Wednesday, July 03, 2019

Mondoweiss:
"A leading Israeli government minister takes credit for 27 U.S. states passing laws aimed at curbing citizens’ advocacy for BDS, the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign targeting Israel.

Gilad Erdan, minister for strategic affairs and information under Benjamin Netanyahu, addressed the Jerusalem Post conference in New York two weeks ago, and bragged that the Israeli government had taken its fights 'to the enemy,' and that includes BDS. ...

So it is a huge scandal that Russia interfered in the 2016 election but Israel is messing in our politics all the time, and that’s standard operating procedure.

-->A double standard? Israel interferes with laws regarding freedom of speech in the US but gets no media condemnation for doing so. Russia hacks some politicians emails and the sky is falling for the last two years. 

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Common Dreams:
"In an effort to pressure Democratic presidential candidates to take a stand against Israel's treatment of Palestinians, the youth-led progressive Jewish advocacy group IfNotNow has launched a new campaign arm with the goal of bringing Israel's brutal occupation 'to the forefront of the 2020 elections.'

As Politico reported on Saturday, IfNotNow is 'training organizers in the early primary state of New Hampshire' and 'plans to bird-dog presidential candidates at public events to create viral moments and prod the Democratic Party leftward on the issue of Israel.'

'In addition to pushing the candidates to adopt more progressive positions on Israel,' according to Politico, 'the group said it is hoping to draw public attention to the Democratic Party's changing attitudes on the topic and clarify candidates' stances on particular issues.' "

-->The NYT did run an article entitled "Birthright Trips, a Rite of Passage for Many Jews, Are Now a Target of Protests." But no mention of this becoming an issue in the next presidential election.  

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The Guardian UK:
"A group of German rightwing extremists compiled a 'death list' of leftwing and pro-refugee targets by accessing police records, then stockpiled weapons and ordered body bags and quicklime to kill and dispose of their victims, German media have reported, citing intelligence sources. ...

The 30-odd members of the group [called Nordkreuz or Northern Cross] reportedly had close links to the police and military, and at least one member was still employed in the special commando unit of the state office of criminal investigations.

In the past, Nordkreuz was reported as being part of the 'prepper' survivalist movement, whose followers prepare for doomsday scenarios such as the collapse of the prevailing social order.

-->Our mainstream media avoids reporting on rightwing militia groups like this in the US, even though they now threaten many progressive politicians and commentators. It is "see no evil" when it comes to investigative reporting on the growing fascist movement in America.