space Technology and Regional Security (STARS) Act.” Per the press release, this bill “would build on the Abraham Accords by requiring the Department of Defense to develop a strategy and data-sharing agreement to protect allies and partners in the Middle East from hostile Iranian space activities. This improved space and satellite security coordination would enhance U.S. space situational awareness, defend against threats from adversaries, and deepen space cooperation with Israel and other allies in the Middle East.” Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Also see: Rosen, Ernst push for integrated Middle East space defense architecture — The legislation is a follow-on to integrated missile and maritime defense efforts the lawmakers have pushed in previous years (Jewish Insider 6/6/24)

Targeting Iran

• (NEW IRAN SANCTIONS) HR 8586: Introduced 5/31/24 by Kim (R-CA) and 3 cosponsors (bipartisan),  “To impose sanctions on the judges, prosecutors and investigators of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Revolutionary Courts,” aka the “Targeting Oppressive Officers to Mitigate Abuse in the Iranian Judiciary (TOOMAJ) Act.” Referred to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, the Judiciary, Ways and Means, and Financial Services. Also see: press release – Rep. Young Kim Leads Bipartisan TOOMAJ Act to Crack Down on Iran Regime’s Human Rights Abuses
• (AMIA BOMBING) H. Res. 1266: Introduced 5/31/24 by Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and having 7 cosponsors (bipartisan), “Condemning the attack on the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in July 1994 and encouraging accountability for the attack.” Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also see: press release – Díaz-Balart, Wasserman Schultz, Gonzales, Espaillat Lead Latino-Jewish Caucus in Commemorating Anniversary of AMIA Jewish Center Bombing, Demand Accountability
• (TARGETING IRAN) H. Res. 1272/S. Res. 717: Introduced 6/3/24 in the House by Lawler (R-NY) and 7 cosponsors (bipartisan), and in the Senate by Scott (R-SC) and 11 cosponsors (all Republicans), “Calling on the Biden Administration to pursue censure of Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), refer the issue to the United Nations Security Council, and reaffirm that all measures will be taken to prevent the regime in Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.”  Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Also see: press release – Sen. Scott, Rep. Lawler Call for Biden Administration to Censure Iran at IAEA; The IAEA is readying to censure Iran. It shouldn’t. Tehran deserves to be admonished over its nuclear activities, but doing so now would be a strategic misstep (Responsible Statecraft 6/4/24)

FY 25 State & Foreign Operations Approps

(FY25 SFOPS) HR XXXX: On 6/3/24 the House Appropriations Committee released the Chairman’s Mark of the FY25 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill (aka, the base text) – press release; bill text. That text was marked up in the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations on 6/4/24 (see details in Section 3, below). The release of this text engendered a fierce battle of statements pitting committee Republicans against committee Democrats, including over Israel/Middle East-related elements of the bill. Notably, this bill includes not just the pro-Israel, anti-Palestinian text that are perennially part of this legislation, but adds in additional (and explicitly cruel) anti-Palestinian and pro-Israel measures that, in the context of Israel’s war on Gaza, are morally obscene. The bill will be marked up in the full Appropriations Committee on 6/12/24.

Full details of the bill will be included in a future edition of the Round-Up (when it is passed out of the Appropriations Committee). New pro-Israeli impunity/anti-Palestinian highlights in the base bill (these are in addition to the regular $3.3 billion in FMF for Israel, and the many, many perennial anti-Palestinian measures) include:

• a provision INCREASING funding for “refugee resettlement” in Israel (a residual, token appropriation left over from the 90s when Israel was dealing with a mass influx of Jews from the former Soviet Union) from $5 million (where it has held steady for years) to $6.5 million — representing a 13% increase in funding in this category, notwithstanding the Republicans imposing a 12% budget cut across the board. (p. 34)
• A provision removing legal limits on the amounts of weapons available to Israel out of US war stockpiles (p. 152)
• a provision giving the Executive 15 days to release any US military supplies currently withheld from Israel or face a punitive 50% cut in funding to the office of the Secretary of State, and giving the Executive 30 days to obligate any remaining unobligated funding for Israel (pp 156-157);
• a new/additional condition on the re-opening of any Palestinian diplomatic mission in the US, requiring the the Palestinians are not directly or indirectly seeking or supporting efforts to seek any kind of recourse against Israel at the International Court of Justice (pp 183-184)
• a provision cutting off all funding to the State Department’s Office of Palestinian Affairs (p. 185)
• a provision dividing the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which under the Oslo Accords must be treated as a single geographic unit) into 2 separate geographic units for US budget purposes (p. 186)
• a provision permanently banning US funding to UNRWA, banning US funding to encourage others to fund UNRWA, and requiring a plan to replace UNRWA (pp 240-242)
• A provision barring funding to the International Court of Justice (p. 246)
• A provision barring funding to the International Criminal Court (p. 246-247)
• a provision prohibiting any funding to be used for the admittance or resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza in the United States. (p. 292)

Also see:

• SFOPS Chairman Diaz-Balart (R-FL) 6/3/24: Chairman Diaz-Balart Releases FY25 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee Appropriations Bill
• SFOPS Ranking member Lee (D-CA) 6/3/24: Republicans Abdicate United States Leadership, Weakening National Security
• Appropriations Committee Ranking Member DeLauro (D-CT) 6/4/24; Ranking Member DeLauro Statement at the Subcommittee Markup of the 2025 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Funding Bill
• Democrats: summary of the bill (and its problems); fact sheet re the bill (and its problems)
• House seeks to force Israel weapons transfers in State Department funding bill [“The bill also maintains a ban on funding for UNRWA and require the State Department to present a plan to replace the scandal-plagued U.N. agency”] (Jewish Insider 6/4/24)

FY25 Defense Appropriations

• HR XXXX: On 6/5/24, the House Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee met to consider – and voted to advance – the FY25 Defense Appropriations bill [Chairman’s Mark; GOP summary]. Full details of the bill will be included in a future edition of the Round-Up (when it is passed out of the Appropriations Committee). For now, note: House subcommittee pushes for funding boosts for U.S.-Israeli cooperative programs (Jewish Insider 6/5/24) – excerpt: “The House Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee proposed funding increases for cooperative U.S.-Israel anti-tunneling and anti-drone and missile programs in its 2025 funding bill released on Tuesday. The defense bill also seeks to force frozen Israeli weapons transfers to proceed. Committee Republicans are pushing for $80 million for U.S.-Israel counter-tunneling programs, nearly doubling the 2024 allocation, and $55 million for counter-drone and missile programs, including directed energy and laser projects. That would likely include Israel’s Iron Beam system. The Defense Subcommittee voted to advance the bill to the full Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. The counter-tunneling program was funded at $47.5 million for the 2024 fiscal year, while the counter-drone program received $40 million. The administration did not make specific line-item requests for either program in its budget proposal.”

Other stuff

• (PROTECT CREDIT RATINGS OF HOSTAGES) S. 4455 [bill text]: Introduced 6/4/24 by Coons (D-DE) and Tillis (R-NC), “A bill to amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit consumer reporting agencies from furnishing consumer reports containing adverse items of information about a consumer that resulted from that consumer being unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad or held hostage abroad,” aka the “‘Fair Credit for American Hostages Act.” Referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Also see: press release – Senators Coons, Tillis introduce bill to protect credit scores of American hostages and wrongful detainees

2. Letters

Witch-Hunt Targeting Academia

• 6/7/24: Foxx Threatens to Subpoena Northwestern After Obstruction of Committee Antisemitism Investigation [letter text]
• 6/7/24: Jewish Insider report – Broad coalition of Jewish groups urges ‘highest possible funding’ for Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights [letter text] – entirely focused on enabling/empowering OCR to target students for participating in post-Oct 7 protests
• 6/6/24: Committee Leaders [of House Science, Space, and Technology Committee] Question Agencies on Grants to Universities Allowing Antisemitism on Campus [Letter to the Department of Energy; Letter to the Department of Commerce; letter to the National Science Foundation; letter to the Environmental Protection Agency;  letter to NASA. Excerpt from press release: “…In the letters, the committee leaders express deep concern about the increase in antisemitic behavior occurring across universities nationwide. They stress that this behavior may violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, making universities ineligible for federal grant money.“
• 6/3/24: Committee Chairs Lead Congress-Wide Effort to Curb Antisemitism on College Campuses [letters to: Barnard, Columbia, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Harvard, MIT, Northwestern, Penn, Rutgers, Cornell] Per the letters, the various committees will target the universities on numerous fronts, including: targeting their tax-exemptions; investigating/targeting compliance with Title VI, campus safety concerns, and awarding of federal student aid; investigating sources of funding and other support flowing to groups “espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students”; broad targeting related to “civil liberties,” “criminal law enforcement,” and federal immigration law; investigating “concerns over the extent to which the Department of Health and Human Services and its grant awarding agencies—such as the National Institutes of Health—are ensuring that universities receiving federal funds are fostering and maintaining an environment free from harassment and discrimination”; and targeting “science-based scholarships and grants to universities from multiple federal departments and agencies”.  Also see: Congress Expands Anti-Semitism Probe Into 10 Colleges and Threatens Billions in Federal Funding (Free Beacon 6/3/24); House Republicans threaten billions in federal funding from 10 colleges as part of antisemitism inquiry (Washington Examiner 6/3/24); House committees broaden anti-Semitism investigations into Northwestern, other colleges: ‘will not rest’ (Campus Reform 6/4/24); Six U.S. House committee chairs send letter to Penn announcing expanded antisemitism investigation (The Daily Pennsylvanian 6/4/24); 6 House Committees Will Probe Harvard’s Federal Funding in Antisemitism Investigation (The Harvard Crimson 6/4/24); House Republicans Threaten Colleges’ Federal Funding With New Investigations — Six House committees will probe 10 colleges’ responses to antisemitism. Is it a serious effort or a politicized “fishing expedition”? (Inside Higher Education 6/4/24); Congress expands Northwestern probe over antisemitism (Chicago Business 6/4/24)

Targeting the ICC & Rule of Law

• 6/5/24: Cotton, Colleagues to Garland: Investigate ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan [letter text]
• 5/31/24: Gottheimer Leads Bipartisan Letter [signed by 25 members] Urging State and Treasury Department to Sanction ICC Over Decision to Issue Warrants for Israeli Officials [letter text]

We <HEART> Bibi!

• (do-over!) 6/6/24: McConnell, Johnson Announce Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Joint Address to Congress. Note that the press release is issued solely in the names of McConnell (R-KY) and Johnson (R-LA), but includes a link to the text of 5/31/24 letter, also signed by Schumer (D-NY) and Jeffries (D-NY). Schumer released his own statement 6/6/24, including: “I have clear and profound disagreements with the Prime Minister, which I have voiced both privately and publicly and will continue to do so. But because America’s relationship with Israel is ironclad and transcends one person or prime minister I joined the request for him to speak.”
• 5/31/24: Congressional Leaders Invite Israeli PM Netanyahu to Address Joint Meeting of Congress [letter text]. Excerpt: “To build on our enduring relationship and to highlight America’s solidarity with Israel, we invite you to share the Israeli government’s vision for defending democracy, combatting terror, and establishing a just and lasting peace in the region.“

Concern about Israel’s Actions in the West Bank

• 6/3/24: Rep. Grijalva [+ 8 fellow House Democrats] Urges State Department to Prevent Confiscation of Palestinian Land and Further Violence in West Bank [letter text]

Targeting Iran (and Russia-Iran)

• 6/5/24: X-post from Rep. Sherman (D-CA) – “#Iran‘s dissidents represent the bravest among us. The U.S. & the intl. community must pressure the Iranian regime to reverse #ToomajSalehi‘s death sentence & end the murder of Iran’s protesters. Today I & my colleagues urged @POTUS to act.” [letter text – page 1, page 2]
• 5/31/24: Letter to Treasury to Investigate Six Chinese Companies, Funded by U.S. Investment, for Supporting Iran’s Military & Terrorist Proxies (from Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), and all 11 Republican members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party) [letter text]

3. Hearings & Markups

NOTE – not a hearing but… MONDAY: Rep. AOC To Host Livestream on “Antisemitism and the Fight for Democracy”, ft. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Stacy Burdett, Jewish Community Advocate Against Antisemitism and Bigotry; and Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs.

6/3/23: The House Rules Committee held a business meeting to consider a Rule to bring HR 8282 to the House floor for a vote. As a reminder, HR 8282, “To impose sanctions with respect to the International Criminal Court engaged in any effort to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any protected person of the United States and its allies,” was introduced 5/7/24 by Roy (R-TX) and has 63 Republican cosponsors; there were no hearings on this bill in the committee of jurisdiction. Also see:

• The bill/Rule was passed by the Rules Committee 6/3/24 by a party-line vote.
• Rules Committee hearing video (starting at 1:52:53 in the video). Once again, this is highly recommended viewing, with the Rules Committee representing the ONLY venue on the Hill where there is any substantive discussion of what is happening in Gaza — with Republicans faithfully reciting talking points that are indistinguishable from the government of Israel, AIPAC, etc, and with Democrats speaking with various degrees of frankness/accuracy with respect to what Israel is doing in Gaza and what is at stake with respect to US policies/actions.
  
• Crow (D-CA) testified against HR 8282 in the Rules Committee – see: Congressman Crow Opposes House Republicans’ Dangerous Bill to Sanction the ICC (incl statement in Rules Committee – video)
• list of amendments submitted in Rules Committee.
• See Section 1 (ab0ve) for details on passage of the bill by the House on 6/4/24.

[RESCHEDULED] 6/4/24: The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability held a hearing entitled, “Money is Policy: Assessing Shortcomings in the State Department’s Foreign Assistance Grants Process.” Witnesses (a partly new slate for the rescheduled hearing) were: Robert Destro, former Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (a Trump political appointee) (statement); James Richardson, State Department Director of the Office of Foreign Assistance (statement); and Tom Malinowski, Former Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (statement). Also see: hearing video.

6/4/24: The House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Bill held a mark-up of the FY25 SFOPS Appropriations Bill (bill text). Also see:

• video
• Appropriations Committee Chairman Cole (R-OK) 6/4/24: Cole Remarks at FY25 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Bill Subcommittee Markup
• SFOPS Ranking member Lee (D-CA) 6/4/24: House Democrats Highlight How Republican Funding Bill Abdicates U.S. Leadership
• SFOPS Chairman Diaz-Balart (R-FL) 6/4/24: Diaz-Balart Remarks at FY25 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Bill Subcommittee MarkupSFOPS Ranking member Lee (D-CA) 6/5/24: Ranking Member Lee Condemns GOP State and Foreign Operations Bill Text, Extreme Cuts to Diplomacy and Development
• See Section 1 (above) for key new – and appalling – provisions in the base bill. Stay tuned for a comprehensive analysis of Middle East-related elements of the bill (which will be produced for the Round-Up once the bill clears the Appropriations Committee).

Week of 6/10/24: The House Rules Committee will meet to approve a Rule according to which the FY25 NDAA – HR 8070 – will be brought to the floor, including the long list of amendments that will be voted on as part of the annual amendments-palooza that accompanies this bill (including a disproportionate number related to Israel/Palestine/Middle East grandstanding & point-scoring). Also see: list of amendments offered as of 6/7/24 (1219 so far).

6/12/24: The House Appropriations Committee will hold a mark-up of the FY25 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill.

6/12/24: The House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Workforce Protections appears to be planning to hold a hearing related to alleged antisemitism and antisemitic threats. The hearing does not appear on the Committee website at this time, but all three documents submitted in relation to the hearing relate to antisemitism and alleged antisemitic threats (in Texas, Alabama, and Florida) – mostly actual antisemitism (i.e., hatred/threats targeting Jews because they are Jewish), but the Texas document (and ADL report) includes the conflation of Israel-related protest with antisemitism.

6/13/24: The House Committee on Ways and Means will hold a hearing entitled, Hearing on the Crisis on Campus: Antisemitism, Radical Faculty, and the Failure of University Leadership. No details have yet been published regarding who will be put on the stand as witnesses for the prosecution and defendants to be abused.

4. Israel/Palestine in 2024 Politics/Elex

General analysis/News

• In These Times 6/3/24: The Corporate Power Brokers Behind AIPAC’s War on the Squad [“An In These Times investigation reveals the individuals behind AIPAC’s election war chest: nearly 60% are CEOs and other top executives at the country’s largest corporations.”]
• Anti-Defamation League press release 6/3/24: ADL Files FEC Complaint Against JVP’s Political Action Committee Alleging Numerous & Repeated Violations of Federal Campaign Finance Laws [“PAC of fringe group dedicated to the demonization of Israel only disbursed a little more than 2 percent of contributions to candidates“]. Also see: Jewish Insider, Jewish News Syndicate

New York

• Democracy Now 6/6/24: “Propaganda Machine”: NY Congressmember Jamaal Bowman on AIPAC’s $25 Million Campaign to Unseat Him
• New York Times 6/6/24: Jamaal Bowman Lands Endorsement From Elizabeth Warren – Locked in a hotly contested primary against George Latimer, Mr. Bowman got a lifeline from Ms. Warren, a progressive senator from Massachusetts.
• NBC News 6/5/24: Progressive Rep. Jamaal Bowman runs as an outsider as he fights for a third term [“Bowman, 48, a member of “The Squad,” is seeking to portray George Latimer, 70, as the real political insider ahead of a contentious Democratic primary that’s attracting millions in spending.”]
• Ad Impact Politics 6/4/24: X-post – “#NYPol: The #NY16 primary has now eclipsed $13M in total ad spending. AIPAC-affiliated group United Democracy Project has spent or reserved 81% of that total. Incumbent Jamaal Bowman (D) has spent $1.2M. Here’s a look at the top spending advertisers: from table laying out data – United Democracy Project [AIPAC] – $10.64M; Jamal Bowman – $1.18M; George Lattimer – $967k; Working Families Party – $169k; Courage to Change – $127k)
  
• Politico 6/4/24: Progressives isolate Mondaire Jones for endorsing against one of their own [“The former House member was accused of backing George Latimer over Rep. Jamaal Bowman because it’s ‘beneficial to him.'”]
• Politico 6/4/24: Schumer’s Israel views under scrutiny  [“A House Republican facing a tough reelection fight izs using Chuck Schumer as a political foil. Rep. Mike Lawler urged attendees of the Jerusalem Post’s annual conference in Manhattan Monday to pressure the Senate majority leader into bringing the Antisemitism Awareness Act to the Senate floor. ‘Right now, that is sitting on Chuck Schumer’s desk, the highest-ranking Jewish official in American history,’ the Hudson Valley freshman said…“]
• Washington Free Beacon 6/4/24: Jamaal Bowman’s Onetime Ally Endorses His Primary Challenger, Citing Horror at Bowman’s Israel Views —  ‘Rep. Bowman and I have very different views on Israel,’ Mondaire Jones said.
• Emma Vigeland (Majority Report) 6/3/24: X-post – “Mondaire Jones is a total slimeball. He’s pissed Jamaal Bowman decided to stay and run (and win, btw) in his own district instead of handing it to Jones (?!) after Sean Patrick Maloney’s redistricting, which was designed to divide progressives. Jones took the bait and then some.“
• Semafor 6/3/24: ‘It’s disgusting’: Progressives seethe after Mondaire Jones backs Jamaal Bowman challenger
• Politico 6/3/24: Bowman’s anti-AIPAC fundraising bump
• New York Times 6/3/24: Rep. Jamaal Bowman Loses Support of an Ex-Colleague Over Israel [“Mondaire Jones, a fellow Black progressive who entered Congress with Mr. Bowman after the 2020 election, is endorsing Mr. Bowman’s challenger, George Latimer.“]
• Sludge 6/3/24: Latimer Fails to Disclose Finances in Closely-Watched Democratic Primary
• Jewish Insider 6/3/24: Mondaire Jones condemns Bowman’s Israel rhetoric, endorses George Latimer [“Jones said he’s heard frequently from Jewish constituents ‘horrified’ by Bowman’s rhetoric which ‘has contributed to the fearfulness that American Jews are feeling’”]
• CBS News 6/3/24: Black advocacy group spending $500K to support ‘Squad’ member’s opponent, report says
• Haaretz 6/3/24: Pro-Israel Groups Back Challenger to Jamaal Bowman in High-stakes New York Primary Race [“In a political battle encapsulating the Democratic Party’s internal debate on Israel, Jamaal Bowman, who recently called for an end to all military aid to Israel, will face the AIPAC-backed George Latimer in New York on June 25″]
• Washington Examiner 6/2/24: ‘Squad’ Democrat blasted in new AIPAC ad that includes Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel’s son
• Politico 5/31/24: AIPAC ramps up attack on Jamaal Bowman with ads on antisemitism [“A new ad by the pro-Israel group’s super PAC features the son of Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel openly criticizing Bowman.”]

New Jersey

• Jewish News Syndicate 6/5/24: Pro-Israel New Jersey Rep. Menendez tops progressive challenger in primary [“‘We appreciate each candidate’s support for Israel’s right to self-defense and for the safe return of all hostages being held by Hamas,’ said Mark Mellman, chair of the Democratic Majority for Israel PAC.”]
• New Jersey Globe 6/4/24: Pascrell beats Khairullah after Gaza-focused primary
• Gothamist 5/28/24: NJ Rep. Pascrell sees primary challenge from Khairullah, spotlighting their stances on Gaza war

Wisconsin

• Jewish Insider 6/5/24: In social media war against AIPAC, Rep. Mark Pocan advances antisemitic tropes [“Pocan’s jabs have frequently echoed or embraced a slew of antisemitic canards, including dual loyalty, control of government and even blood libel, experts say” — those experts being prominent individuals and representatives of legacy Jewish groups who engage in/endorse/promote the conflation of criticism of Israel with antisemitism]

North Dakota

• Jewish News Syndicate 6/4/24: Republican Jewish Coalition endorses Julie Fedorchak for North Dakota House seat [“The RJC points to the candidate’s ‘steadfast and consistent backing of Israel against its fight against Hamas.’“]

Arizona

• Washington Times/Daniel Pipes (Middle East Forum) 6/3/24: Dr. Zuhdi Jasser: Congress’ potentially most important new member

Missouri

• STL Light 6/5/24: Clergy state support for Wesley Bell [“…His words have not only been comforting but were also a stark departure from the ongoing caustic, offensive, and — yes, in our view — antisemitic rhetoric from the current representative in Washington, D.C. Congresswoman Cori Bush, with her long track record of anti-Israel votes, has continually fanned the flames with the most outrageous smears of Israel, accusing the Jewish state of ‘ethnic cleansing’ and ‘genocide’ as it has fought to defeat the terrorists.“]

Nevada

• Punchbowl News 6/7/24: Jacky Rosen charts her own path on Israel-Gaza

5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

Israel Govt Influence Campaign Targets US Lawmakers [nothing to see here….]

• New York Times 6/5/24: Israel Secretly Targets U.S. Lawmakers With Influence Campaign on Gaza War [“Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs ordered the operation, which used fake social media accounts urging U.S. lawmakers to fund Israel’s military, according to officials and documents about the effort.“]
• Haaretz 6/5/24: Israel Secretly Targeted American Lawmakers With Gaza War Influence Campaign [“In an attempt to sway global public opinion on the war in Gaza, fake accounts and sites spread pro-Israel and Islamophobic content. The operation was orchestrated by Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Ministry and run by a political campaigning firm“]
• Reminder: NBC News 6/30/24: Meta and OpenAI say they disrupted influence operations linked to Israeli company – OpenAI said in a report that the company operated a network that posted anti-Hamas and pro-Israel content across the web.
• Reminder — Wall Street Journal 6/29/24: Meta Takes Down ‘Inauthentic’ Accounts on Facebook, Instagram Linked to Israeli Firm [“Meta Platforms said its security team took down a network of hundreds of fake accounts on Facebook and Instagram linked to an Israeli technology firm that apparently used AI-generated comments to praise Israel and criticize campus antisemitism.”]

Concern for Palestinians

• Duckworth (D-IL) 6/6/24: Duckworth Meets with Dr. Hamawy, Convenes Senate Roundtable to Discuss Conditions in Gaza

Bibi Address to Congress

• Haaretz 6/7/24: Netanyahu to Address U.S. Congress on July 24 – Six Weeks After Intended Date — Unclear whether U.S. President Joe Biden would be in town, potentially setting up a highly politicized showdown between the two leaders
• Times of Israel 6/7/24: Netanyahu to defend ‘just war’ in July 24 speech to joint session of US Congress
• Jewish Insider 6/6/24: Democrats speak out against left-wing efforts to interrupt Netanyahu’s congressional speech [“Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA): ‘For any member that boycotts, it makes a Hamas terrorist smile’”]
• NBC News 6/4/24: Sen. Bernie Sanders plans boycott as some Democrats question planned Netanyahu speech to Congress
• Jacob Kornbluth (The Forward) 6/4/24: X-post – “House Dem leader Jeffries says Speaker Johnson messed up June 13 invite to Netanyahu: without notifying him and Schumer. ‘I would have known better than to extend an invitation on a Jewish holiday to the Prime Minister of the State of Israel.'”
• Counterpunch/Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) 6/3/24: The War Criminal Netanyahu Should Not be Invited to Address Congress
• Jewish News Syndicate 6/3/24: A sad day, Bernie Sanders says of Congress inviting Netanyahu [“AIPAC slams the senator for saying he will not attend the address and for calling the Israeli prime minister a war criminal.”]
• CNN 6/3/24: Timing for Netanyahu address to Congress uncertain after floated date is ruled out
• Al Monitor 6/3/24: Israel denies Netanyahu to address US Congress over Jewish holiday
• Sanders (I-VT) 6/3/24: Sanders Responds to Speaker Johnson and Gives Speech on Why He Will NOT be Attending Netanyahu’s Address to Congress
• Sanders (I-VT) 6/1/24: Sanders Statement on Invitation to Netanyahu to Speak Before Joint Meeting of Congress

Free speech/Academia/Right to Protest

• House Committee on Education & the Workforce 6/6/24: ICYMI: Foxx Gives Update on Committee’s Antisemitism Investigation [at AEI]
• House Committee on Education & the Workforce 6/6/24: @EdWorkforceCmte to Depose ALAA President Ohta [“For months, President Ohta and the ALAA have attempted to evade accountability and use obstructionist tactics to thwart the Committee’s ongoing investigation into potential violations of ALAA member rights. This petulant behavior and deliberate obstruction are unacceptable.  As the Committee has uncovered, too many union members are unaware of the rights afforded to them under the law. Unions deliberately fail to inform their members of their rights in a callous attempt to exert power and control. The Committee seeks to understand whether ALAA infringed on several statutory rights of its members through actions related to the adoption of the ‘Resolution Calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza, an End to the Israeli Occupation of Palestine, and Support for Workers’ Political Speech.’ Today’s deposition is another step in the Committee’s efforts to combat antisemitism and examine whether current law needs to be updated so that individual union members are protected against a tyranny of the majority.”]
• Jewish Insider 6/4/24: Rep. Virginia Foxx holds low expectations that colleges will change course following antisemitism hearings 
• Tlaib (D-MI) 5/31/24: Tlaib Statement on Targeting of WSU Students

Biden’s ceasefire plan

• Jewish Insider 6/4/24: Current hostage deal proposal is ‘the best, last chance’ to free captives, hostage’s father says [“Families of American hostages still being held in Gaza joined U.S. lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to push strongly for the Israeli-approved hostage deal laid out by President Joe Biden last week, emphasizing that the onus is on Hamas to finalize the deal.”]
• Jewish News Syndicate 6/4/24: Jeffries: Thanks to Biden, ‘realistic’ chance for ‘brighter day’ for Israel, Palestinians [“‘President Biden’s comprehensive proposal sets the stage for a just and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinian people,’ Hakeem Jeffries stated.“]
• Jeffries (D-NY) 6/3/24: Leader Jeffries Statement on President Biden’s Middle East Peace Plan
• Kaptur (D-OH) 6/3/24: Kaptur Reaffirms Support For Two-State Solution, Applauds Peace Plan For Israel And Gaza
• Foster (D-IL) 6/3/24: Foster Statement on President Biden’s Middle East Peace Plan
• Thompson (D-CA) 6/3/24: Thompson Issues Statement on President Biden’s Middle East Peace Plan
• Murphy (D-CT) 5/31/24: Murphy Statement on Proposed Deal To End Hostilities In Gaza, Secure Release Of Hostages
• Schumer (D-NY) 5/31/24: Majority Leader Schumer Statement Calling On Hamas To Accept Temporary Ceasefire Offer
• Reed (D-RI) 5/31/24: Reed Supports Proposed Israel-Hamas Ceasefire in Gaza

Lobbying Congress

• Jewish Insider 6/7/24: AJC CEO Ted Deutch emphasizes need for ‘clear and consistent message’ from Washington in support of Israel [“Deutch said that rebuilding support for Israel on Capitol Hill begins with an emphasis on the Oct. 7 attack, ‘pushing back in the strongest way against those who have tried to rewrite the history of Oct. 7’ and have supported terrorist groups through rhetoric and protests. He said that advocates for Israel must also highlight the threat that Iran poses to Israel, the U.S. and the rest of the world. Deutch emphasized in an interview with Jewish Insider that his former colleagues in Congress need to make sure that they’re ‘focused on what’s actually happening, and that we’re not distracted by misinformation and false narratives’ and false equivalences between Hamas and Israel. ‘There needs to be moral clarity here, and pushing back against the lies of those who are calling for the destruction of Israel is of paramount importance as we defend Israel and, in turn, defend western civilization,’ Deutch said. He demurred when asked if he counts any lawmakers among those he said have supported terrorist groups, but said that every member of Congress ‘should be able to stand up and condemn the terrorists’ who killed Americans and are backed by an Iranian regime dedicated to destroying America. ‘That’s what we should expect of all our elected officials.’ The AJC meeting is set to include a lobbying component on the Hill, during which Deutch said activists will push for antisemitism legislation as well as communicate to lawmakers Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas, the threat from Iran and the possibilities for regional normalization…“]
• Times of Israel 6/6/24: A report from the Jerusalem Post conference [“As a former head of Hillel, Fingerhut was keenly aware of the extreme Jew-hatred on campus. We must use a multipronged approach to address it, he said, highlighting the need to include the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism as a tool to combat Jew-hatred. Legislation accepting IHRA’s definition passed in the House of Representatives, and we have to advocate for its passage in the Senate, he said. He explained that JFNA and other groups pushed successfully to pass legislation forcing the sale of TikTok to an American company from Chinese Communist control within 12 months, because the social media platform spews anti-Zionist and anti-West propaganda. Fingerhut also announced plans for another massive demonstration in support of Israel in mid-November in Washington.” Reminder: it was not long ago that the ADL & others insisted it was antisemitic to connect anti-TikTok legislation in Congress with pro-Israel lobbying… Seems Fingerhut didn’t get the memo.]
• Jewish News Syndicate 6/5/24: Yesha Council head lobbies against Palestinian state in DC – Lawmakers on Capitol Hill express support for the stance. [“…Ganz met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday in an effort counter the push by the White House to establish a Palestinian state in the wake of the Hamas-led massacre of Oct. 7. ‘There is no room for a two-state solution. [President Joe] Biden cannot appoint conditions for Israel, whether with regard to the Palestinian state or to stopping the war with Hamas. We in the United States stand by your side unconditionally,’ Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) told Ganz. Ganz also met with other senior senators and representatives during his trip, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).“]

Other

• Wicker (R-MS) 6/7/24: Senator Wicker Statement on Return of Pier Components to Gaza