WashingtonReportOnMiddleEastAffairs

As'ad AbuKhalil is a professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. He is the author of Historical Dictionary of Lebanon (1998), Bin Laden, Islam, and America's New 'War on Terrorism' (2002) and The Battle for Saudi Arabia: Royalty, Fundamentalism, and Global Power (2003). The Israel lobby and U.S. mainstream media both hail the recent "normalization" between Israel, the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan as major accomplishments. Not so, says Professor AbuKhalil. Sudan, "long a battleground for Cold War intrigues," agreed to recognize Israel in return for Washington lifting debilitating sanctions. Key regional powers, such as Saudi Arabia with its 2002 peace plan, long demanded that Israel withdraw from Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem in return for full normalization. Now that the Kushner "deal of the century" has failed, the "alternative was a quick scheme to bolster the sagging fortunes of the Trump" administration with "normalization." The real architect of normalization, AbulKhalil argues, was none other than Binyamin Netanyahu. But what about public opinion in Arab countries? Does it favor normalization before justice for Palestinians? Will a Biden administration continue the policy of coerced normalization? Would the promised "economic relief" to Arab countries signing recognition deals with Israel ever arrive? Will burgeoning U.S. arms shipments pave the way for a new arms race in the region? ********************************************************************** https://consortiumnews.com/2020/10/26/the-angry-arab-the-us-just-blackmailed-sudan/ THE ANGRY ARAB: The US Just Blackmailed Sudan Washington has proven that it is willing to make people suffer, and even starve, if governments don’t acquiesce to normalization with Israel, writes As`ad AbuKhalil. ********************************************************************** Subscribe to this YouTube channel for future EXTRA! webinars. Email your questions for the speaker to: IsraelLobbyExtra2020@gmail.com Visit https://www.wrmea.com to subscribe or get a sample copy of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Buy books at Middle East Books and More: https://www.middleeastbooks.com Sign up for EXTRA! and other announcements via email from WRMEA at https://tinyurl.com/WRMEAemail And/or IRmep at https://tinyurl.com/IRmepemail

Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, an organizer for Jewish Voice for Peace, on younger Jewish voters pushing against the establishment Israel lobby. Rabbi Lynn describes Jewish Zionism as a failing ideology for many younger American Jews who reject Israel’s oppressive occupation policies and bellicose actions toward Iran, as well as the relationship between U.S. and Israeli militarism. But how will this impact their future as activists in electoral politics? Will they remain mostly captive to the Democratic Party, voicing opposition while accepting candidates captured and mentored by AIPAC? Allan C. Brownfeld, American Council for Judaism, discusses the growing disillusionment of American Jews, and some Israelis, with the Jewish state and Zionism. Young American Jews who champion civil rights at home, including the right to vote, freedom of movement, due process and equality, realize that Israel is denying those same basic rights to Palestinians. Peter Beinart, Seth Rogen, Marc Maron and other Jewish Americans who are urging Israel to dismantle its apartheid policies face bitter attacks from the Israel lobby and Jewish Establishment organizations, charging they’ve “crossed a line.” Brownfeld will offer some suggestions about how progressive Jewish voters can influence both the Democratic and Republican parties. Visit https://www.wrmea.com to subscribe or get a sample copy of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Register for our next EXTRA! at Eventbrite! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/christia... Sign up for EXTRA! and other announcement via email from WRMEA https://tinyurl.com/WRMEAemail And/or IRmep https://tinyurl.com/IRmepemail

University of Massachusetts Professor Emeritus Sut Jhally explains how he became involved in the Israel Palestine issue. In the full video, at https://youtu.be/ym7M_FMvdQI Jhally shared select clips and discussed the key findings of his 2016 documentary, "The Occupation of the American Mind," which analyzes pro-Israel public relations efforts within the U.S. Jhally explored whether the news media have been getting better—or worse—since the documentary was produced, and whether election-season news coverage is likely to cover—or cover up—growing challenges to standard pro-Israel narratives and politics. You can watch "The Occupation of the American Mind" on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/dP0-YohJR-g "The Occupation of the American Mind," features leading observers of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and U.S. media, and explores how the pro-Israel lobby shapes American media coverage of the conflict in Israel's favor. The film provides a sweeping analysis of Israel’s decades-long battle for the hearts, minds, and tax dollars of the American people in the face of widening international condemnation of Israel's human rights violations and military occupation. Visit http://www.sutjhally.com/ to view Sut Jhally's lectures. Documentaries recommended by Sut Jhally in this session included: 1. Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land. https://youtu.be/YhtPBJM3suo 2. The Law in These Parts. http://www.pbs.org/pov/watch/thelawin... 3. Roadmap to Apartheid. https://www.amazon.com/Roadmap-Aparth... 4. The War Around Us. https://shop.mediaed.org/the-war-arou... To learn about and register for upcoming Extra! events or the March, 2021 conference at the National Press Club, go to https://IsraelLobbyCon.org

University of Massachusetts Professor Emeritus Sut Jhally explains how if his exposure of Israel propaganda didn't matter, the exposure would be ignored. In the full video, at https://youtu.be/ym7M_FMvdQI Jhally shared select clips and discussed the key findings of his 2016 documentary, "The Occupation of the American Mind," which analyzes pro-Israel public relations efforts within the U.S. Jhally explored whether the news media have been getting better—or worse—since the documentary was produced, and whether election-season news coverage is likely to cover—or cover up—growing challenges to standard pro-Israel narratives and politics. You can watch "The Occupation of the American Mind" on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/dP0-YohJR-g "The Occupation of the American Mind," features leading observers of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and U.S. media, and explores how the pro-Israel lobby shapes American media coverage of the conflict in Israel's favor. The film provides a sweeping analysis of Israel’s decades-long battle for the hearts, minds, and tax dollars of the American people in the face of widening international condemnation of Israel's human rights violations and military occupation. Visit http://www.sutjhally.com/ to view Sut Jhally's lectures. Documentaries recommended by Sut Jhally in this session included: 1. Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land. https://youtu.be/YhtPBJM3suo 2. The Law in These Parts. http://www.pbs.org/pov/watch/thelawin... 3. Roadmap to Apartheid. https://www.amazon.com/Roadmap-Aparth... 4. The War Around Us. https://shop.mediaed.org/the-war-arou... To learn about and register for upcoming Extra! events or the March, 2021 conference at the National Press Club, go to https://IsraelLobbyCon.org

American journalist Ali Abunimah is co-founder of the Electronic Intifada and author of "One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israel-Palestine Impasse'' and "The Battle for Justice in Palestine." He discussed post-election administration policy on key issues. Will the administration demand any pause to illegal Israeli settlements? Will Israel be successful in continuing to use the coercive power of the U.S. State Department and other key agencies to demand Arab nations establish formal ties with Israel? Will the drive to label human rights organizations as "anti-Semitic” prevail? Abunimah also discussed growing social media censorship of Palestinians and their allies. Facebook has repeatedly shut down the Gaza Health Ministry even as the COVID-19 pandemic began taking its toll. In addition, Facebook colludes with the Israeli occupation authorities—including appointing an Israeli government spokesperson to its "oversight board"—to shut down the accounts of dozens of Palestinian publications and journalists "on the Israeli-supplied pretext that criticism of Israel and its crimes against Palestinians constitute ‘incitement.’” Meanwhile, Facebook has given free reign to Israel lobby influence and disinformation campaigns across its platform. But Americans can successfully fight back. Abunimah discussed his own winning tactics and strategies for pushing back against censorship by American social media giants, and took questions from webinar attendees. ********************************************************************** Subscribe to this YouTube channel for future EXTRA! webinars. Post your questions for the speaker below in the comments section or email to: IsraelLobbyExtra2020@gmail.com Visit https://www.wrmea.com to subscribe or get a sample copy of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Buy Abunimah's books at Middle East Books and More: https://www.middleeastbooks.com Sign up for EXTRA! and other announcements via email from WRMEA at https://tinyurl.com/WRMEAemail And/or IRmep at https://tinyurl.com/IRmepemail

Grant F. Smith of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy (IRmep) explains the top lobbying priorities of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). This clip is from the webinar "Censorship, Entanglement & Corruption: The Israel Lobby 2021 Agenda," which can be viewed in its entirety here: youtu.be/Gw0E5E4-6sQ

Grant F. Smith is the author of seven books about the Israel lobby, and research director of IRmep. His most recent books are "Big Israel: How Israel's Lobby Moves America" (2016) and "The Israel Lobby Enters State Government: Rise of the Virginia Israel Advisory Board" (2019). Continuing an election year tradition, Smith presented his most recent research findings about Israel affinity organization legislative, executive agency and state government lobbying initiatives. He discussed in depth the trajectory, roles and relative importance of Jewish establishment lobbying (such as AIPAC and the Zionist Organization of America) vs. relatively more recent Christian Zionist lobbying. Smith also explored the Israel lobby's latest major program—importing and subsidizing Israeli companies to compete with domestic U.S. companies. As a case study, Smith gave an update on recent initiatives and the cloud of corruption enveloping the Virginia Israel Advisory Board, VIAB. ************************************************************************************* List of other resources mentioned by Smith in this video: Video "Settler Colonialism from America to Palestine" - Dr. Walter Hixson https://youtu.be/H38MYjCcX3U "Stealing the Atom Bomb: How Denial and Deception Armed Israel" by Dr. Roger Mattson https://www.middleeastbooks.com/products/stealing-the-atom-bomb?_pos=1&_sid=9fdfb6933&_ss=r "DIVERT! NUMEC, Zalman Shapiro, and the Diversion of US Weapons Grade Uranium Into the Israeli Nuclear Weapons Program" by Grant F. Smith https://www.middleeastbooks.com/products/divert-numec-zalman-shapiro-and-the-diversion-of-us-weapons-grade-uranium-into-the-israeli-nuclear-weapons-program-by-grant-f-smith?_pos=1&_sid=aa91339ea&_ss=r Video "The NUMEC Cover-up: The Diversion of U.S. Weapons Grade Uranium from NUMEC to Israel" https://youtu.be/MlPsC8sOmRA Video "Expropriate, Capture & Marginalize: the Energix business model from Palestine to the US" https://youtu.be/z3GpKwdSzCY "Spy Trade: How Israel's Lobby Undermines America's Economy" by Grant F. Smith https://www.middleeastbooks.com/products/spy-trade-how-israels-lobby-undermines-americas-economy-by-grant-f-smith?_pos=1&_sid=91e8b3678&_ss=r Video: "The US-Israel Free Trade Area: AIPAC, Espionage and Analysis" https://youtu.be/IsajWSCNPuU ************************************************************************************* Presentation slides are available at: https://IRmep.org/PDF/10292020_gfs_v12.pdf ************************************************************************************* Subscribe to this YouTube channel for future EXTRA! webinars. Post your questions for the speaker below in the comments section or email to: IsraelLobbyExtra2020@gmail.com Visit https://www.wrmea.com to subscribe or get a sample copy of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Buy Smith's books at Middle East Books and More: https://www.middleeastbooks.com/products/big-israel Sign up for EXTRA! and other announcements via email from WRMEA at https://tinyurl.com/WRMEAemail And/or IRmep at https://tinyurl.com/IRmepemail

Walter Hixson is the author of a half-dozen books on the history of U.S. foreign relations. He has taught history for 36 years and is currently distinguished professor of history at the University of Akron. His most recent books are "American Settler Colonialism: A History" (2013) and "Israel's Armor: The Israel Lobby and the First Generation of the Palestine Conflict." (2019). Hixson will answer cross disciplinary questions about foreign policy, the Israel lobby and settler colonialism. What are the core objectives of settler colonialism? Why must the population targeted for removal be the object of hatred and portrayed as primitive, uncivilized and "savage?" Massacres can exist without genocide, but can genocide exist without massacres? Are indigenes ever allowed to avail themselves of the colonizer's means of communications and justice system to argue their case? What Is perpetrator trauma? What systemic purpose do concepts such as the "Doctrine of Discovery," "Manifest Destiny" and "chosenness" serve in settler colonialism? Is settler colonialism always a "zero-sum-game?" Why was ongoing settler destruction of Indian crops, buffalo, horses and burning homes such an important strategy? How does this compare to Israeli attacks on Palestinian electricity generation, bulldozing homes, and cutting off access to fishing? What roles do the major Israel lobby organizations such as AIPAC, the American Jewish Committee, ADL, etc. play in the ongoing colonization? Are there any opportunities for American redemption by cutting off official and nonofficial U.S. support for Israeli settler colonialism? Subscribe to this YouTube channel for future EXTRA! webinars. Post your questions for the speaker below in the comments section or email to: IsraelLobbyExtra2020@gmail.com Visit https://www.wrmea.com to subscribe or get a sample copy of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Buy Walter Hixson's book at Middle East Books and More: https://www.middleeastbooks.com/products/pre-order-israels-armor-the-israel-lobby-and-the-first-generation-of-the-palestine-conflict-by-walter-hixson?_pos=1&_sid=fc0e9d8de&_ss=r Sign up for EXTRA! and other announcements via email from WRMEA https://tinyurl.com/WRMEAemail And/or IRmep https://tinyurl.com/IRmepemail

Rev. Donald E. Wagner, is the author of “Zionism and the Quest for Justice in the Holy Land.” Until recently, historical and political accounts of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have ignored or understated the influence of Christian Zionism in British and U.S. policy in the Middle East. Reverend Wagner examines Christian Zionism in relation to Britain’s 1917 Balfour Declaration during the British Empire and how “Manifest Destiny” and settler colonialism have influenced attitudes about Middle East policy in the United States. Christians United for Israel (CUFI) has proclaimed itself the largest pro-Israel lobby in the United States. With its intimate partnership with AIPAC and various Zionist think tanks and lobby organizations, Christian Zionism’s political profile has been elevated to new heights during the Trump-Netanyahu alliance. But who is really setting the agenda? And at what cost? Have Christian evangelical leaders been a force on Capitol Hill, beyond urging its adherents to the ballot box? How do Christian Zionist lobbying expenditures stack up against Jewish Zionist organizations? What was Secretary of State Pompeo trying to accomplish by speaking to the Republican National Convention from Jerusalem? Email your questions for the speaker to: IsraelLobbyExtra2020@gmail.com Visit https://www.wrmea.com to subscribe or get a sample copy of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Register for our next EXTRA! at Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/christian-zionism-and-settler-colonialism-tickets-120394766989?aff=YouTube Buy Don Wagner's book at Middle East Books and More: https://www.middleeastbooks.com/products/zionism-and-the-quest-for-justice-in-the-holy-land-edited-by-donald-e-wagner-walter-t-davis?_pos=1&_sid=2d61ce460&_ss=r Sign up for EXTRA! and other announcements via email from WRMEA https://tinyurl.com/WRMEAemail And/or IRmep https://tinyurl.com/IRmepemail

Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, an organizer for Jewish Voice for Peace, will describe Jewish Zionism as a failing ideology for many younger American Jews who reject Israel’s oppressive occupation policies and bellicose actions toward Iran, as well as the relationship between U.S. and Israeli militarism. But how will this impact their future as activists in electoral politics? Will they remain mostly captive to the Democratic Party, voicing opposition while accepting candidates captured and mentored by AIPAC? Allan C. Brownfeld, American Council for Judaism, discusses the growing disillusionment of American Jews, and some Israelis, with the Jewish state and Zionism. Young American Jews who champion civil rights at home, including the right to vote, freedom of movement, due process and equality, realize that Israel is denying those same basic rights to Palestinians. Peter Beinart, Seth Rogen, Marc Maron and other Jewish Americans who are urging Israel to dismantle its apartheid policies face bitter attacks from the Israel lobby and Jewish Establishment organizations, charging they’ve “crossed a line.” Brownfeld will offer some suggestions about how progressive Jewish voters can influence both the Democratic and Republican parties. Visit https://www.wrmea.com to subscribe or get a sample copy of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Register for our next EXTRA! at Eventbrite! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/christian-zionism-and-settler-colonialism-tickets-120394766989?aff=YouTube Sign up for EXTRA! and other announcement via email from WRMEA https://tinyurl.com/WRMEAemail And/or IRmep https://tinyurl.com/IRmepemail

University of Massachusetts Professor Emeritus Sut Jhally shared select clips and discussed the key findings of his 2016 documentary, "The Occupation of the American Mind," which analyzes pro-Israel public relations efforts within the U.S. Jhally explored whether the news media have been getting better—or worse—since the documentary was produced, and whether election-season news coverage is likely to cover—or cover up—growing challenges to standard pro-Israel narratives and politics. You can watch "The Occupation of the American Mind" on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/dP0-YohJR-g "The Occupation of the American Mind," features leading observers of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and U.S. media, and explores how the pro-Israel lobby shapes American media coverage of the conflict in Israel's favor. The film provides a sweeping analysis of Israel’s decades-long battle for the hearts, minds, and tax dollars of the American people in the face of widening international condemnation of Israel's human rights violations and military occupation. Visit http://www.sutjhally.com/ to view Sut Jhally's lectures. Documentaries recommended by Sut Jhally in this session included: 1. Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land. https://youtu.be/YhtPBJM3suo 2. The Law in These Parts. http://www.pbs.org/pov/watch/thelawintheseparts/ 3. Roadmap to Apartheid. https://www.amazon.com/Roadmap-Apartheid-Alice-Walker/dp/B079VRGZ4X 4. The War Around Us. https://shop.mediaed.org/the-war-around-us-p162.aspx To learn about and register for upcoming Extra! events or the March, 2021 conference at the National Press Club, go to https://IsraelLobbyCon.org

Manal Jamal discusses her book, Promoting Democracy: The Force of Political Settlements in Uncertain Times. The book explores the ways in which Western donor funding has, on one hand, undermined political participation in cases such as the Palestinian territories, and, on the other hand, succeeded in bolstering political engagement in cases such as El Salvador. Purchase the book here: https://www.middleeastbooks.com/products/promoting-democracy-the-force-of-political-settlements-in-uncertain-times-by-manal-a-jamal?_pos=1&_sid=7dc6c41a7&_ss=r

Author Yotam Gidron discusses his new book, Israel in Africa: Security, Migration, Interstate Politics. The book can be purchased here: https://www.middleeastbooks.com/products/israel-in-africa-security-migration-interstate-politics-by-yotam-gidron?_pos=1&_sid=e8e72e460&_ss=r

Caden Energix Hickory is building a 32 Megawatt solar facility near the City of Chesapeake in Virginia. But who is behind the massive utility scale solar power initiative? And did the City of Chesapeake look closely into the ultimate beneficial owners? Where else is Energix Renewable Resources trying to build solar facilities in the Commonwealth? Why did the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights designate Energix as a Category G human rights violator? Who is trying to stop Energix and how? Links: https://www.wrmea.org/in-the-news/amid-covid-19-pandemic-israeli-u.n.-designated-human-rights-violator-energix-pushes-workers-to-finish-first-solar-utility-in-virginia.html https://www.israellobby.org/Energix/ http://www.EjectEnergix.org https://www.israellobby.org/energix/UN/A_HRC_43_71.pdf https://whoprofits.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/old/greenwashing_the_occupation_web.pdf https://investigate.afsc.org/company/alony-hetz

Featuring: Dr. Hatem Bazian, senior lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley; Hasan and Paolo, members of Tufts University’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter. Moderated by Dale Sprusansky, managing editor of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Join us as Dr. Hatem Bazian, one of the founders of SJP, provides an overview of the situation facing pro-Palestine groups on college campuses, and two members of Tufts’ SJP chapter discuss the administration’s recent smear campaign against the group.

In honor of Palestinian Prisoners Day, April 17, Ramzy Baroud discusses his new book, These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons. Buy the book at: https://www.middleeastbooks.com/products/these-chains-will-be-broken-palestinian-stories-of-struggle-and-defiance-in-israeli-prisons?_pos=1&_sid=0d007672b&_ss=r

Read full report: https://www.wrmea.org/in-the-news/amid-covid-19-pandemic-israeli-u.n.-designated-human-rights-violator-energix-pushes-workers-to-finish-first-solar-utility-in-virginia.html

Professor Michael Fischbach discusses the challenges Martin Luther King Jr. faced in addressing the Israel-Palestine conflict. This is a clip from Fischbach's book talk at Middle East Books and More, which can be viewed in its entirety at: https://youtu.be/0E4rHbIusJo.

Professor Michael Fischbach discusses his new book, The Movement and the Middle East How the Arab-Israeli Conflict Divided the American Left (https://www.middleeastbooks.com/products/the-movement-and-the-middle-east-how-the-arab-israeli-conflict-divided-the-american-left-by-michael-r-fischbach?_pos=2&_sid=8b4797e85&_ss=r). Read our review of the book: https://www.wrmea.org/2020-march-april/the-movement-and-the-middle-east-how-the-arab-israeli-conflict-divided-the-american-left.html This event took place March 4, 2020 at Middle East Books and More in Washington, DC.

Attorney Martin McMahon outlines a lawsuit targeting Israel for carrying out crimes against humanity, and prominent American for aiding and abetting these crimes. The press conference was held March 4, 2020 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Learn more about the lawsuit: https://www.arabnews.com/node/1634976/middle-east. See video on a related lawsuit: https://youtu.be/v1vUB9umdvo

A clip from Ali Abunimah's speech at our 2019 conference. The full presentation can be seen here: https://youtu.be/1P5FuyXn0VI

Grant F. Smith of the Institute for Research for Research: Middle Eastern Policy discusses the findings of his new book, The Israel Lobby Enters State Government: Rise of the Virginia Israel Advisory Board (available at https://www.middleeastbooks.com/products/the-israel-lobby-enters-state-government-rise-of-the-virginia-israel-advisory-board-by-grant-smith). This event took place at Middle East Books and More on February 26, 2020.

Grant F. Smith of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy recalls Robert Kennedy's confrontation with the American Zionist Council during his time at attorney general. Learn more at: https://www.israellobby.org/azcdoj/

Highlights from Hanan Ashrawi's speech at the 2017 Israel Lobby and American Policy conference. The full speech can be seen here: https://youtu.be/Ojr4hDw-IYQ Learn more about our 2020 conference here: https://www.israellobbycon.com/

Highlights from a speech given at the 2015 Israel Lobby Conference. See full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-PNnRsVXH4&t=815s Purchase book here: https://www.middleeastbooks.com/products/manufactured-crisis-the-untold-story-of-the-iran-nuclear-scare-by-gareth-porter?_pos=2&_sid=060d2073b&_ss=r