US Jews Are Increasingly Breaking With Israel to Support Palestinian Liberation, Truthout
Jay Saper and Noah Habeeb write, “In April, liberal Zionist groups like J Street and T’ruah took the unprecedented action of supporting Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum’s bill to condition U.S. funding to Israel. In May, J Street held a national conference that included much conversation about the topic. As Mari Cohen reported, ‘While there was no audience to applaud, the conference’s virtual chat lit up with approval. “We love aid restrictions!” wrote one attendee.’ While there is still a considerable distance between groups like J Street, which oppose the Palestinian-led call for Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS), and Jewish Voice for Peace, which both embraces BDS and supports the Palestinian right to return, Jewish organizations across a wide spectrum are increasingly speaking out against Israeli human rights violations.”
Israel on Edge as Politicians Wrangle Over Coalition to Oust Netanyahu, New York Times
Israel’s political class was locked in frenzied horse trading on Monday, as opposition politicians struggled to strike a coalition deal to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who in turn was waging a last-ditch effort to cling to power. The bartering put a spotlight on the fragmentation of the Israeli political system, in which the short-term fate of the Israeli state — nearly paralyzed after four elections in two years, unsettled by a recent war and civil unrest, bruised by the pandemic and constrained by the lack of a state budget — was in the hands of a panoply of small political parties haggling over control of minor government offices like the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Supporters of a tougher line on Israel split over tactics and message, Washington Post
The Democrats and activists who successfully pressured party leaders to be tougher on Israel during its recent conflict with Hamas are now fracturing over how to move forward, with sharp disagreements over demands and tone that could threaten their ability to keep shaping the debate. Some favor restricting aid to Israel or blocking arms sales, while others favor more controversial steps such as boycotts and sanctions. Many embrace a two-state solution, with Israel and Palestinian territories as separate countries, but the sole Palestinian American in Congress is partial to a single state.
‘We Know Occupation’: The Long History of Black Americans’ Solidarity with Palestinians, Politico
The violence that erupted in Israel and Palestine this spring has activated a powerful sense of solidarity among many African-Americans. Well-known Black public figures, from Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving to actress Viola Davis, have been outspoken in support of Palestinians. Black Lives Matter activists have played an active role organizing and promoting pro-Palestinian protests all over the country. A Black Lives Matter organizer in New Jersey summarized the movement’s sentiments by saying, “we know occupation, we know colonization, we know police brutality.”
Israel’s Netanyahu fights to block opposition parties from taking power, Washington Post
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies worked furiously Monday to keep opposition parties from forming a government that would displace him from Israel’s top political job for the first time in more than 12 years. Netanyahu backers slammed right-wing parties planning to join the broad-based coalition as “traitors,” picketed their homes and issued threats that led police to provide additional security to at least two of the targeted politicians.
Senior figures attack ‘obstruction’ of ICC’s Palestine investigation, The Guardian
More than 50 former foreign ministers, prime ministers and senior international officials, including two British Conservative former ministers, have signed an open letter condemning political interference in efforts by the international criminal court (ICC) to investigate alleged war crimes in Palestine. The letter follows moves by the Trump administration to sanction court officials – orders that have since been reversed by the Biden administration – and is also seen as a rebuke of Boris Johnson, the British prime minister.
In Israeli city of Lod competing Jewish, Arab narratives burst into open, NBC News
As Israel traded fire with militants in the Gaza Strip, rival Jewish and Arab mobs battled each other in the streets of Lod for just over a week. […] While the streets now are largely quiet, the police and local residents said some isolated incidents are still happening. Residents of this mixed city of 80,000, which is tucked behind Ben Gurion Airport, are still reeling after years of underlying mistrust metastasized into outright violence. The strife speaks to bigger forces swirling over Israel as it tries to reconcile competing identities and versions of history.
An Israeli Death and the Tangled Conflict Left Behind, New York Times
Four holes in the wooden door to his tiny apartment mark where shrapnel from a Hamas rocket penetrated the home of Gershon Franco, 56, and killed him. It was the early afternoon of May 15, a Saturday, the Sabbath in this bustling town just east of Tel Aviv.
A Look At Naftali Bennett, The Man Poised To End Netanyahu’s Rule, NPR
Naftali Bennett is poised to end Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12-year run as Israel’s prime minister. The hardline conservative and former settler leader once vowed that Palestinians would never have a state.
Israel, Egypt talk truce with Hamas, rebuilding Gaza Strip, AP
Egypt and Israel held high-level talks in both countries Sunday to shore up a fragile truce between Israel and the Hamas militant group and rebuild the Gaza Strip after a punishing 11-day war that left parts of the seaside enclave in ruins. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukry received his Israeli counterpart, Gabi Ashkenazi, in Cairo. The meeting is part of an effort to build on an Israel-Hamas cease-fire reached May 21 and to revive Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, which have been dormant for more than a decade, Shukry’s office said. Egypt has not said how it would be able to restart talks.
Israel Is Worried About These Two Senior Democrats – and Not Because They’re pro-Palestinian, Haaretz
Israel’s political class was locked in frenzied horse trading on Monday, as opposition politicians struggled to strike a coalition deal to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who in turn was waging a last-ditch effort to cling to power. The bartering put a spotlight on the fragmentation of the Israeli political system, in which the short-term fate of the Israeli state — nearly paralyzed after four elections in two years, unsettled by a recent war and civil unrest, bruised by the pandemic and constrained by the lack of a state budget — was in the hands of a panoply of small political parties haggling over control of minor government offices like the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
AP Photos: Shattered rooms show Gaza war’s toll on children, AP
The latest Gaza war is over, but its wreckage still litters the purple bedroom of 9-year-old Shrouq al-Masri and her 4-year-old sister, Razan. Their toys are coated with gray dust, the ceiling is bent and buckled, and the cracks in the walls slice through the cartoons that decorated them.
Instagram to Change Stories Algorithm After Staff Raised Concerns About Reach of Pro-Palestinian Content, Gizmodo
Instagram is making a change to its algorithm after employees raised concerns over the reach of pro-Palestinian content in light of the recent deadly confrontation between Israel and Palestine. A Financial Times report published on Sunday states that the change will affect original and reposted content in Instagram’s Stories section, which is displayed at the top of the app.
From Judicial Appointments to Settlement Roads: The Obstacles Awaiting Israel’s New Government, Haaretz
Israel’s new government, led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, will be forced to deal with a long list of internal disagreements stemming from the very different ideologies of the parties making up the coalition. That is, if they are ever actually sworn in. There have been attempts to avoid addressing these disagreements – for example, the freeze on private legislation or the submission of bills only with broad agreement – but for government ministries there are a number of disputed issues, which the new government will be unable to ignore.
Palestinians happy to see Netanyahu go, but fear more of the same in Bennett, Times of Israel
Two senior Palestinian politicians were skeptical that an Israeli government led by Yamina chief Naftali Bennett would change Palestinian reality for the better in phone calls with The Times of Israel on Monday. On Monday afternoon, several key members of the opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced their commitment to forming a government without him. Many Palestinians dislike Netanyahu, viewing his 12-year tenure as years that saw their national cause reach a historic nadir. But Bennett, his immediate potential replacement, is a champion of West Bank settlements widely viewed as even more unlikely to be open to any concessions with the Palestinians.
Israel will remain Netanyahu’s even if he is no longer prime minister, CNN
Anshel Pfeffer writes, “Bennett announced that he would be forming a national-unity government with Yair Lapid, the leader of the centrist Yesh Atid opposition party. The parties opposed to Netanyahu not only have a majority in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, but they are now actually working together. This may spell the end of Netanyahu’s long period in power — 12 years since he returned to office in 2009, 15 years in total. But it would be premature to pronounce the end of Israel’s Netanyahu Era.”
Israeli Religious Extremists Are Driving Jewish-Arab Street Violence, Foreign Policy
Rami Younis writes, “During recent unrest in Israel-Palestine, one city was in all the headlines—especially in Israeli media. That city was Lyd (or Lod in Hebrew)—a city that used to be Palestinian before 1948, and nowadays is called a ‘mixed city’ by the Israeli establishment as it is home to both Jews and Arabs. ‘Binational cities’ is another phrase that could accurately describe these complex places.”
The End of the Netanyahu Era?, New York Magazine
Jonah Schepp writes, “Netanyahu has desperately clung to power these past two years, through election after inconclusive election, partly as a way to dodge his legal troubles. But he also exemplifies the paranoid authoritarianism of a man who has been in power for too long; he really seems to believe that he alone can lead Israel. Perhaps he should take some comfort in knowing that he won the long game, fundamentally reshaping the country in his image. Whatever the post-Netanyahu era ends up looking like, there is simply no going back to the way things were before.”
How can the US help improve the lives of Israelis, Palestinians?, Jerusalem Post
Fmr. Congressman Robert Wexler writes, “While a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement may not be within reach under present circumstances, there is much that can be done now to improve the lives of Israelis and Palestinians, advance rights and narrow the conflict. Building a political horizon and popular support for peacemaking, however, will require a different, but still a central US leadership role focused on inclusiveness.”
We Israelis spend our entire lives seeing Palestinians only as threats, +972 Magazine
Yael Lotan writes, “Even as our army obliterates entire families in Gaza, Israelis continue to sweep Palestinian humanity under a rug of unconvincing security justifications.”