Happy Labor Day, Folks!
We’ve got a number of things to cover in this newsletter, so let’s get right to it.
Video from “Ask Dr. Shushan Anything”
It was wonderful to spend time with several of you in Office Hours on Friday. Special thanks to the delightful person who wrote afterward:
Thank you for your office hours today!!! I’m always impressed by your stamina, not to mention your eloquence, knowledge, menshlichkeit and everything else I love about you!
Menshlichkeit is Yiddish for human-ness, and it signifies kindness, empathy, or good character. I’m grateful for the lovely compliment.
The questions I fielded in Office Hours touched on:
Potential for a ground war against Iran
Why Israeli authorities disregarded intelligence regarding a possible Hamas attack before October 7
House passage of HR 4795: “Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act” — a First Amendment-violating bill that promotes Israel/settlements at the expense of US universities
My experiences living, researching, and traveling in the Middle East
The following is a clip in which I talk about how HR 4795 passed the House. The bill violates the right to boycott, and would essentially force universities to engage with Israel (including Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory) in order to receive federal student aid and other Department of Education funding. AIPAC endorsed the bill and is pushing for it to be introduced in the Senate.
Office Hours are an exclusive benefit for paid subscribers, to whom the full video recording is available. If you’re not yet a paid subscriber, I hope you’ll consider becoming one now…
We’ve got New Year’s sale running, so it’s a great time to treat yourself and support The Debrief!
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NEW YEAR’S SALE
Kick Off 5787 with an Annual Subscription to The Debrief!
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is right around the corner. It begins at sundown this Friday, September 11 and starts the year 5787 on the Hebrew calendar. In honor of the New Year, this is the perfect time to treat yourself — or a friend — to a full year of full access to The Debrief.
Coming Up This Week!
TOMORROW (Tuesday, Sept 8) at 11am:
Eli Clifton & Ian Lustick on their new book, Israel’s Lobby: America in the Grip of a Foreign Power
I’ll speak with Eli Clifton and Ian Lustick about their new book on “Israel’s lobby,” a term they use to refer to not only AIPAC but a network of organizations, activists, and donors who are “working in a concerted manner to promote an American foreign policy serving the interests of a foreign power”… Israel.
The book traces the mechanisms by which the Lobby operates and its financial scale, arguing that it poses substantial harm to US foreign policy and America’s international standing. Further, Israel’s Lobby traces the muzzling of dissent on US campuses and beyond through campaigns to paint criticism of Israel as antisemitism. Throughout, the book warns of the corruption of US politics, with a small number of wealthy donors shaping American elections.
We’ll discuss the above, as well as momentous shifts in public opinion on Israel-Palestine, how they are playing out in the 2026 midterm election, and what to expect going forward.
Eli Clifton is an investigative journalist who focuses on money in politics and US foreign policy. Ian Lustick is an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania.
Join us!
Friday, September 11 at 11am Eastern:
Lara Friedman on HR 4795 and Its Broader Context
Interested in learning more about HR 4795, the bill I spoke about in the Office Hours clip above? Lara knows more about it — the substance, the politics, and the broader context of the battle by what Clifton & Lustick term “Israel’s lobby” to quash Americans’ rights to engage in economic boycotts of Israel and/or its illegal settlements — than anyone else I know.
Lara Friedman is President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace. Previously, she was Director of Policy and Government Relations at Americans for Peace Now. (I succeeded her in that role — big shoes to fill!) Lara is one of the sharpest analysts on Israel-Palestine and US foreign policy. Her Weekly Legislative Round-Ups are indispensable reading for congressional staff, advocates, and analysts alike — anyone who wants to understand what Members of Congress are doing vis-a-vis the Middle East. She is THE person you go to if you’ve drafted a bill, congressional letter, or report and want someone to find the holes and tell you everything that’s wrong with it.
When Lara last appeared on The Debrief, she delivered the podcast was only available to paid subscribers. This time, there’s no paywall. Don’t miss it!
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Enjoy your Labor Day, folks.
I look forward to seeing many of you this week!
Warm regards,
Debra
