Gaza update

An incisive new report released by researchers affiliated with Rutgers University lays out in detail the many ways in which the U.S. political establishment has instrumentalized anti-Muslim bigotry and disingenuously redefined the idea of “antisemitism” in order to defuse criticisms of the Israeli government and justify dehumanizing policies toward Palestinians. Titled “Presumptively Antisemitic: Islamophobic Tropes in the Palestine-Israel Discourse,” the 68-page report offers a thorough examination of how the domestic foreign policy establishment and the associated Israel lobby employ Islamophobia as a tool of ideological legitimization.Though the report’s origins predate the immediate crisis, its critique is a valuable intervention in the current political moment. While civilian deaths accrue in the course of Israel’s indiscriminate, genocidal assault on the Gaza Strip — more than 10,000 have been killed as of this writing — lopsided Western media prerogatives continuously deny the populace a clear view on the crisis.

The latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll finds that Americans are split over Israel’s response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. A majority of Democrats now say it’s been too much, while a majority of Republicans say it’s been about right — but there are big generational and racial divides

Objections over Israel’s operations in Gaza appear to have caused rifts at the U.S. State Department. Some employees have signed dissent cables urging the administration to call for a cease-fire. NPR’s Michele Kelemen reports that while not much is known about the memos’ content or exact number of signatories, U.S. officials say they’re listening and meeting with staff. 

Some 200,000 people, including Jewish groups and supporters of Israel from across the U.S., gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., yesterday as part of the March for Israel, calling for peace, the release of Hamas’ hostages and action against antisemitism.