16 augustus 2026

Sixty-three percent of American Jews do not describe themselves as Zionists, according to polling from February.

We didn’t get here overnight: JVP members have organized more Jews than ever before into solidarity with the Palestine freedom struggle, propelling a massive shift in public opinion around Palestine. 

Nowhere is this work more under threat than in the American South.

JVP members in the South are defying traditional wisdom about what Jews believe and what they will fight for — and facing escalating attacks from the Right as a result. Will you help resource this critical local organizing?

The Break the Bonds coalition in North Carolina won $6.4 million divested from Israel Bonds. Photo: @jonwarlickmedia, Sameer Cheema

A snapshot of JVP organizing in the South

My name is Zach. As JVP’s Southern Chapter Organizer, I work with a whole team of professional organizers at JVP to support thousands of JVP members across 15 different chapters and pods and 7 states in the American South.

 

In small towns and big cities alike, JVP members are carving out new spaces for anti-Zionist Jews to come together and take collective action, challenging the conflation of Judaism with Zionism, and building towards material change: from winning millions divested from Israel Bonds to successfully moving their elected officials to vote to block the bombs.

 

Here’s are some snapshots of what that organizing looks like:

• In North Carolina, JVP-Triangle and JVP-Charlotte — along with PalYouthNC, Muslims for Social Justice, and public school workers — led the Break the Bonds coalition that won $6.4 million in divestment from Israel Bonds. 
  
  
• In New Orleans, over 130 people gathered for a sold-out JVP Passover Seder.
  
  
• In Atlanta, JVP members organized both their U.S. Senators to vote to block bulldozers and bombs to Israel.
  
  
• At the first-ever Southern Mass Member Meeting, members converged from across the American South to strategize for the year ahead — from existing chapters, and in cities and towns where JVP formations haven’t yet been formed: from Oxford, Mississippi to Greenville, South Carolina.

Escalating attacks from the Right

These JVP chapters and pods are doing groundbreaking work — and in the South, the growing presence of anti-Zionist Jews is sparking intense pushback from the Right. 

 

In December 2025, receipts show a Miami Beach city commissioner paid $4,000 for a mobile billboard picturing JVP members’ faces with their names attached, labeling them "Jew haters".

 

All across the South, states are piloting legislation to criminalize pro-Palestine speech and crack down on our fundamental rights.

 

But we’re fighting back: In response to the doxxing campaign, JVP-South Florida has brought a First Amendment lawsuit against the city of Miami Beach, the Mayor, and that City Commissioner. In Texas, our Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio chapters have joined forces to oppose every one of Governor Greg Abbot’s attacks on Muslim and immigrant communities.

 

These threats aren’t going to stop coming — and the member-leaders doing this work day in and day out need the support of JVP staff more than ever as they fight on the frontlines against Trump’s fascism crack down.

 

Zach Kopkin

JVP Chapter Organizer (South)

2013.

14 augustus 2026

14 augustus 2026

Humanitarian Situation Report

14 August 2026

Palestinian children sit on a sandy rise overlooking a crowded displacement site in the Gaza Strip. Photo by OCHA

Highlights

• Humanitarian response efforts continue across the Occupied Palestinian Territory despite persistent restrictions and funding shortfalls.
• In Gaza, most people remain internally displaced, in harsh living conditions, and exposed to ongoing military strikes; in early July, 90 per cent was experiencing moderate-to-high water insecurity, an increase from 84 per cent in June, a survey finds.
• Every fourth Palestinian injured in Gaza since October 2023 is estimated to live with spinal cord or brain injuries among other potentially life-changing conditions, while the entry of rehabilitation supplies and assistive products remains restricted.
• In the West Bank, a large-scale operation by Israeli forces in Qalandiya Camp injured 51 Palestinians and disrupted health services. Nine structures were also demolished in nearby Kafr Aqab and near Qalandiya checkpoint, affecting 71 people.
• In just one week, 38 settler attacks reported resulting in casualties, property damage or both. In Tuba, Masafer Yatta, settlers injured five Palestinians and destroyed three homes, displacing 23 people, including 14 children.
• Israeli authorities demolished 25 Palestinian-owned structures in eight incidents, displacing 29 people, including 17 children. The demolitions included part of a school in Masafer Yatta, affecting 54 students.

Overview

In a statement issued on 12 August for International Youth Day, Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov said that for Palestinian youth, hopes for dignity, opportunity and a peaceful future remain constrained “by occupation, conflict, displacement, violence and profound uncertainty.”

In Gaza, young people have borne “the devastating consequences of the ongoing conflict, including persistent violence, the loss of loved ones, repeated displacement and the widespread destruction of homes, schools and universities.” Dr. Alakbarov warned that the future of an entire generation in Gaza is threatened by “the collapse of essential services, disruption of education and loss of livelihoods.” In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, “youth continue to face escalating violence, expanding settler presence, severe restrictions on movement and access, and shrinking economic opportunities.”

Dr. Alakbarov, who is also the Acting United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, reaffirmed UN’s commitment to work alongside young people in Palestine, advocating for their rights and supporting access to education, health, decent work, meaningful participation and pathways to economic and social recovery.

2012.

"Atrocities without any fear of consequences.”

A poignant poster honoring the journalists is displayed in the Nasser Hospital compound five days after Israeli strikes killed five Palestinian journalists and other civilians in Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip. August 30, 2025. Photo: Doaa Albaz

Act now:

 

What we're reading: “Remembering Anas, Mohammed and Gaza's other slain journalists.”

2011.

14 augustus 2026

De situatie in Palestina is dringend. We zeggen het zo vaak dat we het soms vergeten te benoemen. Maar we zien zoals de Palestijnse journalist Mahmoud Mushtaha het beschrijft ‘een samenleving die steen voor steen, instituut voor instituut en gebruik voor gebruik ontmanteld wordt.’

Juist in een week waarin het Gaza-plan van de ‘Raad van de Vrede’  weer in beeld kwam is het belangrijk te benadrukken. De vernietiging die zich voor onze ogen voltrekt is de meest verwoestende fase in meer dan honderd jaar van oorlog tegen Palestina. En de diplomatie van Trump is een voortgang van de genocide met andere middelen. Maar zolang het gevaar groeit, groeit ook de Palestijnse sumud (volharding). En moet ook onze steun groeien. Wanhoop is geen optie. BDS is ons sterkste wapen.

Strijdbare groet,
Het BDS team

2010.

12 augustus 2026

Terwijl Nederland midden in de vakantieperiode zit en de temperaturen oplopen, gaan voor Palestijnen het geweld en de onderdrukking onverminderd door.

Ook deze week zien we hoe de druk op Palestijnen op steeds meer fronten verder wordt opgevoerd. Op de Westelijke Jordaanoever wurgt Israël de Palestijnse Autoriteit financieel, waardoor onder meer de gezondheidszorg op instorten staat. Na de vluchtelingenkampen van Jenin, Tulkarem en Nur Shams is nu ook Qalandiya opnieuw het doelwit van Israël.

In Gaza wist Israël ondertussen de sporen van zijn genocide. Puin wordt afgevoerd, waardoor lichaamsresten en bewijsmateriaal van internationale misdrijven verloren gaan.

De onbeschrijfelijke verwoesting van Gaza in beeld gebracht, 10 augustus 2026. [c] ZUMA Press Inc. / Alamy

De cijfers blijven schokkend. UNICEF meldt dat sinds het ingaan van het staakt-het-vuren 300 Palestijnse kinderen in Gaza zijn gedood. Op de Westelijke Jordaanoever zijn sinds 2024 al 174 kinderen gedood. Israël houdt bovendien de lichamen van 1.700 gedode Palestijnen vast, om die later als ruilmiddel te kunnen inzetten.

Terwijl dit alles gebeurt, onderhandelt de Europese Commissie in het geheim verder over het delen van gevoelige Europol-data met Israël, ondanks ernstige juridische bezwaren.

Ook de Israëlische ambassadeur blijft zich ondertussen op ongepaste wijze mengen in het Nederlandse debat. Een cursus internationaal recht lijkt ons voor de ambassadeur nuttiger dan nóg een lesje aan Nederland. Misschien houdt hij daarna zelfs tijd over om zich te verdiepen in wat er in Palestina gebeurt.

Hieronder leest u meer over deze en andere ontwikkelingen van de afgelopen week.De Nederlandse politiek kijkt weg voor apartheid en bezetting. The Rights Forum werkt voor en achter de schermen om dat te veranderen. Dit kunnen we alleen volhouden met uw steun!

Afgelopen week op onze website

Europese politiedienst Europol wil data delen met Israël
14 augustus 2026

Geheime onderhandelingen tussen de Europese Commissie en Israël over het delen van data van Europol met de Israëlische politie gaan door, ondanks grote juridische bezwaren.

Israël wurgt de Palestijnse Autoriteit, gezondheidszorg staat op instorten
13 augustus 2026

Israël is bezig de Palestijnse Autoriteit financieel af te knijpen, waardoor essentiële Palestijnse voorzieningen op instorten staan. ‘Het uiteindelijke doel is om de PA te laten instorten en chaos te creëren.’

De Israëlische ambassadeur is niet in de positie om Nederland de les te lezen
12 augustus 2026

De bemoeienis van Zvi A. Vapni met het Nederlandse debat is ongewenst en ongepast. Als vertegenwoordiger van een genocide-plegend regime heeft hij geen recht van spreken.

Israël valt kamp Qalandiya binnen, ‘onderdeel van annexatieplan’
11 augustus 2026

Bij een inval van het Israëlische leger in vluchtelingenkamp Qalandiya, ten noorden van Jeruzalem, is een 16-jarige jongen gedood en zijn tientallen mensen gewond geraakt. Volledige ontruiming van het kamp wordt gevreesd.

Israël vernietigt stoffelijke resten en bewijsmateriaal in Gaza
10 augustus 2026

Israël tracht in de Gazastrook de sporen van zijn genocide te wissen. Daarbij gaat cruciaal bewijs verloren, worden eigendommen vernietigd, stoffelijke resten verminkt en alle sporen van Palestijns leven uitgewist. Dat als opmaat tot de Israëlische kolonisering van Gaza.

Agenda

Wegens de zomervakantie worden er momenteel minder culturele of politieke evenementen georganiseerd over Palestina. Wel vinden er nog steeds bijna dagelijks in heel Nederland demonstraties, wakes en protestacties plaats. Alle informatie, ook over de terugkerende demonstraties, vindt u in onze agenda.
 Organiseert u een bijeenkomst, demonstratie, lezing, filmvertoning of een andere activiteit over Palestina? Laat het dan aan ons weten door een mail te sturen naar.

 Op zaterdag 15 augustus organiseert Apeldoorn4Palestine een stille herdenkingstocht voor de kinderen van Gaza. De tocht begint om 15.00 uur op het kruispunt Hoofdstraat/Hofstraat in Apeldoorn.

 Op zondag 16 augustus organiseert Palestine Café Utrecht een meet en greet met de Palestijnse gemeenschap in de regio Utrecht. Het evenement duurt van 15.30 tot 19.00 uur in Moira Expo, Wolvenstraat 10, Utrecht.

 Op vrijdag 21 augustus vindt in The American Book Center (Spui, Amsterdam) een boekpresentatie plaats van het boek Fearful in Gaza. Schrijver Abdalhadi Alijla zal daarbij aanwezig zijn. Ook tijdens de vakantieperiode gaat ons werk gewoon door. Achter de schermen bereiden we nieuwe acties, campagnes en initiatieven voor waarmee we ons de komende maanden zullen inzetten voor rechtvaardigheid in Palestina. Houd onze website en nieuwsbrief in de gaten – we kijken ernaar uit om daar binnenkort meer over te delen.

2209.

12 augustus 2026

As calls to end public funding for genocide and war crimes continue to grow, New Yorkers have made it clear: they want their tax dollars invested in faster public transportation and affordable childcare, not in the displacement of Palestinians from their homes.

The Not On Our Dime! Act is about turning that popular demand into reality.

In the latest piece for The Palestine Connection, we interviewed New York State Assemblymember Diana Moreno, the new lead sponsor of the Not On Our Dime! Act, to discuss the historic legislation, what's at stake, and what comes next.

Read the full interview on substack

The Act—first introduced in the New York State Assembly by now-Mayor Zohran Mamdani and in the State Senate by Senator Jabari Brisport in May 2023—ensures that organizations funding illegal war crimes or genocide cannot register as charities and receive tax subsides from New York State.

It also takes an unprecedented step to hold these institutions accountable for their complicity in Israel’s crimes by empowering Palestinians harmed by violence funded by New York-based charities to file lawsuits.

Adalah Justice Project is proud to be a founding member of the Not On Our Dime Campaign, a growing coalition of Palestinian, Jewish, union, and human rights organizations.

New York State Assemblymember Diana Moreno speaks alongside State Senator Jabari Brisport and the Not On Our Dime coalition at the press conference to reintroduce the Not On Our Dime! Act on May 22nd, 2026. Photo Credit: Justin Martinez.

Now, three years after its initial introduction and in a dramatically transformed political landscape, the Not On Our Dime! Act has been re-introduced by Assemblymember Moreno, who succeeded Mamdani in representing Astoria, Queens.

"I see the inherent dignity and worth in every human being," Moreno told us. "A child in Palestine is no less precious than my own child. It is my responsibility, not only as an Assemblymember, but as a person of conscience to use every tool at my disposal to stop our state from subsidizing Israeli war crimes."

As the January 2027 legislative session rapidly approaches, Moreno emphasizes the critical role New Yorkers play in pushing the bill forward to end the state's complicity in Israeli war crimes. From pressuring state elected officials to co-sponsor the bill, to joining the coalition, to continuing to reject AIPAC interference in elections, the future of Not On Our Dime depends on us building the necessary public pressure that makes our demands impossible to ignore. 

Read our full conversation with Assemblymember Moreno now on The Palestine Connection.

Read the interview

In solidarity,

Sumaya Awad
Adalah Justice Project

2208.

11 augustus 2026

Throughout the month of July, the Hind Rajab Foundation launched a new wave of legal actions across Europe and the United States, targeting suspected perpetrators—from individual soldiers to senior political figures—and challenging authorities that delayed action or sought to sidestep their obligations under international law.

 

Italy: A criminal complaint was filed against Israeli soldier Arik Ben Asulin over his involvement in the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza.

Portugal: While Israeli soldier Etamar Ivry was vacationing in Lisbon, HRF filed a criminal complaint over his role in the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza.

Belgium: After identifying an Israeli soldier at Tomorrowland, HRF filed an urgent criminal complaint over war crimes in Gaza.

The Netherlands: HRF filed complaints against Israeli soldiers Almog Harari and Leon Khlebnikov, and Knesset members Ram Ben Barak and Moshe Solomon.

 

For decades, perpetrators of crimes against Palestinians have traveled, studied, vacationed, and attended international events abroad with little fear of legal consequences.

 

HRF’s legal actions are now shrinking the space in which these Israeli soldiers and senior political figures have long expected to find safe haven and impunity.

Italy

In Italy, HRF filed a criminal complaint against Israeli soldier Arik Ben Asulin for his direct involvement in the destruction of residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including Al-Azhar University. While serving with the 749th Combat Engineering Battalion, Ben Asulin documented his participation in demolition operations on social media. The unit has been implicated in systematic destruction across Gaza, and its deputy commander publicly described its mission as “flattening Gaza.”

Portugal

In Portugal, HRF acted while Israeli soldier Etamar Ivry was vacationing in Lisbon, filing a criminal complaint over his role in destroying civilian infrastructure to establish the Netzarim Corridor, created by Israel in order to bisect Gaza and forcibly depopulate the north. Like Ben Asulin, Ivry documented his participation in these crimes, posting videos of controlled demolitions with celebratory captions.

Belgium

In Belgium, HRF identified an Israeli soldier attending the Tomorrowland festival and filed an urgent complaint linking him to the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza City and Rafah. The filing turned a trip abroad into legal exposure and pressed Belgian authorities to act before he could leave the country. This was not the first time HRF had pursued Israeli soldiers identified at the festival. In 2025, Belgian police detained and questioned two soldiers following an HRF complaint. The case was later referred to the ICC, demonstrating that Belgian authorities can act swiftly when suspects are identified on Belgian soil.

The Netherlands

In the Netherlands, HRF filed criminal complaints against Israeli soldiers Almog Harari and Leon Khlebnikov, and Knesset members Ram Ben Barak and Moshe Solomon:

• Harari for his role in the forcible displacement of Palestinian families and destruction of schools used as civilian shelters in Beit Lahia.

• Khlebnikov for participating in—and publicly mocking—the demolition of a school in Rafah, among other crimes.

• Ben Barak and Solomon, while attending the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in The Hague, for direct and public incitement to genocide through their advocacy for the mass displacement of Palestinians and Israeli resettlement of Gaza.

Lithuania

In Lithuania, HRF took its case against Israeli soldier Sean Gor to the Constitutional Court, challenging authorities’ refusal to investigate his alleged participation in war crimes and genocide on the grounds that the crimes were committed outside Lithuanian territory, despite Gor living and studying dentistry in the country. HRF argues that this restrictive interpretation of universal jurisdiction effectively grants impunity to alleged perpetrators and violates both the Lithuanian Constitution and Lithuania’s binding international obligations.

United States

Following HRF’s criminal complaint to the U.S. Department of Justice and calls for his investigation in New York, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir canceled his planned visit to the United States. His cancellation is not justice, but it marks a significant shift. Israeli political and military leaders have long traveled internationally with little fear of legal consequences. Ben-Gvir’s decision to cancel his visit amid the prospect of legal scrutiny signals that this impunity is finally beginning to erode and the pursuit of accountability is having real-world consequences.

Offensive Legal Action

These cases do not end with a filing. HRF continues to pursue each one –– submitting evidence, challenging delays, and pressing authorities to investigate, act, and fulfill their obligations under international law.

Since 2024, HRF has submitted over a 100 criminal complaints and other legal filings across more than 30 jurisdictions, resulting in arrests, police interrogations, and criminal investigations around the world.

We continue to document. We continue to identify. We continue to file. And we continue to pursue accountability wherever the law provides an avenue for justice.

The message is clear: there will be no safe haven for perpetrators of crimes against the Palestinian people.

2207.

10 augustus 2026

Congress is home for August recess, which means we have a few weeks before the next vote on the Pentagon spending bill (the NDAA) and a critical opportunity to stop the Deadly Merger provision that would integrate U.S. and Israeli military technology and data.

This Wednesday at 7pm ET, AJP is again joining forces with U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action (USCPR) and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) for a phonebank targeting key Senate districts.

Together, we’ll be calling fellow AJP, DSA, and USCPRA supporters and patching them through to their senators' offices.

Last month, the House narrowly passed its version of the NDAA, but the Senate blocked its version from even reaching the floor—a move we haven't seen in over 20 years. But the fight isn’t over: when Congress returns to DC in September, the Senate could try once again to advance the bill to the floor through a cloture vote. Once both chambers pass their bills, they head to the conference committee, where the two versions of the bill get reconciled.

The process of bringing the two bills together presents a huge opportunity to strip out the Deadly Merger provision.

That’s why this Wednesday, we'll be calling constituents whose senators sit on the committees that will be a part of this process and asking them to reject this deadly provision before it’s too late.


Over the last few weeks, supporters like you called tens of thousands of constituents and drove thousands of calls to Congress through these weekly phonebanks.

These actions directly contributed to historic votes against the annual military spending bill, the U.S-Israeli Deadly Military Merger, and military funding to Israel. Six senators have already signed a letter condemning the Deadly Merger [1], and lawmakers like Adam Smith [2] and Lauren Boebert [3] have explicitly acknowledged that constituent calls pushed them to oppose the provision.

We can’t lose momentum now.

2206.

10 augustus 2026

AMP Demands Justice for Murdered Palestinian Journalists in Gaza

One year ago today, Palestinian journalist Anas al-Sharif was targeted and killed by an Israeli airstrike alongside his colleagues in a media tent outside Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

AMP honors Anas and the hundreds of Palestinian journalists assassinated while bearing witness to and experiencing Israel’s atrocities. Their cameras, reporting, and valor have ensured that no one can say: “we didn’t know what was happening in Gaza.”

Since the beginning of Israel’s genocide, over 250 journalists in Gaza have been killed, 129 in 2025 alone. Like civilians, journalists are protected under international humanitarian law.

“Israel’s killing and targeted assassinations of Palestinian journalists have not been accidental or what Israel frequently claims are "unintended collateral damages." Rather, they have been part of a deliberately calculated, crafted strategy aimed at erecting a wall of silence around the genocide being committed. This is particularly evident given that Israel has continued to bar foreign journalists and international media organizations from entering Gaza throughout the genocide, preventing independent reporting and scrutiny of events on the ground,” says AMP Executive Director, Dr. Osama Abu Irshaid.

The U.S.'s and international community's lack of outrage and failure to protect Palestinian journalists has exposed a horrific double standard in the U.S.'s alleged commitment to press freedom. While the U.S. routinely condemns attacks on journalists elsewhere, they have failed to hold Israel accountable as it systematically targets Palestinian journalists en masse in Gaza and across occupied Palestine. The U.S. cannot credibly claim to defend the freedom of the press while continuing to arm Israel with the weapons needed to facilitate genocide.

We demand that the U.S. and international community end their impunity for Israel's systematic targeting of journalists in Gaza. The U.S. must begin enforcing consequences by conducting independent investigations, backing international accountability efforts, stopping shielding Israel at the UN, and imposing an immediate arms embargo used to commit such abuses.

We have the responsibility to ensure Anas’ dying words are not buried beside him: “I entrust you with Palestine—the jewel in the crown of the Muslim world, the heartbeat of every free person in this world.” Journalism is not a crime. Telling the truth is not a crime. The deliberate killing of journalists must never be normalized or met with silence.

In solidarity,

American Muslims for Palestine (AMP)

2205.

10 augustus 2026

Sports as Resistance: The Football Team Defying All the Odds

 

As the world watched the 2026 FIFA World Cup (and saw Egypt robbed of its win against Argentina), members of Gaza Al-Irada ("Gaza Will") Football Club watched along side us while creating a far more valiant football story.

Made up of amputee players who lost their limbs due to Israel's successive wars on Gaza, the team trains amidst the ruins of the ongoing genocide.

They play despite the lack of food, water, and electricity. They play through unimaginable loss and multiple displacements. They play despite the devastated sports infrastructure, often relying on crutches instead of prosthetics and practicing on one of the few remaining playable fields.

Founded by Mohammed Hatem Taher Aliwa to ensure that Palestinians who have lost limbs still have the opportunity to play the game they love, Gaza Al- Irada is driven by a simple but powerful belief: disability should never mean the end of sport or ambition. The players are not asking for sympathy; they are asking to be recognized as athletes and given the resources to compete and thrive.

For Gaza Al-Irada, football is more than a game; it is an act of resistance and hope. Their coaches and players speak of football as a way to preserve dignity, rebuild community, and imagine a future beyond survival.

2204.

BREAKING THE SILENCE

10 augustus 2026

Last week, almost by accident, we saw live on air just how powerful the settler terror lobby is within the government, and the right-wing media in Israel. It happened on Channel 14, a right-wing Israeli TV channel, during an interview with Israel Katz. The defence minister found himself squirming as he tried to explain why Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, the head of the IDF’s Central Command who is responsible for the West Bank, was still in his post. The interview ultimately culminated in Katz announcing Avi Bluth’s dismissal.

Katz later claimed that he had not dismissed the general. Others on the right argued that the whole affair was merely a question of authority: who has the power to dismiss a general or appoint a new one?

 

With all due respect, the questions that have preoccupied the Israeli public and media in recent days are less interesting than the “unforgivable sin” committed by Avi Bluth: he refused to revoke an administrative restriction order against a right-wing activist suspected of sexually assaulting a Palestinian father in front of his children during a March 13 terror attack on a village in the Jordan Valley.

 

Notably, the suspect is not even under arrest. He is merely barred from returning to his home in an illegal outpost in Area B, which unsurprisingly no one has evacuated. And, despite the IDF’s unequivocal day-to-day backing of settler terror, it was enough for the defence minister to fear for his position in the Likud primaries, because he, too, knows exactly who holds power in his party.

 

The defence minister’s agenda, like that of the current Israeli government as a whole, is significantly shaped by the settler lobby.

THE HEAD OF CENTRAL COMMAND

Many in Israel criticise Minister Katz for politicising the military by meddling in the IDF’s leadership. But let’s be honest: no military is ever truly apolitical. Most of all, the occupation is a political decision that serves political actors. Avi Bluth, in particular, is a deeply political figure, a graduate of the Eli pre-military academy who is closely connected to Minister Smotrich and the settler lobby, and who did for them what no military commander had ever done before. Here is a partial list:

 

1. Establishing Outposts

 

The investigative programme Zman Emet on Kan 11, Israel’s public broadcaster, revealed that Avi Bluth created an organised mechanism within the IDF for enabling the establishment of settler outposts. In addition to coordinating their establishment, Bluth also sent soldiers to protect these outposts while those under his command escorted many attacks on nearby Palestinian villages.

2. Terror and Ethnic Cleansing

 

During Bluth’s tenure, settler terror grew to staggering proportions. Whereas in the past we saw the military turn a blind eye to settler terror, in recent years it has begun actively participating in attacks and even arming the perpetrators. Under Maj. Gen. Bluth’s command, settlers from outposts, some of them under international sanctions and with records of hate crimes against Palestinians, were recruited as reservists serving in regional defence units. They received salaries, uniforms, weapons, and authority from the IDF. In result, Jewish terror increased by more than 60% in the past six months alone.

 

During his tenure, the military issued closed military zone orders to expel solidarity and protective presence activists, from Palestinian villages. Settlers, somehow, entered those same areas without any difficulty.

 

During his tenure, thousands of Palestinians were forced to abandon their homes because of relentless attacks by settlers and the IDF.

 

During his tenure, outposts started springing up in Areas B and A, administered by the Palestinian Authority. And many of them are still there.

3. Seizing Palestinian Land

 

When settler terror seemed insufficient to force Palestinians to get up and leave, the military stepped in on a massive scale, issuing “land seizure” orders in Area A, for example, as well as orders to uproot olive trees across vast areas of privately owned Palestinian land.

 

All of this was carried out under the banner of security, “clearing the terrain,” and “deterrence,” but in practice, it paved the way for new outposts.

 

4. Destruction in Refugee Camps and the Expulsion of Tens of Thousands of Residents

 

During Bluth’s tenure, the military entered refugee camps in the northern West Bank, expelled around 45,000 residents from their homes, most of whom are still not allowed to return, and razed infrastructure, houses, and roads.

 

Two weeks ago, the defence minister announced a plan to conduct an operation in another refugee camp, without specifying which one exactly, and expel its residents. Soon after, the IDF started an operation in Qalandiyah refugee camp which lasted two days. The military arrested dozens of people, caused extensive damage to public and private property, and injured at least 38 camp residents. Neither journalists nor ambulances were allowed into the camp during the operation.

 

The operation was supposedly carried out in response to the shooting near the village of Tell in which two Israelis and four Palestinians were killed. The shooting itself was not a spontaneous escalation, but followed a playbook the IDF and settlers have used for years. On July 24, armed settlers entered the Palestinian village of Tell in the West Bank. As senior IDF officers said themselves, it wasn’t an “innocent hike,” but part of a systematically employed strategy: settlers attack Palestinians knowing the IDF will back them.

 

Subsequently, apart from the operation in Qalandiyah, what followed the shooting was the uprooting of olive trees in several villages near Tell, a siege on Nablus, mass arrests across the West Bank, and seizure of homes in Tell. Additionally, settlers established a new outpost nearby while rampaging through Palestinian villages, injuring dozens of people, and burning homes and mosques. Thanks to Avi Bluth, settler terrorists got what they wanted again.

 

5. Rules of Engagement

 

The head of Central Command was also the man who boasted that the IDF uses live fire with the intention of killing Palestinian stone-throwers, but when Jewish settlers are involved, he suddenly objects. Apparently, doing so would have “sociological consequences.”

 

On the same occasion, he boasted that Palestinians who had been shot in the legs could be seen limping through villages across the West Bank. He called them “limping monuments”, people whose only offence had been trying to enter Israel to earn a living.

 

In short, Avi Bluth, a settler himself, did what the settler lobby wanted him to do, and even that was not enough for them.

 

You can crawl on your belly, but someone will always be willing to crawl lower, with even fewer red lines. The defence minister, for example.

 

Katz boasted about wiping out entire areas of Gaza and Lebanon. He intervened on behalf of one of the soldiers who had been accused of brutal torture and rape at Sde Teiman. He also decided that settlers must not be held in administrative detention—apparently it is a draconian, undemocratic, and illegitimate measure when used against Jewish people. When it is used against Palestinians, it is perfectly acceptable, so put your minds at ease.

 

The bottom line is that the settler terror lobby wants to release a man suspected of sexually assaulting a father in front of his children during a violent terror raid on a Palestinian village, and send him directly back to the illegal outpost where he lives and from which violent attacks have repeatedly been launched.

 

We have written this before, and we will write it again: settler terror is not the project of a few bad apples. It is large-scale, state-sanctioned terror which continues to grow.

 

It receives the IDF’s protection and weapons. It benefits from police officers who turn a blind eye and politicians who will do anything to protect the few perpetrators who are actually arrested.

 

Avi Bluth is the sovereign in the West Bank. But responsibility for settler terror, settler outposts, and the broader crossing of every legal and moral boundary does not rest with him alone. It lies with the entire senior military command, which has allowed this deterioration to deepen in the West Bank, and much more devastatingly in Gaza.

 

They all provide backing for this terror.

 

They are all responsible.

2203.

9 augustus 2026

Rotem here. I refused to serve in the Israeli military as a teen, and today I work as Resistance Solidarity Network’s media coordinator. Last week, we wrote to you about the wave of settler attacks across the occupied West Bank and the emergency protest that followed in Tel Aviv. In the days since, the violence has continued, but so has the resistance.

This past Saturday, Jewish and Palestinian citizens gathered once again in Tel Aviv, alongside demonstrations in towns across the country, to protest the escalating settler violence and the Israeli military's campaign in the West Bank.

Support the resistance to Israel's occupation today.
 Resistance Solidarity Network brings you the latest stories from the ground: movement news, refusers' stories, the latest demonstrations. We amplify and fund a wide-range of resistance groups opposing Israeli wars and occupation. Our role is to support resistance from within, and we rely on global support to carry out this work. We value whatever you can spare, but a monthly subscription makes the most impact. What struck me most wasn't only the protest itself, but everything around it. There were only a few hundred demonstrators, yet the streets were flooded with police. Patrol cars blocked intersections, Border Police units stood at nearly every corner, and undercover officers moved through the crowd. It was hard to shake the feeling that the authorities had prepared for something far larger, as though simply gathering to oppose settler violence had become a threat that demanded an overwhelming show of force.

And despite all of that, the protest was impossible to ignore. Journalists and photographers from Israel and abroad packed the sidewalks, documenting what was happening from every angle. If the intention was to intimidate people into staying home or to prevent the demonstration from having an impact, it didn't quite work. The cameras were there, and so were the people who refused to stay silent.

That is becoming a familiar pattern. As the occupation deepens and settler violence becomes increasingly normalized in Israeli public life, a relatively small number of people continue to organize, demonstrate, and insist on telling a different story. It often comes at the expense of work, friendships, and family relationships, and sometimes at the risk of arrest. They show up anyway.

We'll continue sharing these updates from the ground, because these are stories that rarely make it into the headlines: not only the violence itself, but the people who continue to resist it.

In solidarity,

Rotem Sudman
Media Coordinator
Resistance Soldiarity Netowrk

2202.

8 augustus 2026

Humanitarian Situation Report

7 August 2026

Explosive ordnance disposal officers inspecting an agricultural field in Sheikh Ajleen area for potential hazards. Photo by UNMAS

Highlights

• In the West Bank, demolitions displaced 22 people and affected over 100 others in one week. Since 2024, the monthly average of structures demolished in Area C and East Jerusalem has been at least twice the average recorded over the preceding 15 years.
• Demolition proceedings affecting four schools in Area C, including the demolition of three school structures in Masafer Yatta, highlight broader risks to education. Overall, 84 schools serving nearly 13,000 students are subject to demolition orders.
• The Israeli military issued orders extending movement restrictions in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps until 20 August and 30 September, while more than 33,000 displaced Palestine refugees remain unable to return to their homes.
• In Gaza, the humanitarian situation remains critical, amid intense military activity causing civilian casualties and hitting health and education infrastructure; overall structural damage continues to rise, a new assessment shows.
• Since October 2023, partners have conducted 3,199 assessment missions across Gaza to identify and mark explosive hazards, while constantly informing civilians about the risks. Yet, they still lack authorization to move or safely dispose of these hazardous items.
• A new nutrition survey finds maternal malnutrition, persistent stunting, and poor-quality diets among children.

Overview

Humanitarian needs across the Occupied Palestinian Territory remained severe. In Gaza, military activities, displacement, and damage to civilian infrastructure continued to deepen humanitarian needs. In the West Bank, operations by Israeli forces, settler attacks, demolitions and movement restrictions continued to drive displacement, undermine livelihoods and restrict access to essential services.

Across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, civilians continued to face heightened protection risks, repeated displacement, damage to civilian infrastructure, and disruptions to essential services, including health care, education and water supply. Humanitarian partners continued to deliver life-saving assistance despite insecurity, movement restrictions and funding constraints, responding to growing needs through food, health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), shelter, protection, education and other essential services.

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7 augustus 2026

Thousands of Jews and allies take over AIPAC headquarters in NYC to demand an end to AIPAC’s toxic influence in U.S. politics. February 2024. Photo: Jake Ratner

Take action: Stop censoring pro-Palestine students.

2200.

7 augustus 2026

De situatie in Palestina is dringend en een einde aan de gewelddadige onderdrukking van de Palestijnse bevolking lijkt niet nabij. Toch is wanhoop niet het antwoord, betrokkenheid blijft het antwoord. En dat is minder moeilijk dan het soms lijkt.

BDS is niet ingewikkeld, meedoen is simpel. Je hoeft geen activist te zijn of een organisatie op te richten. Je kunt beginnen met een concrete bijdrage, bijvoorbeeld door een product niet te kopen. Neem Maria Remmerswaal, die geen Coca Cola meer drinkt, maar uitsluitend Palestine Cola of Gaza Cola. Alleen al door haar voorbeeld te volgen, kun je verschil maken. En juist nu het wat stiller is, tellen jouw acties meer. Hieronder geven we je actuele informatie, en hopelijk ook inspiratie. Want BDS werkt.

Strijdbare groet,
Het BDS team

2199.

7 augustus 2026

Deze week laten we in onze verhalen opnieuw zien hoe verschillende werkelijkheden en werelden naast elkaar bestaan. In Gaza blijft Israël doorgaan met het doden van burgers, onder wie driehonderd kinderen sinds het 'staakt-het-vuren' bijna een jaar geleden. Op de Westelijke Jordaanoever maken geweld van kolonisten en legerinvallen het dagelijks leven en reizen steeds onveiliger. En zelfs een stille herdenking in Rotterdam blijkt niet veilig voor Joodse demonstranten die protesteren tegen de aanwezigheid van de Israëlische ambassadeur.

Daartegenover staat een andere, meer hoopgevende werkelijkheid. In Gaza openen tussen de puinhopen, ondanks het gebrek aan eten en drinken en ondanks trauma’s die nog generaties zullen doorwerken, opnieuw restaurants en cafés. Jonge Palestijnen blijven muziek maken op gerepareerde instrumenten, die zelf de littekens van de oorlog dragen. En in boeken, foto’s en familiegeschiedenissen blijven Palestijnen hun verleden, identiteit en verhalen bewaren.

Haifa Abu Shamleh’ (22) en Wajd Akram Al-Jaru (23) blijven muziek maken in de Gazastrook © Rita Baroud

Israël kan mensen verdrijven, opsluiten en hun huizen verwoesten. Maar hun stemmen tot zwijgen brengen blijkt een stuk moeilijker. Juist in die verhalen, muziek en alledaagse momenten van herstel klinkt iets door wat zich niet zomaar laat onderdrukken: de vastberadenheid om te blijven bestaan, herinneren en vertellen.Helpt u ons niet alleen het onrecht aan te kaarten, maar ook verhalen van hoop te delen? 

Veerkracht in Gaza

Restaurants zijn een plek om op adem te komen en bewijzen veerkracht
4 augustus 2026

Een comfortabele stoel, een kop koffie, een werkende wc; nieuwe restaurants tussen de puinhopen van Gaza roepen voor een kort moment de herinnering aan betere tijden op. Ze belichamen de weigering om geweld de identiteit van de stad te laten bepalen, schrijft Rita Baroud.

 Lees het verslagIsraël kan de Palestijnen in de Gazastrook niet tot zwijgen dwingen
1 augustus 2026

Ondanks alle ellende blijven jonge Palestijnen in de Gazastrook muziek maken. Op kapotte instrumenten, onder de raketaanvallen en in overvolle tentenkampen. Wachtend op de dag dat het geluid van applaus eindelijk boven dat van explosies uitstijgt, schrijft Rita Baroud.

Waarom gaat zelfs ‘speldenprikje’ tegen handel met nederzettingen EU te ver?

6 augustus 2026

Terwijl landen als Spanje, Ierland, België en Nederland – en ook Noorwegen en het Verenigd Koninkrijk – maatregelen nemen tegen de import van goederen en diensten uit Israëlische nederzettingen, blijft het op EU-niveau opvallend stil. Dat is des te opmerkelijker omdat het internationaal recht staten verplicht handel met illegale nederzettingen tegen te gaan. Individuele Europese landen lijken daarmee de juiste weg in te slaan, terwijl de EU als geheel het internationaal recht terzijde schuift.

Waarom gebeurt er op Europees niveau zo weinig? En is een gang naar het Europees Hof voor de Rechten van de Mens dan écht de enige methode om de EU tot actie te manen?

Geweld op de Westelijke Jordaanoever

Palestijnse tiener in coma aan ziekenhuisbed geketend
5 augustus 2026

Mohammed Hamid (15) ligt in coma geketend aan een Israëlisch ziekenhuisbed in West-Jeruzalem. Hij liep in Israëlische detentie schurft op, werd daar niet voor behandeld en verkeert in levensgevaar. Zijn ouders mogen hem niet bezoeken.

Opinie | Het is te gevaarlijk geworden om naar de Westelijke Jordaanoever te reizen
5 augustus 2026

In een door gewapende kolonisten uitgelokt incident heeft de Israëlische regering een aanleiding gevonden de repressie op de Westelijke Jordaanoever nog eens verder op te voeren. Kolonisten en het Israëlische leger vallen overal Palestijnse burgers aan. In hun huizen, op de velden, in ziekenhuizen en op de wegen. Ze steken moskeeën, auto’s en woningen in brand. Tegelijkertijd bestormt het Israëlische leger Palestijnse steden en dorpen. Palestijnen raden journalist Eva Ludemann aan haar reis uit te stellen. Omdat het simpelweg vrijwel onmogelijk is geworden op een verantwoorde wijze verslag te doen.

En verder:

‘Waarom konden wij niet veilig, stil en waardig herdenken?’
4 augustus 2026

In gevestigde media verschenen verslagen van de herdenking van de deportatie van Joodse Rotterdammers bij Loods 24 afgelopen donderdag. Daarin werd over een ‘verstoring’ gesproken. Maar de betogers hielden juist een stil protest, wat uitliep op fysiek geweld door omstanders.

Levens van Palestijnse vaders, inspiratie voor hun dochters
4 augustus 2026

Twee dochters reconstrueerden het leven van hun Palestijnse vader, in twee boeken die in vorm sterk van elkaar verschillen, maar in thematiek heel vergelijkbaar zijn. Marianne Dagevos van Podium voor Palestina las ze kort na elkaar.

Agenda

Wegens de zomervakantie worden er momenteel weinig culturele of politieke evenementen georganiseerd over Palestina. Wel vinden er nog steeds bijna dagelijks in heel Nederland demonstraties, wakes en protestacties plaats. Alle informatie daarover vindt u in onze agenda.
 Organiseert u een bijeenkomst, demonstratie, lezing, filmvertoning of een andere activiteit over Palestina? Laat het dan aan ons weten door een mail te sturen naar Ook tijdens de vakantieperiode gaat ons werk gewoon door. Achter de schermen bereiden we nieuwe acties, campagnes en initiatieven voor waarmee we ons de komende maanden zullen inzetten voor rechtvaardigheid in Palestina. Houd onze website en nieuwsbrief in de gaten – we kijken ernaar uit om daar binnenkort meer over te delen.

2198.

5 augustus 2026

Our politics will never be the same.

 

JVP Action candidates are winning up and down the ballot.

2197.

4 augustus 2026

2196.

4 augustus 2026

During this week’s phonebank (Wednesday, 7pm ET) we're focusing our calls on constituents of four key senators — lawmakers who could play a pivotal role in stopping the current NDAA (Pentagon spending bill) and blocking the "Deadly Merger" provision, which would permanently fuse U.S. and Israeli military tech and surveillance systems.

The Senate hasn't scheduled its NDAA vote yet, which is exactly why we need to move now. Building pressure on these senators early lays the groundwork to stop this disastrous bill before it's too late.

These are some of the easiest calls you could make through a phonebank. You’ll chat directly with supporters of DSA, USCPR Action, and Adalah Justice Project and patch them through to their senators.

See an email from our partners at US Campaign for Palestinian Rights below for more information. Hope to see you there! - Audrey, AJPRSVP for Wednesday, July 29th at 7 pm ET

2026 has been a big year for this movement. From BDS wins to some of the closest votes we've seen in Congress, we're building momentum and we’ll keep fighting to end this genocide with everything we've got.

Nearly a thousand DSA, Adalah Justice Project, and USCPR Action members have called tens of thousands of community members and driven thousands of calls into congressional offices. That kind of pressure is part of why the last few weeks have brought some of the most contested votes on military spending and weapons funding to Israel that we've seen in years.

We're not done yet. Join us for another supporter-to-supporter phonebank, to push on the Senate to stop the U.S.-Israel military merger and block the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

While Trump claimed to have reached an agreement for “peace” in Gaza on Thursday, Israel hasn’t agreed to anything and has only increased its horrific bombings of Palestinian families. We need to stop the U.S. from combining military tech with the Israeli military. We need an arms embargo now.

On Wednesday, we'll be calling constituents of several key movable, influential Senators, and patching them straight through to their Senator's office.

Honestly, these are some of the more enjoyable calls you can make. You'll be talking with fellow DSA, USCPR Action, and Adalah Justice Project supporters about how they can take action ahead of upcoming votes on the deadly military merger.

No prior experience needed. The organizers will walk you through everything when you get there. Sign up now.

RSVP FOR THE PHONEBANK

Onward to liberation,

Ahmad Abuznaid
Executive Director
US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action

2195.

3 augustus 2026

Rotem here. Israeli occupation forces and settlers have made it clear time and time again: they do not care that the world can see their crimes, which are well-documented. The pogroms are becoming widespread, the number of Palestinians shot dead by Israeli forces continues to grow and Israel’s annexation of the West Bank continues to expand. Last Friday, Israeli media widely reported on what it called a “terror attack” targeting Israeli settlers. As videos emerged, it became clear the story was, as is often the case, flipped on its head: Israeli settlers entered a Palestinian town without permission, threatened residents after they were not welcome, and the situation escalated, until a Palestinian man shot two settlers dead in what most would call self-defense.

Support the resistance to Israel's occupation today.
 Resistance Solidarity Network brings you the latest stories from the ground: movement news, refusers' stories, the latest demonstrations. We amplify and fund a wide-range of resistance groups opposing Israeli wars and occupation. Our role is to support resistance from within, and we rely on global support to carry out this work. We value whatever you can spare, but a monthly subscription makes the most impact. Jewish anti-occupation activists urgently gathered in Tel Aviv for an emergency protest against the violence soon after, without permission from police. The feeling among activists was not only that the grip of Israeli occupation is deepening, but that even in the face of the most obvious case of self-defense, the story is always twisted and fictionalized in Jewish supremacist fashion. There was a frustration shared among the demonstrators: in what world is this possible? In a society built on Jewish supremacy, whether its liberal or fascist, it’s possible.

The demonstration was met with a heavy police presence. Officers forcibly dispersed the crowd and arrested several protesters. That same night, hundreds of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villages across the West Bank. Homes and public spaces were vandalized, cars were burned, and residents were terrorized. According to reports, at least six Palestinians were killed and around seventy were arrested in the aftermath.

For many Israelis, these events have been presented as a justified response to what much of the mainstream media described simply as a "terrorist attack." Calls for revenge quickly became normalized, while the collective punishment of Palestinian communities received little scrutiny.

Yet even in this climate, some refuse to accept the consensus. They leave work to attend emergency demonstrations, risk arrest, and strain relationships with their families, friends and colleagues as they are doxxed by growing right-wing media. They choose to stand publicly against war, occupation, and settler violence when doing so carries profound social and political consequences.

These acts of dissent rarely make headlines, but they matter. Resistance from within Israeli society is often small, fragile, and isolated. It survives because people continue to organize and build an ecosystem of resistance, from organizing to media work and protective presence.

We'll continue sharing these stories from the ground: stories of people who refuse war, challenge occupation, and insist that another future remains possible.


In solidarity,

Rotem Sudman
Media Coordinator
Resistance Soldiarity Netowrk

2194.

1 augustus 2026

Humanitarian Situation Report

31 July 2026

Laila, a mother from Gaza, has been displaced over 17 times. With no source of income, she cares for her children and relatives with chronic illnesses. "Without the community kitchen, I don't know what we would do," she says. Photo by WFP

Highlights

• In Gaza, food insecurity has eased, but needs remain high, and declining aid coverage since February 2026 risks reversing gains, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis.
• Gender-based violence is on the rise, with a 27 per cent increase in reported cases between January-March to April-June 2026, according to UNFPA.
• Shortages of insulin, cardiac catheterization materials, hemodialysis supplies and critical diagnostic and monitoring equipment hinder the treatment of non-communicable diseases in Gaza.
• In the West Bank, eight Palestinians, including one child, and two members of Israeli forces were killed in Nablus, Jenin and East Jerusalem; July was jointly with March 2026 the deadliest month for Palestinians in incidents involving settlers since October 2023.
• In just one week, Israeli settler attacks displaced at least 20 Palestinian families and caused damage to homes, vehicles and livelihood assets; over 40 settler attacks resulted in casualties or property damage.
• Israeli forces and officials entered the United Nations Kalandia Training Centre in East Jerusalem for the second time in less than a month, disrupting educational activities and breaching the inviolability of UN premises.

Overview

Heightened violence and Israeli military operations continue to drive civilian casualties, destruction of property, and displacement across the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). Coupled with severe and tightening access restrictions, these practices are further hindering people’s ability to safely reach workplaces and essential services, while humanitarian needs remain acute. In the Gaza Strip, airstrikes, shelling and other attacks over the past week have reportedly resulted in civilian casualties, including young children. n the West Bank, a series of deadly incidents and an intensifying pattern of settler violence brought July to match March 2026 as the deadliest month for Palestinians in settler attacks since October 2023. Demolitions, settler violence and related access restrictions have displaced an average of 17 people, including eight children, per day in 2026 – double the daily average recorded over the preceding three years.

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