Another critical year for Palestine has folded. While 2022 has wrought much of the same in terms of Israeli military occupation and increasing violence, it also introduced new variables to the Palestinian struggle - nationally, regionally and internationally. 

 Palestine, the War and the Arabs

 The Russia-Ukraine war starting in February pressured many political entities, including Palestinians, to take sides or, at least, to declare a position. Though the Palestinian Authority (PA) and various Palestinian political parties insisted on their neutrality, Russia’s deviation from the US-led political paradigm in the Middle East opened up new margins for Palestinians to explore. 

Tuesday, January 3, 2022, 8:00 – 9:00 PM
Israeli settler violence against Palestinians escalated in 2022, with West Bank settlers on the rampage, defiling mosques, vandalizing shops and assaulting Palestinians in Hebron and other Palestinian cities. Instead of stopping the settlers, the Israeli military turned on Palestinians, adding to the year’s death toll: 150 Palestinians killed, 33 of them children. Meanwhile, the most racist Israeli government returns to power with former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu – under criminal indictment – set to serve his sixth term.

This new ultra-nationalist government stands in explicit – no longer implicit – opposition to a Palestinian state and threatens to strip the courts of their power. US Secretary of State Blinken insists the US commitment to apartheid Israel is ironclad, despite whispers last month the Biden administration might refuse to meet with some of the most reactionary members of the new Israeli government.  Join us as we detail the situation on the ground in Palestine and examine US congressional and grassroots efforts to end US complicity in Israeli crimes. 

DEADLINE IS NOON ON MONDAY 

Register here for Monday's press conference to announce the delivery of an organizational letter to President Biden and copied to Attorney General Garland, signed by more than 260 organizations and accompanied by 20,000 petition signatures. We are urging the Biden Administration to do everything they can to stop seeking new federal and military death sentences, commute the existing death sentences under their jurisdiction, and to order the demolition of the federal death house at Terre Haute, Indiana.

These are all things the President has the unilateral power to do. Our request echoes a similar letter to be delivered by Members of Congress to the Attorney General on Monday. Death Penalty Action was asked by Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Senator Richard Durbin to organize these companion pieces, and we've been building toward this moment since October.

Two years ago, Morocco and Israel signed the US-brokered “Joint Declaration”, thus officially recognizing Israel and instating diplomatic ties. Though other Arab countries had already done the same, the Moroccan official recognition of Apartheid Israel was particularly devastating for Palestinians.

Years ago, a close Moroccan friend told me that the ‘first time’ he was arrested was during a solidarity protest for Palestine in Rabat which took place many years ago.

The reference to the ‘first time’ indicated that he was arrested again, though mostly for other political activities, suggesting that Palestine, in many ways, has become a local struggle for many Moroccans.

The lame duck Ohio legislature accomplished little because the majority Republicans were only interested in one thing – solidifying their hold on state government.

Action further restricting abortion flamed out.

Action handing over control of public education to the governor flopped.

Action raising the percentage needed to pass a constitutional amendment to 60 percent fizzled.

The right-wingers desiring the above three issue outcomes were left at the altar. Measures passed one house only to die in the other. Republican legislative leaders could tell the constituents to whom they promised action, “Sorry, we tried. Maybe next year.”

So what big controversial measure got passed?

A bill that further suppresses voting – by Democrats -- made it through pending Governor Mike DeWine’s signature because the Republican brain trust wanted to make it even harder for Democrats to win election to the state legislature, to Congress and to statewide office.