These articles are useful for kicking off conversations.

The Most Prominent Historian of Palestine on What the Last Year Has Meant by Noah Lanard | Mother Jones
Khalidi argues that Biden’s and Harris’ failure to acknowledge Palestinian suffering or leverage U.S. influence to halt Israel’s actions reflects the administration’s alignment with pro-Israel lobbying and its detachment from potential domestic electoral consequences, especially among young voters and Arab Americans. He expresses concern that this support may deepen regional conflicts, risking a broader, prolonged war. Khalidi’s historical perspective suggests that ignoring the humanitarian impact of Israeli policies and dismissing shifts in public opinion may lead to further instability and entrenched resistance.

Chalking Bans and ID Checks at Protests Repress Palestine Solidarity on Campus by Amira Jarmakani | truthout
Amidst ongoing conflict in Gaza, U.S. universities have implemented strict policies to curb pro-Palestine activism on campuses. These measures include bans on encampments, strict ID requirements, and limitations on free speech activities like chalking and mask-wearing. Citing antisemitism as justification, some universities have blocked screenings of pro-Palestinian films and disciplined students and faculty supporting the movement. Organizations such as Hillel and the ADL have influenced campus policies, advocating for restrictions under the pretense of security, and new rules target pro-Palestinian speech as unlawful. In this climate, university administrations leverage militarized strategies that echo historical counterinsurgency tactics, employing policy as a tool of repression, and sidelining dissent in a manner reminiscent of past political crackdowns.

Opposed to Genocide in Gaza, This Is the Conscience of a Nation Speaking Through Your Kids by Rashid Khalidi | Common Dreams
In a speech following a police raid on Columbia University demonstrators, Rashid Khalidi compares the current student activism to the Vietnam War protests of the 1960s, asserting that students are once again the conscience of the nation, risking their futures to stand against injustice. Khalidi criticized the university administration for succumbing to external pressures and ignoring public opinion, which he believes already opposes the war and genocide. He emphasized that the police repression faced by students is only a fraction of what Palestinians have endured under occupation for decades, and he called for continued resistance against these injustices.

“Why we’re not seeing the real Gaza war in the media” by Norman Solomon | Salon
This article highlights how major newspapers disproportionately emphasize Israeli deaths while using more emotional language for Israeli victims than for Palestinians. The piece criticizes the superficial and repetitive nature of coverage, which normalizes the escalating violence in Gaza. The author contends that Israeli actions, including civilian deaths and the destruction of infrastructure, are intentionally underreported, with the U.S. government complicit by providing military support.

Biden’s Israel Policy Has Led Us to the Brink of War on Iran by Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J.S. Davies | World BEYOND War
Following recent Israeli assassinations of Iranian, Hezbollah, and Hamas leaders, Iran launched about 180 missiles at Israel on October 1, escalating regional tensions. Israel is now contemplating a counterattack that could lead to all-out war, potentially drawing the U.S. into the conflict. While Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has sought diplomatic reconciliation with the West and reiterated Iran’s commitment to the JCPOA nuclear deal, the U.S. continues to supply Israel with military aid and obstruct ceasefire efforts at the U.N. The Biden administration’s lack of diplomatic intervention, along with Netanyahu’s longstanding push for U.S. involvement against Iran, has intensified the crisis. Pro-Iran militias in Iraq have threatened U.S. bases if America joins Israel in attacking Iran, further fueling the likelihood of a larger, devastating conflict.

Maine’s largest city passes resolution divesting from Israel over Gaza war | Bangor Daily
The resolution, sponsored by the Maine Coalition for Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace Maine chapter, aims to withhold all city money and investments from companies that are “complicit in Israel’s war crimes in Gaza”. The resolution includes a divestment list naming 85 entities, including Boeing, Caterpillar, Chevron, General Dynamics, Intel and Volvo.

Anti-Zionism as Decolonisation | Good Shepherd Collective
The article argues that anti-Zionism is a form of decolonization and indigenous liberation, positioning Zionism as a colonial project that erases Palestinian identity and seizes resources. It highlights the growing global movement against Zionism, spurred by the atrocities in Gaza, with new activists searching for anti-Zionist spaces rooted in Palestinian leadership. The article asserts that dismantling Zionist structures is essential for decolonization, stressing that Palestinians are the primary authors of anti-Zionist thought. It critiques Western frameworks and NGOs for sidelining true decolonization and calls for bold, transparent anti-Zionist organizing focused on Palestinian liberation.

Atlanta to Gaza: Free Palestine and Stop Cop Cities | Mondoweiss
From Atlanta to Palestine, our struggles are inextricably intertwined, and the latest round of police violence against protesters proves this. The IOF utilizes their Urban Warfare Training Center, built in 2005, to “train” IOF soldiers in violent occupation and counter-insurgency, brutally suppressing Palestinians and Palestinian resistance daily. This includes environments designed to replicate the ‘on the ground conditions’ in Gaza, known as “Mini Gaza“, and is the dangerous inspiration for the Cop Cities being built across the U.S.

How the U.S. and Israel exchange tactics in violence and control| Al Jazeera
Two decades of Israeli-US police cooperation includes training in racial profiling and violent suppression of protests. Since just months after the 9/11 terror attacks, agents from the FBI, CIA, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – have been schooled at these meetings in both Israel and the U.S., sponsored by far-right Israeli lobby organisations.

Rashid Khalidi: Violent Settler Colonialism Caused This War | Jacobin
Rashid Khalidi is a leading historian of the Middle East. In an interview, he explains how the current war in Palestine is the product of decades of violent settler colonialism designed to drive the Palestinians from their land.