The latest edition of the Cutting Through newsletter is out. In this edition I take a deep dive into the latest attacks on Ilhan Omar and the the way it has distracted from the much more important issue of Antony Blinken’s contemptible and dishonest response to her question at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing. . You can sign up for the newsletter by clicking here and please tell your…
While the ever crafty Benjamin Netanyahu can never be counted out until he’s really out, it is looking more and more like his long-time reign over Israel is about to end. Considering that Netanyahu is not now and has never been a particularly popular figure in Israel and has not had much of a vision for the country’s direction, it’s remarkable that he will leave as Israel’s longest-serving prime minister…
I am proud to announce that I am one of over 300 Jewish leaders who came together to make it absolutely clear that we stand strong against antisemitism, and that we will not allow it to distract us from our work supporting Palestinians rights. Some of the signatories include Ady Barkan, Lara Friedman, Ariel Gold, Dove Kent, Hadar Susskind, Mik Moore, Ayelet Waldman, Michael Chabon, Dave Zirin, Eric Levitz, Kate…
There will be no policy changes from this new Israeli government regarding the Palestinians or Iran. But for the Biden administration and activists in the US, there will be some new twists. Joe Biden will have every excuse he needs to avoid pressing Israel for concessions because the new coalition is so fragile and he knows that those who will press him on this will not want to see Netanyahu…
The ceasefire in Gaza and Israel is holding, albeit tenuously, right now. Meanwhile, it is hardly a time of peace, as Israel has already stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque compound twice, has clamped down on Sheikh Jarrah again, and is arresting waves of its own Palestinian citizens. That’s what the U.S. media calls “quiet” or a “lull.” But while it may seem to some that the latest round of escalated violence…
Just before I started writing this, reports came in that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas had been reached. I hope by the time you read this it is still holding. In any case, over the past two weeks I’ve watched many discussions and debates about Israel’s latest assault on the Gaza Strip. Some have been familiar, others have taken on some new tones and nuances that, I think, reflect…
