Emma Watson, J.K. Rowling, and the Connections Between Hollywood and the National Security State, with Alan MacLeod

The Department of Defense has been involved in the production of over 800 movies and over 1,100 U.S. TV shows.

Lowkey
By Lowkey

Both “Harry Potter” star Emma Watson and the book’s author, J.K. Rowling, have been courting controversy: the former for posting a message of solidarity with the Palestinian people on her official Instagram page; the latter after comedian Jon Stewart took her to task for the insensitive and antisemitic portrayal of goblins in her book and movie

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BDS at the Sydney Festival, with Jennine Khalik and Sara Saleh

If Israel’s name becomes toxic in the world of culture, the dam holding political change back might begin to break.

Lowkey
By Lowkey

 Just hours before it is set to begin, dozens of acts are withdrawing from the prestigious Sydney Festival in protest of the event’s sponsorship by the Israeli Embassy. One group that has chosen to do so are Melbourne-based musicians Karate Boogaloo, who explained that: Boycotts and divestments have a strong track record of holding governments

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Amid Torrent of Anti-BDS Legislation, Columbia University Students Win Referendum Against Apartheid

Columbia’s President has already hinted at efforts to undermine the referendum’s success, claiming that the BDS is tied to anti-Semitism and ignores “similar issues in other countries.”

Kathryn Shihadah
By Kathryn Shihadah

In a political climate that broadly supports Israel both financially and ideologically, a student group at Columbia University has beaten the odds, passing a referendum that calls for circumspection of its school’s investment in the state. What makes this accomplishment particularly striking is the fact that Congress and U.S. states are

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The Biden Campaign Walks Back its Attack on BDS… Sort Of

The Biden campaign’s attack on BDS and activist Linda Sarsour shows that the DNC is not ready to truly embrace the progressive values it claims to represent.

Kathryn Shihadah
By Kathryn Shihadah
Linda Sarsour Feature photo

Linda Sarsour, a prominent Palestinian American activist, got the cold shoulder from the Biden campaign last week, followed by a sotto voce apology – but an elephant lingers in the room with the initials B.D.S. Sarsour has worked across the progressive agenda on issues running from immigration, mass incarceration, and Black Lives Matter, to name

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Head of UK Israel Lobby Group Announces Gov’t Plan To Ban Boycotting Israel

After an election dogged by the weaponization of anti-Semitism, the victorious UK conservative party has announced a new legislative push that would prevent the public sector from working with any individual or organization that supports a boycott of Israel’s government.

Whitney Webb
By Whitney Webb
UK Israel Boycott Ban Feature photo

JERUSALEM -- Following the results of the recent UK election, the victorious Conservative party has now declared their intention to make it illegal for public institutions in the country to support non-violent boycotts of the state of Israel in any capacity.  On Sunday, the UK Special Envoy for post-Holocaust matters, Lord Eric Pickles, gave a

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How Trump’s New Anti-Semitism Order Effectively Criminalizes Dissent

Trump’s anti-Semitism bill is unlikely to dampen the flames of hatred towards Jewish Americans or make them feel safer; indeed, outlawing criticism of Israel may have the opposite effect.

Alan Macleod
By Alan Macleod

President Trump is expected to sign an executive order today purporting to target anti-Semitism on college campuses. However, the measure is understood on all sides as an attempt to outlaw the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and criticism of Israel more generally. The order would mean educational institutions receiving federal

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