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NEW FROM FMEP
FMEP Legislative Round-Up August 8, 2025 (Lara Friedman)
- Bills, Resolutions; 2. Letters’ 3. Hearings & Markups’ 4. Selected Members on the Record; 5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements
Destroying the Conditions of Life: Physicians for Human Rights-Israel on Israel’s Genocide in Gaza (New Occupied Thoughts episode)
FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Aseel Aburass, Director of the Occupied Palestinian Territory Department at Physicians for Human Rights Israel and one of the authors of PHRI’s newest report: “Destruction of Conditions of Life: A Health Analysis of the Gaza Genocide.” Peter and Aseel discuss PHRI’s Israel’s genocide in Gaza, focusing on Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system and Israel’s “deliberate destruction of conditions under which life cannot continue.” They discuss the emergency need to flood Gaza with aid disbursed by the professional aid organizations with the expertise to properly distribute it, the need to hold the perpetrators of this genocide accountable, and the Israeli medical sector’s complicity with the destruction of Palestinian healthcare.
GAZA
Israel’s approval of plan to seize Gaza City paves way for wider occupation (WaPo 8/8/25)
“Israel’s security cabinet approved Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to escalate the war in Gaza and occupy Gaza City, paving the way for a phased military takeover of the enclave that could kill more Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages being held there. “The [Israel Defense Forces] will prepare for taking control of Gaza City while distributing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population outside the combat zones,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement sent to The Post shortly after the decision was announced on Friday. It did not elaborate on how Israel would handle deliveries of humanitarian assistance in the city, or how Israeli initiatives would interact with U.S. plans to expand aid distribution in the enclave. The statement said that the cabinet rejected an “alternative plan” that would not achieve Israel’s war aims, apparently referring to a proposal presented to Netanyahu and his ministers by the IDF that would have involved striking and besieging — but not holding — Gaza’s main city. The IDF has repeatedly warned that military maneuvering in areas where hostages are being held could endanger the lives of the captives, and that a full occupation of Gaza would put an immense strain on the military. Netanyahu had said earlier on Thursday evening that he intended to take control of all of Gaza, with the plan of eventually handing over its management to Arab armed forces…Full-scale occupation of the Gaza Strip has long been a demand of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners, who represent a minority in Israel and since the start of the war have argued that the only way to defeat Hamas is to reestablish Israeli settlements in the enclave.” See also Netanyahu aims to fully control Gaza despite warnings of mass death and resistance from military (The Guardian 8/7/25); Israel Says It’s Preparing to Take Control of Gaza City. What Does That Mean? (NYT 8/8/25); Bucking IDF warnings, security cabinet approves Netanyahu plan to conquer Gaza City (TOI 8/8/25); Fears for Palestinians and hostages as Netanyahu plans full Gaza occupation (The Guardian 8/7/25); Israel issues forced displacement orders amid fears of full occupation in Gaza (The Guardian 8/6/25)
Germany halts arms exports to Israel that could be used in Gaza as global outcry grows (The Guardian 8/8/25)
“The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has indicated a significant shift in Berlin’s staunch support for Israel by stopping the export of military equipment that could be used in Gaza, as international partners condemned Israeli plans to take control of Gaza City. Merz issued a sharply worded statement signalling the reversal after several weeks of openly criticising of Israel’s “unclear” policy goals in Gaza and the unfolding humanitarian disaster there but stopping short of concrete consequences in policy. The German leader said Israel had the right to defend itself against Hamas and press for the release of its Israeli hostages, which he stressed was Berlin’s “highest priority” along with “resolute negotiations on a ceasefire”. However, Merz added his government “believes that the even tougher military action in the Gaza Strip decided on by the Israeli cabinet last night makes it increasingly difficult to see how these goals can be achieved”. “Under these circumstances the German government will until further notice not approve any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip.”…After the devastating Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, Germany strongly boosted its arms exports to Israel. Its parliament said in June that export licences for military equipment to Israel worth €485 million were granted between 7 October 2023 and 13 May 2025.” See also Netanyahu Broadly Criticized at Home and Abroad After New Gaza Plan (NYT 8/8/25); Starmer calls Gaza City takeover plan wrong and urges Israel to reconsider (The Guardian 8/8/25); Trump response muted as Israel’s Netanyahu threatens full Gaza takeover (Al Monitor 8/7/25); ‘A disaster’: Opposition, world leaders, families of hostages blast Gaza City takeover plan (TOI 8/8/25); ‘A Death Sentence’: Hostage Families, Israeli Opposition Leaders Slam Gaza Takeover Plan (Haaretz 8/8/25); Report: Trump Yelled at Netanyahu in Call on Gaza Aid, Said Advisers Showed Him Proof of Hunger (Haaretz 8/8/25); US shrugs off Gaza escalation – drifting further away from allies (BBC 8/8/25);
Microsoft storing Israeli intelligence trove used to attack Palestinians (Yuval Abraham//+972 Magazine 8/625)
“The Israeli army’s elite cyber warfare unit is using Microsoft’s cloud servers to store masses of intelligence on Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza — information that has been used to plan deadly airstrikes and shape military operations, an investigation by +972 Magazine, Local Call, and the Guardian can reveal. Unit 8200, roughly equivalent in function to the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), has transferred audio files of millions of calls by Palestinians in the occupied territories onto Microsoft’s cloud computing platform, Azure, operationalizing what is likely one of the world’s largest and most intrusive collections of surveillance data over a single population group. This is according to interviews with 11 Microsoft and Israeli intelligence sources in addition to a cache of leaked internal Microsoft documents obtained by the Guardian…Microsoft has said publicly that it found “no evidence” that its technology was used to harm Palestinians in Gaza, and a spokesperson told us in response to this investigation that the company was unaware that its products had been used to aid the surveillance of civilians. But three Israeli intelligence sources stated that Unit 8200’s cloud-based intelligence trove has been used over the past two years to plan lethal airstrikes in Gaza, and that it often serves as a basis for arrests and other military operations in the West Bank.” See also ‘A million calls an hour’: Israel relying on Microsoft cloud for expansive surveillance of Palestinians (The Guardian 8/6/25); Aerial footage filmed by ITV News shows the scale of Gaza’s destruction (ITV 8/4/25); As Gaza suffers, US companies are reaping horrific payoffs (Katrina vanden Heuvel//The Guardian 7/31/25);
Starvation is spreading in Gaza — and treating it won’t be easy (WaPo 8/8/25)
“Nearly 200 people have died of starvation in the enclave, according to the Gaza Health Ministry — a number experts believe is an undercount, both because malnutrition leaves patients more vulnerable to other infections and conditions that are listed as the cause of death, as well as the difficulty of recording deaths that take place outside hospitals. The wave of starvation sweeping across Gaza is making an already desperate situation worse. Even if Israel allows a surge in aid deliveries — as rights groups and its allies have urged — a boost in food supplies alone may not be enough to save severely malnourished patients, particularly children, who are more vulnerable to the worst effects and may need specialized treatment and intensive care. Severe acute malnutrition requires careful treatment plans and monitoring — as patients may struggle to keep food down or may suffer from other health conditions.” See also Israeli forces kill at least 27 at food site while minister’s al-Aqsa visit causes outrage (The Guardian 8/3/25); Gaza hospitals say 18 killed by Israeli fire as aid site shootings continue to rise (The Guardian 8/2/25); ‘We are dying slowly, save us’: starvation takes hold in Gaza after a week of appalling milestones (The Guardian 8/2/25);
‘Survival of the Strongest’: Gaza Looters Wreak Havoc as Aid Seekers Remain Empty-handed (Haaretz 8/5/25)
“For months, Gaza’s desperate residents have described how looters intercept and steal humanitarian supplies, reselling them at inflated prices that most can’t afford. Often armed, Palestinians in Gaza tell Haaretz that while some are organized in gangs, many of the looters are unaffiliated, everyday civilians who have “lost their moral compass.”…Her voice trembles with anger and fatigue as she describes how women – especially single mothers and widows like herself – are all but absent from the scenes of aid drops. “We simply can’t reach those areas. It’s too violent, too chaotic and too dangerous. Only the strong or well-connected get through,” she says. As aid convoys are swarmed, and at times looted, the very lifeline meant to ease Gaza’s humanitarian crisis has become yet another source of risk and inequality. On July 26, the IDF announced it would create “humanitarian corridors” and allow aid to be airdropped into the Strip. Yet aid workers say the reality of the famine in Gaza has barely changed. “There’s a little more food, but it’s a drop in the ocean,” UNICEF Deputy Spokesman Ricardo Pires told Haaretz earlier this week. “Not enough trucks get in, and what enters is looted.”’ See also Let UNRWA Aid Trucks Into Gaza (Mara Kronenfeld//The Nation 8/1/25); American Victims of Hamas and Hezbollah Attacks Sue U.N. Agency (NYT 8/2/25); Israel says it will allow controlled entry of goods into Gaza via merchants (Reuters 8/5/25); Looting, chaos and Israeli gunfire prevent aid from reaching Gazans (WaPo 8/2/25);
‘Clearly Emaciated’: Former Green Beret Recounts Horrors at ‘Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’ Aid Sites (Prem Thakker//Zeteo 8/2/25)
“Anthony Aguilar, a retired US special forces officer, says the US-funded project involves unqualified US contractors serving as an “appendage” of the Israeli military’s genocidal campaign.” See also Security contractor says he witnessed ‘barbaric’ and un-American tactics at Gaza aid sites (PBS News 8/1/25); Trump plans to “take over” Gaza aid effort, U.S. officials say (Axios 8/5/25); Huckabee Says U.S.-Backed Aid Sites in Gaza Will ‘Scale Up’ (NYT 8/6/25); Pentagon awaits White House decision to help ramp up Gaza humanitarian aid (Al Monitor 8/7/25);
Starvation as a Weapon: Gaza’s Slow Death Under Siege (Eman Basher, Izzedin Shahin//Institute for Palestine Studies 8/5/25)
“The blockade on Gaza has long served as a method of collective punishment. Since October 7, however, hunger itself has been transformed into a strategic instrument of war. Starvation here is not a metaphor. It is an engineered system designed to break bodies and spirits. Food and water are no longer simple necessities. They are frontlines. Every bite is a battle. Every swallow is a defiance of death. Hunger has become a silent bomb, detonating daily in the bellies of children and in the brittle bones of the elderly. In Gaza’s remaining hospitals, where care persists against all odds, the horror of this policy is laid bare. Dr. Izeddin Shahin is not merely a witness. His testimony serves as an indictment of a system that has weaponized absence itself. He does not speak in abstractions or data points. He describes hunger as it lives in the bloodwork of patients, in the exhausted faces of nurses, in the ghostly silence of empty operating rooms.” See also Terrible thirst hits Gaza with polluted aquifers and broken pipelines (Reuters 8/6/25); Israel Blames Hamas for Malnourishment of Israeli Captives as It Deliberately Starves Gaza (Jeremy Scahill and Jawa Ahmad//Drop Site 8/5/25); Gaza Health Ministry Reports Spike in Neurological Diseases, With 95 Recent Cases (Haaretz 8/6/25)
Israel’s support for clans in Gaza puts tribal strongman in spotlight (WaPo 8/3/25)
“Yasser Abu Shabab is all over Israeli news and Palestinian social media. He describes himself as a humanitarian and a liberator. International aid workers allege he was behind the systematic looting of aid entering the Gaza Strip last fall. Some Gazans — including analysts, residents and members of his own tribe — say he is a gang leader aligned with the Israeli military. “Yasser Abu Shabab doesn’t represent us. He only represents himself,” said Adel al-Tarabin, a leader in the Bedouin Tarabin tribe to which Abu Shabab belongs. He went on to describe him as a looter and a bandit. But Israeli media is now pitching him as an alternative to Hamas. In the past few months, Abu Shabab has come to represent an Israeli initiative to empower Palestinian clans, weaken Hamas and, critics of the effort say, divide Palestinian society.” See also Family of Israeli hostage held in Gaza accuses Hamas of starving him (The Guardian 8/3/25); Hamas releases second video of Israeli hostage and says it will not disarm until Palestinian state established (The Guardian 8/2/25);
REGION//GLOBAL
‘Diplomatic tsunami’: Israel grapples with isolation from Europe, Palestine’s recognition (Al Monitor 8/3/25)
“Canada, also considered a backer of Israel, announced Wednesday that it will move to recognize a Palestinian state in September, but it said the move would be predicated on the Palestinian Authority holding elections in 2026 and committing to reforms. Macron announced last week that France would recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly summit this coming September, drawing the ire of the Israeli government, which said such a move would benefit Hamas. On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Keir Stermer announced that London will also recognize Palestine in September if Israel does not accept a ceasefire in Gaza and advance steps toward a two-state solution. Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela also said his country will recognize Palestine at the September gathering. Subsequently, seven other Western countries — Australia, Canada, Finland, New Zealand, Portugal, Andora and San Marino — announced on Tuesday they were also considering recognizing Palestinian statehood to advance the two-state solution. Their statement was made at a UN conference in New York co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia centered on Palestinian statehood and autonomy…The Netherlands announced on Tuesday it was banning far-right Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir from the country over their incendiary rhetoric on Gaza and the West Bank and their calls to annex the Gaza Strip…Several European countries have moved to recognize a Palestinian state since the Gaza war began, with Slovenia, Spain, the Republic of Ireland and Norway doing so in spring 2024. Iceland and Sweden did so in 2011 and 2014, respectively…On Monday, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said that if Israel does not allow immediate and unfettered access to humanitarian aid, his government would support suspending Israeli participation in the EU’s Horizon scientific research program.” See also How Gaza exasperation pushed three Israel allies towards recognising Palestinian state (Al Monitor 8/1/25); In Israel’s largest gas deal, Leviathan partners ink $35 billion export deal with Egypt (TOI 8/7/25);
Will the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund divest from Israel? (Magnus Fitz//+972 Magazine 8/8/25)
“On Tuesday, the Norwegian government announced that it would review its investments to make sure the Oil Fund is not supporting Israeli companies that are aiding the occupation or the war in Gaza. Set to be completed by Aug. 20, the review could be a major step on the road to divestment. But will the government follow through — and will it trigger more fundamental reforms in the Fund’s ethical investment practices?” See also Zadie Smith, Michael Rosen, Irvine Welsh and Jeanette Winterson sign letter calling for Israel boycott (The Guardian 8/7/25); UK’s Royal Ballet and Opera withdraws Tosca production in Tel Aviv (The Guardian 8/4/25); Leading global scholars sign letter urging UK to end Palestine Action ban (The Guardian 8/6/25); How a Pro-Palestinian Group Fell Foul of a Long Unused U.K. Terrorism Law (NYT 8/7/25)
Exclusive: How Karim Khan’s Israel war crimes probe was derailed by threats, leaks and sex claims (Middle East Eye 8/1/25)
“A major Middle East Eye investigation has uncovered extraordinary details of an intensifying intimidation campaign targeting the British chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court over his investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes. The campaign has involved threats and warnings directed at Karim Khan by prominent figures, close colleagues and family friends briefing against him, fears for the prosecutor’s safety prompted by a Mossad team in The Hague, and media leaks about sexual assault allegations. It has taken place against the backdrop of Khan’s efforts to build and pursue a case against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials over their conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza and accelerating Israeli settlement expansion and violence against Palestinians in the illegally occupied West Bank.” See also The Aftermath of Israel’s June Bombing of Beirut (Drop Site 8/6/25); Israel closes down or leaves unresolved 88% of cases of alleged war crimes or abuse – report (The Guardian 8/2/25);
RIVER TO THE SEA
Israel’s Netanyahu, army chief face off over possible Gaza City offensive (Al Monitor 8/6/25)
“The rift between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir is deepening as the government weighs expanding its military campaign in the Gaza Strip and a potential push to seize Gaza City…It is increasingly evident that Netanyahu and Zamir, who Netanyahu tapped for the position in February, disagree on the next steps in Gaza…During the three-hour meeting on Tuesday, Zamir opposed the full occupation of Gaza City. According to Israel’s public broadcaster Kan, Zamir warned that such plans could endanger the hostages still held by Hamas. “You’re going to create a trap in Gaza,” he reportedly told Netanyahu, cautioning against placing further strain on an already exhausted military force after 22 months of continuous fighting. In an apparent response to Zamir’s stance, Netanyahu’s office issued a statement Tuesday night reading that the military “is prepared to implement any decision made by the security cabinet.”…The military does not post the numbers, but according to Calcalist, at the beginning of May, only 60-70% of reservists who received orders actually showed up. Most of those who did not presented reasons for their absence and did not officially refuse to serve.” See also Netanyahu’s Gaza Takeover Plan Puts Israel Firmly on the Road to Perpetual War (Amos Harel//Haaretz 8/8/25); Netanyahu Attacks His Top General as He Runs Out of Scapegoats for Gaza Failure (Haaretz 8/5/25); Israeli Security Cabinet Approves Netanyahu’s Gaza Takeover Plan, Ignoring IDF Warnings (Haaretz 8/7/25)
‘We are on the precipice of defeat’: Former IDF chiefs of staff, intel chiefs demand end to Gaza war (TOI 8/5/25)
“More than a dozen former senior security officials put out a joint video with a call to end the war in Gaza, arguing that Israel has racked up more losses than victories, and that the fighting has dragged on for political reasons rather than being based on strategic military decisions. Among the 19 retired IDF chiefs of staff, intelligence chiefs, Shin Bet and Mossad directors and police commissioners are former IDF chief of staff and prime minister Ehud Barak, former chiefs of staff Moshe Ya’alon and Dan Halutz, and ex-Shin Bet director Yoram Cohen.” See also Netanyahu confirms intent to occupy all of Gaza, against advice of his military (JTA 8/7/25); Over 600 former Israeli security officials call on Trump to end Gaza war (Al Monitor 8/4/25)
Slain Palestinian activist involved with Oscar-winning film laid to rest (WaPo 8/7/25)
“Awdah al-Hathaleen devoted his life to defending his small Bedouin village from intensifying threats by Israeli settlers and officials. A prominent Palestinian activist and teacher with a gentle spirit, a sense of humor and a seemingly boundless capacity for optimism, he welcomed hundreds of Israeli activists and international visitors to Umm al-Kheir over the years. He contributed footage to the Oscar-winning 2024 documentary “No Other Land,” which introduced the cluster of West Bank villages known as Masafer Yatta and their struggle to survive to global audiences. Hathaleen, 31, was shot dead by an Israeli settler on the village playground last week. Hathaleen’s funeral on Thursday morning drew hundreds under a scorching sun. Israeli authorities had held Hathaleen’s body for 10 days and tried to force his family to bury him in the dead of night with few witnesses, according to Israeli activist Oneg Ben Dror, who has served as an unofficial spokeswoman for the family. The Israel Defense Forces, which was responsible for releasing the body, did not respond to written questions for this article. Hathaleen’s widow, Hanady, challenged the state at the Israeli Supreme Court. Left-wing Israeli activists beat drums and called for “justice for Awdah!” outside the high court Wednesday. Solidarity protests demanding the restitution of Hathaleen’s body were organized in Tel Aviv, Brooklyn and Cambridge, England…Early Thursday, authorities released the body and agreed that the villagers could hold a proper burial. The army surrounded the area and set up checkpoints.” See also PHOTOS: Awdah Hathaleen laid to rest after Israel withheld body for 10 days (Oren Ziv//+972 8/7/25)
Israel is holding Awdah Hathaleen’s body. His killer roams freely through his village (Sahar Vardi and Basel Adra//+972 Magazine 8/5/25)
“Yesterday, just a week after fatally shooting Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen, Israeli settler Yinon Levi was back at the scene of the crime, in the Palestinian village of Umm Al-Khair in the occupied West Bank. Levi was calmly directing his earthworks crew on the same private Palestinian land where he had pulled the trigger. It was as if nothing had happened…“The killer came and stood right next to our homes to oversee the continuation of the work [that was happening when he shot Awdah],” said Tariq Hathaleen, Awdah’s cousin. “It makes me feel nauseous. This is the height of oppression, something we’ve never experienced before. “If Yinon had killed a dog, he would’ve faced harsher consequences,” he added…On July 31, some 60 women of the village — ranging in age from 13 to 81 — announced a hunger strike to try to force Israeli authorities return Hathaleen’s body; the Israeli Supreme Court is also hearing a petition from the family this week…“Since the killing, they have only compounded our pain,” said Hanady Hathaleen, Hathaleen’s wife. “We will not end our strike until the body is released and we can hold a proper funeral worthy of Awdah.”’ See also American Nurse who tried to save “No Other Land” activist was detained and deported by Israel (The Intercept 8/1/25)
From Sakhnin to Ramallah, a new wave of Palestinian popular struggle takes root (Awad Abdelfattah//+972 Magazine 8/6/25)
“In recent weeks, Palestinian grassroots mobilization has gathered remarkable momentum, particularly within the 1948 territories and the occupied West Bank. This surge reflects a growing effort to reconnect with a reinvigorated wave of global solidarity that has persisted, and even expanded, despite severe crackdowns on pro-Palestinian movements across the United States and much of Europe…Palestinian protesters and their allies are closely tracking shifts in the region’s geopolitical balance of power. With Washington’s unwavering backing, Israel now acts with near-total impunity across the territory of the so-called Iranian-led “Axis of Resistance.”…with the balance of power tilted heavily toward Israel, many Palestinian activists are turning inward — toward grassroots popular resistance — in the absence of any external military force capable of reining in Israeli aggression.” See also Israeli Settlers Torch Palestinian Farmhouse, Tag Walls With ‘Revenge’ and ‘Price Tag’ (Haaretz 8/4/25); Palestinian man shot dead by settlers in West Bank, Health Ministry says (Haaretz 8/2/25); Hundreds of artists sign petition demanding Israel end ‘horrific’ Gaza war (TOI 8/3/25); Israelis Are Starting to Talk About Famine in Gaza (New Yorker 8/5/25); ‘Stop the Destruction’: 300 Israeli Architects and Planners Sign Gaza Petition (Haaretz 8/7/25);
Israel’s Ben-Gvir says he prayed at Al Aqsa mosque compound (Al Monitor 8/3/25)
“Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Sunday and said he prayed there, challenging rules covering one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East. Under a delicate decades-old “status quo” arrangement with Muslim authorities, the Al-Aqsa compound is administered by a Jordanian religious foundation and Jews can visit but may not pray there…The Waqf, the foundation that administers the complex, said Ben-Gvir was among another 1,250 who ascended the site and who it said prayed, shouted and danced.” See also Israeli Minister Smotrich Pictured Beside ‘Death to Arabs’ Graffiti During West Bank Visit (Haaretz 8/7/25); Israel bans Jerusalem grand mufti from Al-Aqsa: What to know (Al Monitor 8/6/25)
U.S. SCENE
The Week the World Woke Up to the Genocide in Gaza (Jonah Valdez//The Intercept 8/6/25)
“After 22 months of Israel’s war on Palestinians in Gaza, something changed in the last week. Israeli human rights groups and scholars for the first time called the bombardment and siege of the Palestinian territory a genocide. The governments of France, the United Kingdom, and Canada have all signaled they are prepared to join the vast majority of the world’s nations in recognizing Palestinian statehood. A majority of Senate Democrats voted last week in favor of blocking the U.S. from selling weapons to Israel, an historic first. Even the right-wing lawmaker Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., now calls Israel’s actions a genocide, the first Republican lawmaker to do so. A recent Gallup poll showed that just 32 percent of Americans approve of Israel’s military action in Gaza: a new low. The majority of Americans — 60 percent — disapprove of the offensive, and, for the first time, a majority said they disapprove of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Such shifting attitudes were most prominent among younger Americans. These recent swings have yet to materialize into policies that exert actual pressure on Israel and save Palestinian lives.” See also More than 40 arrested at protest against Gaza war at Trump hotel in New York (The Guardian 8/4/25); Dozens arrested as U.S. Jews ramp up protests against Gaza starvation (Haaretz 8/1/25); 13 House Democrats to call on Trump to recognize a Palestinian state (WaPo 8/5/25); More American Voters Than Not Say Israel Is Committing Genocide in Gaza (Zeteo 8/7/25); J Street head says he was ‘persuaded’ by arguments that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza (JTA 8/4/25); Major Diaspora philanthropists call on Netanyahu to end war and aid Gaza, in mass open letter (JTA 8/6/25); Amid budget deficit, Miami activists again call for divestment of Israeli bonds (Axios 8/5/25); Zohran Mamdani Holds Lead Among Jewish Voters for New York Mayor, New Polls Show (Haaretz 8/7/25); Many Jewish Voters Back Mamdani. And Many Agree With Him on Gaza. (NYT 8/4/25);
U.S. House Speaker Says West Bank ‘Rightful Property of the Jewish People’ at Settler Conference (Haaretz 8/4/25);
“Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson visited the West Bank settlement of Ariel, in a highly unusual move from one of America’s most powerful elected officials. Johnson has long been an ally of the Israeli right, using his perch as House speaker to lend support to efforts bolstering right-wing positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (both in America and Israel)…During his trip to Ariel, he was formally welcomed by the Yesha Council (an umbrella council of Israeli settlements in the West Bank) and the U.S.-Israel Education Association, a pro-settlement advocacy group that opposes Palestinian statehood that has relied on Congressional delegations to eventually influence State Department policy.” See also US Speaker Mike Johnson dines with Netanyahu in West Bank settlement of Shiloh (TOI 8/5/25); Speaker Johnson visits Israeli settlement in occupied West Bank (Axios 8/4/25); US reverses pledge to link disaster funds to Israel boycott stance (Reuters 8/5/25); Speaker Mike Johnson visits occupied West Bank to support Israeli settlers (The Guardian 8/4/25); Israel broadcasts Hamas’ video of hostage Evyatar David in Times Square (JTA 8/5/25); Pro-Israel groups post strong fundraising figures in first half of 2025 (JI 8/5/25);
Trump administration freezes $584m in grants for ‘life-saving research’ at UCLA (The Guardian 8/6/25)
“In a sweeping escalation of its attacks on institutions of higher education, the Trump administration has suspended $584m in federal funding for the University of California, Los Angeles – nearly double the amount that was previously expected, the school’s chancellor announced on Wednesday. UCLA is the first public university whose federal grants have been targeted by the administration over allegations of civil rights violations related to antisemitism and affirmative action. It represents an expansion of the administration’s months-long campaign targeting largely private, Ivy League colleges…The Trump administration recently accused UCLA of violating the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 “by acting with deliberate indifference in creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students”. The announcement came as UCLA reached a $6m settlement with three Jewish students and a Jewish professor who sued the university, arguing it violated their civil rights by allowing pro-Palestinian protesters in 2024 to block their access to classes and other areas on campus.” See also Prosecutors announce hate crimes charges against D.C. museum shooter (JI 8/7/25);
PERSPECTIVES//LONG READS
Is Genocide Happening in Gaza? (Melanie O’Brien, President of the International Association of Genocide Scholars//OpinioJuris 8/4/25)
“While asking the ‘genocide question’ is important, it is also crucial to remember that myriad war crimes are being committed on an almost daily basis in this conflict, with conduct potentially amounting to war crimes including wilful killing; hostage-taking; sexual violence; indiscriminate bombing; attacks on civilians and civilian objects; starvation as a method of warfare; obstructing rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need; attacks on hospitals, healthcare facilities, healthcare vehicles and medical/healthcare workers; perfidy; attacks on persons hors de combat; attacks on peacekeepers and peacekeeping installations; attacks on UN and other humanitarian workers; torture and inhumane treatment; and more. Many of these acts and other acts also amount to crimes against humanity, including murder; imprisonment or other severe deprivation of liberty; sexual and reproductive violence; persecution; other inhumane acts; persecution; torture; and deportation or forcible transfer of population…As genocide scholars know, genocide is a process, not an event. While this post will focus on conduct since 7 October 2023, the genocide process did not begin on 8 October 2023. It was prefaced by decades of human rights abuses against the Palestinian people; extensive violations of international law involving discrimination, persecution, apartheid and more, some aspects of which have been clearly delineated by legal bodies as violations of international law. It is the decades of discrimination and persecution, creating a system of dehumanisation, that has permitted the escalation of destructive conduct against Palestinians since 7 October 2023…In its Provisional Measures orders in the South Africa v Israel case, the ICJ warned of a serious risk of genocide that put state parties to the Genocide Convention (including Israel) on notice that they had a duty already then in early 2024 to prevent genocide in Gaza. Whatever the exact moment was of ‘crystallisation’ of these crimes as genocide, it is without a doubt that we are witnessing a genocide now in Gaza, and state parties to the Genocide Convention are failing in their obligation to prevent and punish genocide.”
As an Israeli political scientist, I resisted thinking this war was a genocide. Here’s what changed my mind (Lihi Ben Shitrit//The Forward 8/2/25)
“For example, Israeli historian and genocide scholar Raz Segal published an article in Jewish Currents on Oct. 13, 2023 titled “A Textbook Case of Genocide.” Israel had just begun its retaliatory strikes on Gaza (which at that point had killed more than 1,800 people), and the quick jump to the assertion of genocide, which Segal was not the only one to make, seemed startling. I was taken aback by Segal’s certitude. How could he have gathered the data and performed the necessary rigorous analysis so quickly? I felt he was being alarmist and irresponsible as a scholar, jumping to a conclusion before there was clear evidence. Nearly two years later, I understand that Segal was primarily talking about Israeli leaders’ public incitement for war crimes that was “quite explicit, open, and unashamed” from day one. His article was a warning about the murderous destination that dehumanization and violent rhetoric lead to. The difference between me and Segal was that I thought the threats barked by Israeli politicians and generals were the macho bluster of panicked leaders responsible for the worst security failure in Israeli history. I didn’t believe they intended to do what they said they were going to do. He, however, believed them. I realize now, as the international community has failed to stop the total destruction of Gaza, that the speed of his and others’ prompt pronouncements was not irresponsible, knee-jerk scholarship. If anything, when it comes to the threat of genocide, being alarmist is precisely what is needed.” See also Israeli Liberals Grapple With the G-Word (Ori Goldberg//New Lines Magazine 8/1/25)
My sweet friend Awdah Hathaleen was murdered by a West Bank settler. May his memory be a revolution (Emily Glick//The Guardian 8/8/25)
“I learned quickly that Awdah was known across the region for the unique way he built relationships. He was adamant that truly everyone was welcome in Umm al-Khair: diplomats, activists, journalists and friends. He spent uncountable days with them, giving tours and telling heartbreaking stories about his life under Israeli occupation and his unrelenting commitment to fighting for a better world for his three small children. He took these connections seriously. If you came to Umm al-Khair as a guest, Awdah expected you to stay – for tea, then dinner, then the night. And when you finally left, he’d ask with a sly smile: “But my friend, when are you coming back?” I knew these relationships were also strategic – Awdah wanted people around the world to join him in fighting for Umm al-Khair. The village, with only a few hundred residents, is surrounded on three sides by the illegal settlement of Carmel, and every built structure in it is under threat of demolition. With so few resources and limited means to resist the constant pressures of military control, settler violence and threats of displacement, Awdah believed that international attention could help fortify the villagers’ struggle to remain on the land. “Oftentimes, we want to just leave and let the pain go,” he once wrote. “But we know we have to stand in the trauma in the hopes that the story we share will change the minds of those who support the Israeli occupation.”…On Monday, I stood in the streets of Manhattan, taking pictures as thousands protested against Israel’s violence against the Palestinians, many holding signs that read “Justice for Awdah”. I can only hope the horror of his murder strengthens a collective demand for justice – not only for Awdah, but for all Palestinians living under apartheid, occupation and forced dispossession. May we carry his legacy forward not only by fighting for the destination – freedom, safety, dignity – but by insisting on the path he modeled: one built through relationships, solidarity and love.”