In recent days the Israeli govt has taken MASSIVE steps to consolidate/expand Israeli hegemony over East Jerusalem & the West Bank (in parallel to devastating attacks on Gaza) - gathering key news here in a quick 🧵: 25 Jun 2024 (public 3 July 24): Israel expropriated 12,700 dunams (3138 acres) in West Bank (Jordan Valley) in largest land seizure (theft) since Oslo. Since beginning of 2024, Israel has expropriated 23,700 dunams (5856 acres) of the West Bank.

Details: peacenow.org.il/en/state-land-…

A Jewish woman (who isn’t a big supporter of Israel) was elected president of Mexico. So the Forward investigates her & publishes a piece both impugning her credibility (despite facts reflecting a deeply Jewish story of survival) & feeding into antisemitic attacks on her.

Article:

forward.com/news/622618/me…

Re: cries of “ANTISEMITISM!” over report on pro-Israel billionaires weighing in against protesters for Palestinian rights/lives, here’s a reminder 🧵that not long ago, using political/financial muscle to quash protest was something people involved were fine having in the news. Ynet (Israel) 11/25/23: Shaming and pressuring donors: Israel's strategy against antisemitism on US campuses — ynetnews.com/article/rk5ppr…

For folks tracking this sort of thing, anti-ICC legislation was intro'd in the House 5/7/24 (in anticipation of possible ICC action against Israel) -- currently has 23 cosponsors, all Republicans. congress.gov/bill/118th-con…

Watching Congress & others escalate the targeting of any/all support for Palestinian lives/rights, I want to draw attention to the growing shift/escalation of language, evoking not merely the McCarthy-era trends in play, but also the 1917-1920 Red Scare. 1/ Key elements of McCarthyism & the 1917-1920 Red Scare were accusations that targeted Americans held "un-American" or "anti-American" beliefs & that their activism was inspired/driven/in support of nefarious anti-American foreign interests/actors. 2/

The new comic by @elivalley brilliantly summarizes where things are today - a parable in 6 panels :

Congress nerd weighing in again 😁. This week House Speaker Johnson announced a multi-committee effort targeting “antisemitism” (focused on criticism/protest of Israel). This thread explores bills (not incl resolutions) already intro’d that might figure into this initiative.

1/ First off, here’s Johnson’s press release:



2/mikejohnson.house.gov/news/documents…

ICYMI, the ACLU is weighing in opposing the House bill (to be voted in imminently) to legislate the IHRA definition of antisemitism (the Antisemitism Awareness Act - HR 6090). This is consistent with the ACLU's position since this effort first started back in 2016.

1/ Per the ACLU's 4/26/24 letter to Congress, legislating this definition "would lead to more censorship on campus, and change the nature of universities, which exist to promote the free flow of information and marketplace of ideas..."

Another heads up! As the House gets set to pass legislation that would codify/endorse the IHRA definition of antisemitism on US campuses, 2 members of Congress who back that bill have helpfully given us a hint at the future they they envision

1/ Reminder: the SOLE PURPOSE of codifying the IHRA definition is to legally enforce the conflation of criticism/protest of Israel/Zionism with antisemitism, so as to delegitimize/punish/quash/chill ideas/criticism/protest that doesn’t align with unconditional support for Israel.
2/

Hi all. Nerdy policy wonk who follows Congress closely weighing in with a thread on legislation (getting no media coverage) moving rapidly through Congress that targets US non-profit orgs, with the immediate & explicit target being orgs involved in Palestine protesting.

1/ I'm talking here about a bipartisan legislation the House passed last week (382-11) & that was intro'd last week in the Senate -- HR 6408 & S. 1436.

2/


congress.gov/bill/118th-con…
congress.gov/bill/118th-con…

I’m getting lots of journalists asking me about this story and this quote:

“The Biden administration made clear to the Palestinians that current U.S. law compels the administration to veto such a resolution or defund the UN, a U.S. official said."

Here are the facts:
1/

https://twitter.com/barakravid/status/1780945359021252775

Fact 2: There is no US law compelling the Admin to veto such a resolution.

2/

Rosen (D-NV) et al have intro'd new far-reaching legislation on antisemitism...at the center of which is of course the IHRA definition & the conflation of antisemitism w/ criticism of Israel &/or Zionism. A quick breakdown of IHRA-related elements in this bipartisan bill.

1/ (A) It includes an overarching Sense of Congress that the IHRA definition "should be utilized by Federal, State, and 20 local agencies" -- in direct contradiction to Biden Admin's non-centering/endorsing of the IHRA definition of antisemitism as part of its antisemitism strategy

Full article: Antisemitism and Zionism: The Internal Operations of the IHRA Definition - indispensable, timely research/analysis from Neve Gordon tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10… “The analysis reveals that the IHRA definition of antisemitism serves as a counterinsurgency tool aimed at shielding Israel from resistance to its oppressive form of racial governance and, following its recent war on Gaza, from accusations of genocidal violence.”

The ban on US $$ to UNRWA until March 25 is a NOT what the Israeli FM glibly pretends it is. However you feel about UNRWA, facts matter. Here are key facts about the aid ban to UNRWA (beyond the overarching fact that it is unconscionable & a moral obscenity):
1/

https://twitter.com/israel_katz/status/1771606813403721734

2/

The latest round of manufactured outrage & hate being directed at @FranceskAlbs is just beyond the pale. Those of us who know & have worked with her cannot be silent.

1/ As a foreign policy professional - and yes, as Jew - who knows @FranceskAlbs & has had the honor to work with her: I have nothing but respect & appreciation for her expertise, integrity, and humanity.

2/

The Senate today passed a huge emergency supplemental aid bill. Here's a quick 🧵 reminding folks what's in it for Israel (& what's NOT in it for Palestinians:

1/ DOD funding/programs: The bill provides $10.6 billion in Department of Defense funding for Israel, of which $801.400 million is for ammunition; $5.2 billion is for Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Iron Beam; and the balance is included in various Israel/Ukraine joint line items

2/

A quick thread summing up key Israel/Palestine elements in the bipartisan Senate supplemental. I’ll do Israel first, followed by Palestinians. Text is here if you want to follow along:



1/appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/… Total funding in the bill for Israel: $14.1 billion

This is comprised of $10.6 billion in DOD assistance & $3.5 billion in foreign military financing (cash).

2/

FWIW, every week more members of Congress are finding the backbone to express increasing concern for Palestinian rights, Israeli actions, etc. It's not getting much press coverage so here's a 🧵 rounding up just the letters members have been sending (starting with most recent): 12/18/23: Reps. Crow, Sherrill, Houlahan, Moulton, Spanberger, Slotkin Send Letter to President Biden Urging a Shift in Israeli Military Strategy

crow.house.gov/media/press-re…

Great thread below from @seth_binder on some of the notable things in the supplemental. For the details-obsessed types, I'm going to add to it here with details of all Israel/Mideast-related funding in the bill.

A complementary 🧵

https://twitter.com/seth_binder/status/1732410632417554836

@seth_binder The bill provides up to $4.4 billion for Israel under DOD 'Operation & Maintenance', 'Procurement', & 'Revolving & Management Funds' for "replacement, through new procurement or repair of existing unserviceable equipment, of defense articles from the stocks of the" DOD...

1/

Think it's an exaggeration to talk about "McCarthyism" with respect to efforts to shut down criticism of Israel? I give you: HR 6578, intro'd 12/5, a bipartisan bill to create equivalent of the House Un-American Activities Committee - but this time targeting critics of Israel. see:
Bill text:
press release: congress.gov/bill/118th-con…
millermeeks.house.gov/sites/evo-subs…
millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-re…

As people contemplate the broader implications of the US/Europe giving israel carte blanche to massacre Palestinian civilians in Gaza, note that Israel’s justification - endorsed fully by the US/Europe - is based on a complete overturning of the most basic law of war.

1/ The US (admin & Congress) & Europe have 100% bought Israel’s argument that Hamas bears full responsibility for every civilian Israel kills/injures, for every bit of civilian infrastructure it destroys.

2/