Gaza update

Over the past two months, a progressive wing of American Judaism has gained prominence, one defined by mass mobilization against the Israeli government's unrelenting bombing in Gaza. That intergenerational community – nearly always youth-led, but with those old enough to be Holocaust survivors regularly involved – has faced police pepper spray at the DNC, sat on hunger-strike with Palestinian organizers outside the White House, interrupted politicians at dinner, and shut down transit centers across the country. In November, more than 400 New Yorkers, most of them Jewish, covertly entered the Statue of Liberty to hold a sit-in on the pedestal of that monument calling for a ceasefire. Dressed as tourists, they boarded boats to the statue in small, disconnected groups among the thousands who visit the statue each day. Once they convened, they hung “CEASEFIRE NOW” banners from the statue’s pedestal and chanted for just under an hour before leaving the island on a tourist ferry.

Portside - Dozens of Biden administration staffers held a vigil outside the White House late Wednesday calling for a lasting cease-fire in Gaza as the Palestinian territory's healthcare system collapsed and the U.S.-armed Israeli military bombed the entirety of the besieged strip. The staffers donned masks and sunglasses to conceal their identities, likely out of fear of retaliation from an administration that has been accused of cracking down on dissent against President Joe Biden's support for Israel's assault on Gaza.

AP News - The U.S. has said it eventually wants to see the West Bank and Gaza under a unified Palestinian government, as a precursor to Palestinian statehood — an idea soundly rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu who seeks to maintain an open-ended security presence there. 

Israel says it won’t allow a postwar foothold for the internationally backed Palestinian Authority, a West Bank-based autonomy government led by President Mahmoud Abbas. Meanwhile, the revitalizing of the Palestinian Authority may be difficult as the 88-year-old Abbas is widely unpopular, with this week’s poll indicating close to 90% of Palestinians want him to resign.

 U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has shown unease over Israel’s failure to reduce civilian casualties and its plans for the future of Gaza, but the White House continues to offer wholehearted support for Israel with weapons shipments and diplomatic backing. The proposal was the first specific indicator of Washington’s vision for security arrangements in Gaza if Israel achieves its U.S.-backed objective to end Hamas control of the besieged enclave.

The mounting casualties have contributed to a rift between Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said in a statement that Israel will continue its fight against Hamas "until absolute victory." US national security adviser Jake Sullivan is traveling to the occupied West Bank today to demonstrate continued US support while also pressing leaders about reducing civilian casualties.