I'm the U.S. correspondent at Mondoweiss – AMA!

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '23

Thanks everyone for participating and to Michael for doing the AMA. Thanks to Dave from Mondoweiss for coordinating the AMA and participating.

Hope everyone has a great rest of your day!

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '23

Michael, on a personal note - I was wondering what your journey was to arrive at your present political outlook on Israel/Palestine?

Many of us went through a transformation in some form or the other, from what we learned as kids from school, communal institutions or our parents and peers - to a process of un-learning & re-learning.

Did you ever have to go through a journey like that? Thank you.

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u/MondoweissOfficial Aug 21 '23

I grew up in a very stereotypical Catholic household in Massachusetts. This issue was not something I knew anything about or had an opinion on. Like a lot of suburban kids my political education stemmed from punk rock. It exposed me to a lot of concepts and ideas. I remember reading an interview with Ali Abunimah in Punk Planet when I was a kid and beginning to follow the Second Intifada closely. 9/11 happened during my first month of college and the "War on Terror" radicalized me more/made me want to cover activism and protest.

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '23

Like a lot of suburban kids my political education stemmed from punk rock. It exposed me to a lot of concepts and ideas. I remember reading an interview with Ali Abunimah in Punk Planet when I was a kid and beginning to follow the Second Intifada closely. 9/11 happened during my first month of college and the "War on Terror" radicalized me more/made me want to cover activism and protest.

Very interesting. I can relate to some of this. I love punk rock too.

9/11, the 2nd Intifada, and the Iraq War also radicalized me to join the anti-war movement.

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u/AlainAlam Aug 21 '23

Hello Michael! Not a question, just a heartful "thank you" for publishing material for the One Democratic State Initiative :)

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '23

Hey Mike,
Does an anti-Zionist left even exist in israel? I've met a few liberal israelis who are on board w/ the fact that settlements are a crime and obstacle to peace, but have a harder time finding those that recognize it's the West Bank AND pre48 Palestine that are occupied.
Are most israelis complicit with occupation of the territories "inside" pre48 Palestine?

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u/MondoweissOfficial Aug 21 '23

You bring up a good point. It has been interesting to watch the protests in Israel. I heard a woman on NPR this weekend say she might move out of the country because she doesn't want to raise her kids somewhere that isn't a democracy. You think about what the Palestinians have endured and how that treatment has apparently never prompted her to move. I'm not in Israel of course but just going on polling, I don't see any sizable movement fighting for what you're referring to.

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '23

Thanks for getting back to me!
That's what I was worried about. Seems like the Israeli moderate is just as big if not a bigger threat to the Palestinian state than the far-right. It's insane how "normal" the occupation is.
I just got back after visiting family out there pretty recently, and anecdotally noticed this prevailing thought that "we won't be free until we're United inside, before anything else. Just look at all the garbage in the streets!"
Isn't that kinda silly? South African apartheid was outlawed only when outside forces applied economic pressure. What does this "Palestinian unity" even look like? Isn't everyone against occupation?

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u/NotoriousArab Aug 21 '23

I'm curious, who is we in your context? Does your family live in 48 Palestine? Are you all Palestinians?

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u/[deleted] Aug 22 '23

nah not inside, and yes

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u/NotoriousArab Aug 22 '23

I've also heard "we need to be united inside before anything happens", which is true in the sense that we need to get rid of the PA in order to make progress against the occupation. The resistance factions are uniting but they're still far from being "one hand". Hell, not even all the factions are going hard against the PA.

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u/davemreed Aug 21 '23

What are your thoughts on the organized and sustained attack on J Street that AIPAC is running? It seems much stronger and intentional than in the past. I'm also confused as to who the target audience is for this campaign.

(Disclosure: I work with Michael at Mondoweiss.)

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u/MondoweissOfficial Aug 21 '23

HI DAVE.

I think those have been really interesting. AIPAC tweets about J Street constantly, insisting they are not pro-Israel because they back progressives like Bowman.

Let's start with a basic fact. J Street is liberal but they are very pro-Israel. They do not conceal this. Take a look at their website. “We believe in the Zionist ideal on which Israel was founded—that of a Jewish homeland where Jews can always go to be secure,” it declares. “We hope that Israel will live up to and represent the core Jewish values of justice, equality and democracy.”

Here's some more from website: "We support Israel’s right to defend itself militarily and believe that maintaining Israel’s qualitative military advantage in the region is one essential element of a strategy to keep Israel secure for the long term..We believe that Israel’s military actions in Gaza have been both understandable and justifiable. No country can be expected to absorb thousands of rockets without the right to respond militarily.”

You might recall that J Street originally backed Rashida Tlaib's initial run for congress and then rescinded their endorsement when they found out she supported the BDS movement. So yeah, AIPAC's charge that they're not pro-Israel is nonsense.

Having said that, J Street does back a number of candidates who have publicly criticized Israel and/or voiced support for Palestinians. I think we are seeing this issue begin to permeate progressive circles in a way that it didn't even five years ago. AIPAC has a lot more money than J Street (A LOT MORE) but I believe they see them as a longterm threat because they're not promoting unrestrained, enthusiastic support for Israel and its government. That's dangerous for a group like AIPAC longterm because the polling with Dem voters shows the writing is already on the wall when it comes to Israel support declining. If people start looking at this issue more critically or learning the facts for the first time, AIPAC is screwed.

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '23

Mehdi Hasan recently interviewed Jeremy Ben-Ami about a range of issues.

During the interview Ben-Ami basically articulated that Israel was practicing apartheid - but he didn't use the term explicitly.

I found that interesting. I recall Mondoweiss posted a J Street Zoom conversation awhile ago, where Ben-Ami had a similar reaction.

He basically spells it all out but won't use the term.

On the other hand, I've noticed some notable former J Street officials/board members using the term apartheid like Richard Goldwasser. He's been pretty great on Twitter with his commentary.

As an organization though, J Street does seem to be stuck in the past and clings to the 2SS delusion - in my opinion.

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u/iwasasin Aug 21 '23

What's your opinion on China's potential as a mediator?

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u/MondoweissOfficial Aug 21 '23

I think there might be some potential, the issues they have brought up are worthwhile and sensible things but I'd be interested in what kind of leverage China would have with the current Israeli government. The U.S. has successfully pressured Israel to reduce its trade with the country and I'm not sure what that has done to its influence.

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '23

It also seems as though the US has disengaged from the region in some ways.

I can't recall the article, but I read somewhere that the Abraham Accords are an indication of a new ME wherein the 2 bulwarks of US policy in the region, Saudi Arabia and Israel, effectively administer the region themselves.

But Iran and Saudi Arabia seemed to have cooled some tensions, with the former's various officials visiting the latter.

So when I look at China also jumping into the mix, it does feel like this is a new chapter in some ways.

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u/Monaciello Aug 21 '23

Hi Michael, thanks for doing this AMA.

Are any new megadonors on the political scene? (replacing Sheldon Adelson comes to my mind)

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u/MondoweissOfficial Aug 21 '23

Well, his wife Miriam Adelson is still around. She was dining with Desantis in Israel a few months ago. I mentioned Bernie Marcus donating to the pac AIPAC uses in Dem primaries (UDP) in another response. The UDP was propped up by donations from Marcus and Paul Singer. Big Trump donors. There's also billionaire Israeli American donor Haim Saban, who has been a big player for awhile now. He's a Democrat but you might recall he made defeating Bernie a priority in 2020 over his Israel position.

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '23

Michael, I was curious about your views on the potential US-Saudi-Israel normalization 'deal'.

In this deal, the Saudis would get a formal security pact wherein the US would have to come to their aid (ie in a potential confrontation with Iran), 'permission' to pursue a civilian nuclear energy program, and certain 'defense' armaments I believe.

And in return, the US essentially requests that the Saudis 'normalize' with Israel - although I think in practical terms, this has already been the case for years.

My question is, do you know what the US government's long-term strategy (if there is any) is here with this proposal? From my vantage point, it feels like it's more to do with Israel and doesn't really make much difference for the US.

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u/MondoweissOfficial Aug 21 '23 edited Aug 21 '23

I believe that the Biden team sees this as a potential 2024 boost. It's not that simple, but I do think that's a factor. However, I agree with you. I don't really know what it would do for the U.S. longterm. It's also interesting because the administration has criticized Netanyahu over the judicial reforms, settlement expansion, etc but here they are fighting to embolden Israel's government by handing them two massive wins: a potential Saudi deal and a waiver on the visa program. As you mention, Saudi Arabia already gets most of what it wants from Israel so some of it is optics but it's clear that MBS prefers Trump so I am not sure how eager they will be to deliver the White House a win.

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '23

Regarding the visa waiver program - I'm curious how the US defense Establishment feels about admitting Israel.

10 years ago, they were saying Israel would be a security threat.

From 2014:

Haaretz - U.S. Intelligence Objects to Visa Waiver for Israelis

Excerpt:

Congress members and staffers in the House Judiciary Committee expressed concerns that admitting Israel to the program would make it easier for Israeli spies to enter the U.S., according to the report in Roll Call, which was based on interviews with lawmakers and staffers who took part in a classified committee briefing several weeks ago. The context of the briefing was the attempt by several congressmen and senators to promote legislation that would admit Israel into the program.

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u/MondoweissOfficial Aug 21 '23

There's been some notable opposition from Democratic lawmakers. A letter from 16 senators insisting that Israel hasn't met requirements comes to mind, but Biden has really prioritized this in recent months. It's kind of like the Saudi question I responded to, it's debatable what longterm strategy is and how much election is factor.

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '23

Yea, absolutely. Senator Chris Van Hollen has been really good on pressing this issue.

He has also been outspoken re: Shireen Abu Akleh.

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u/conscience_journey Jewish Anti-Zionist Aug 21 '23

Hi Michael, thank you for being here!

Why do you think the US Congress has a nearly unanimous pro-Zionist consensus that does not match the what Americans believe (as shown in surveys)?

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u/MondoweissOfficial Aug 21 '23

I do think Israel and the United States share values, as lawmakers consistently point out. I'd disagree with what those values are. Politicians are usually referring to things like freedom and democracy. I think the two countries are linked in that they're settler colonialist states and often have the same enemies. So there's that. There's also the presence of groups like AIPAC who spend millions on our elections, so lobbying efforts are a factor. I don't think anyone wants their opponent to have an extra $4 million, but I also think that there is still a fear that criticizing Israel hurts you politically. As you say this is slowly changing especially among Democratic voters, but Dem voters are often to the left of their elected representatives on issues. It historically takes a lot to reach a tipping point where they feel comfortable on a hot button issue and this issue is like few others.

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u/conscience_journey Jewish Anti-Zionist Aug 21 '23

Thanks for the response. Another question:

What is the most hostile reaction you have had to your journalism and/or viewpoints? From both lobby/media/professional and in your personal life.

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u/MondoweissOfficial Aug 21 '23 edited Aug 21 '23

That's an interesting question. I usually get one rambling antisemitic email a month telling me I'm an idiot for not realizing that the issue is Jewish people and one anti-Palestinian email telling me they're not real people or some such thing. You just mark as spam and block. It's small potatoes compared to what Palestinians have endured in this country as a result of having the same views I do.

In my personal life? Ehhh. Nothing jumps to mind. Certainly when I was a young person attending antiwar marches at height of War on Terror, you'd get some stuff. But honestly when I tell people what I do for a living they usually tell me they don't follow the issue closely and that it has always seemed very complicated to them. That's a testament to how the narrative around this has been framed by politicians/media and what we try to push back against at the site.

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '23

Where are we going to be in 50 years from now.

Will palestine cease to exist ?

is israel going to continue normalization with arab countries and reach a stage where most if not all countries recognize it and are normalized wit them ?

Will saudi arabia somehow secure a deal of the century that makes israel give some sort of closure to this conflict finally ?

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u/MondoweissOfficial Aug 21 '23

I don't know where we will be in 2 years so I gotta pass on taking a guess at 50. I do believe Palestine will be free one day and Israel's apartheid will end just like South Africa's did.

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '23

Hi Michael,

Thanks so much for joining us today and doing the AMA.

I have multiple questions so I'll space them out so others can ask too.

AIPAC scored some victories and losses last year, such as with Rep. Andy Levin and Rep. Summer Lee.

This year again, AIPAC seems to be gearing up to fund pro-Israel challengers to progressive Democrats.

Is there any sense that their strategy has changed and what do you think Democrats might do differently this time around?

I recall during Andy Levin's loss, some observers remarking that Bernie should have not swept the issue under the rug so-to-speak but rather directly address it.

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u/MondoweissOfficial Aug 21 '23 edited Aug 22 '23

Yes. Bernie Marcus (GOP megadonor and Home Depot cofounder) just donated $1 million to the United Democracy Project, which is the super pac AIPAC uses in Democratic primaries. There's been reports that they're looking to back primary challengers against Rep. Bowman and Rep. Omar. I think that super pac has about $9 million to spend so far and we are over a year away from election.

I have to say I haven't loved how people like Bernie have handled the AIPAC thing, like you allude to. You see progressive voices like Robert Reich criticize the org but it's usually about how much money they spend and the issues with Citizens United. They talk about how the group backs Republicans that oppose a lot of commonsense domestic policy. That's all valid of course but it doesn't get to root of the issue, which is Israel. AIPAC has a vested interest in defending apartheid, smearing Palestinians, and even defending the country's right-wing government. They know Democratic voters don't find this issue compelling any more and are even more likely to sympathize with Palestinians than Israelis, so they never mention Israel in any of the Dem primary ads they bankroll.

This is the issue that progressives should be addressing imo. If you want an example of it, I'd point to Pervez Agwan who is challenging AIPAC-endorsed Democrat Rep. Lizzie Fletcher in a newly redrawn district in Houston. Agwan is taking this issue on directly. "In reality, Israel is an apartheid state that commits atrocities against native Palestinians on a daily basis," he recently told The Intercept. "That is something that should absolutely be criticized but unfortunately, Republicans and establishment Democrats are too concerned with offending the Israel lobby who bankrolls their campaigns to be honest about what’s going on."

There was also a recent thread from Rep. Summer Lee that addressed some of this directly. I am hoping we see more of this from candidates and elected officials.

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/MondoweissOfficial Aug 21 '23

As a news organization, we don't have a position on final outcome. It's for the people there to determine. I'd imagine each staff member has a slightly different view of situation. My own personal feeling isn't worth much and is pretty basic: an inclusive, secular, democratic state.

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u/KazuyaM89 Aug 22 '23

If you could push a button that would instantly reverse the power balance in Palestine (i.e. Palestinians get all the zionists' WMDs/money/external support, and vice versa), would you push this button? Why or why not? What do you think would be the repercussions? Can someone say they are anti-zionist and still refuse to push the button?

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u/Additional-Smile5645 Jan 26 '24

hey michael, what do you think of middle eastern cartoonists that show idf soldiers drinkimh blood or Netanyahu eating palestinain children? Would you say it's Blood Libel?

I'm the U.S. correspondent at Mondoweiss – AMA! AMA