1. Against the backdrop of the last occurrences in Gaza, the Israeli government is appointing dangerous radicals to key positions, making permanent the extreme-right rule over Israeli institutions: a week and a half ago, David Zini was appointed as head of Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency)>
1. We are hopeful for the first time in two horrific years. A ceasefire deal was signed between Israel and Hamas. If completed, it will bring an end to the genocidal war in Gaza. It sees Israeli and Palestinian hostages and prisoners freed, and a retreat of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip>
The huge powers of the Palestine solidarity movement that erupted all over the world in the past 2 years must be channeled to a productive pressure campaign against the occupation and apartheid, and build a global front for a Palestinian state, isolating Israel and the US.
Therefore, it is critical to continue pressuring for persistence of the ceasefire, full withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza, and Palestinian sovereignty over the Strip. It is also essential to pursue accountability for the genocide through legal and other tools. >
On the other hand, Trump is still very loyal to Netanyahu and to the settler movement, and his recent slight tilt toward the side of the Arab world does not mean he has any sentiments for the Palestinians (nor does his buddies in Saudi and UAE). >
This doesn't mean there will be a PLO government in Gaza soon. Still, it does mean that the Israeli consistent demand for full security control over the Gaza Strip is unacceptable to regional actors and is not completely endorsed by the Trump administration. >
While the second stage of the Trump plan is an imperialist plan determined to appoint Tony Blaire to watch over Gaza and develop it for investors, when you look at the way the different actors interpret the plan, many insist on Palestinian rule there. >
Most importantly - it appears to be the end of the war, and therefore the genocide. There are indications that Trump, together with Turkey, Qatar and Egypt, gave guarantees that they will not allow Israel to return to war. >
🧵 There are good reasons to be a bit happy today, and they go beyond the end of the slaughter in Gaza and the release of many people on both sides. The way this ceasefire was achieved is better than most optimistic scenarios for a ceasefire we could have expected. >
A year ago, Alma Itzhaky and I wrote about the right’s post-October-7 vision for Israel - a Jewish Sparta. Today Bibi used the reference of Sparta to describe his vision of dealing with international isolation.
A new poll finds that 32% of Israeli Jews think it is right for soldiers to refuse participating in warfare if it endangers the hostages. The process of crumbling trust in the state, which started during the legal overhaul, is intensifying.
This wealthy society is sacrificing itself for military aggression and war crimes. People are leaving or seeking an exit. Alongside the horror in Gaza - this is all very sad as well.
Meanwhile, the civilian infrastructure for Israeli citizens is crumbling. One can even see it in the streets of Tel Aviv - things are falling apart, PTSD is pervasive, traffic is horrific, and the health system is caving under pressure. >
These structural changes to the Israeli priorities are also creating a dependency and profiteering on the forever war among different constituencies within Israeli society - permanent reservists, private contractors hired to destroy Gaza, and the arms and cyber industries. >
I wouldn’t be surprised if this forever-war material reality, which normalizes the Idea that Israel will always be under threat of another surprise attack, would lead to a gradual fracturing of the peace accords with Egypt and Jordan. >
Israel was always an extremely militarized society, but the centrality of the army reduced since the 80s. The ideological transformation since 7/10 puts Israel on track back to the 1970s hyper-militarisation (a military with a state rather than a state with a military). >
The cuts pay for a 30 billion increase in the military's budget, and for investment in Israel's forever-war-footing and the annihilation of Gaza. It includes investment in arms restocking after the Iran war, as well as payment for the new round of reservist enlistment. >
🧵 Yesterday, the Israeli cabinet approved a cut of 3.35% of all government ministries' budgets (excluding defence) starting in 2026. For example, 230 million (67$ million) Shekels will be cut from the Ministry of Transportation, and 125 million from the Ministry of Education. >
Apart from Trump, the entire international community is nominally against this plan. For Germany, speaking out against the plan is not enough. It must act decisively and cut all support from the Israeli war machine. Otherwise, Germany is de facto supporting ethnic cleansing.
It is part of an ethnic cleansing effort, making the entire Gaza Strip unlivable for the foreseeable future. Israel is hoping that the worsening humanitarian crisis - and the genocidal slaughter of Gazans - will force other countries to take in Palestinians in large numbers. >
The Israeli government just announced its plan for occupying Gaza City. This means the total destruction of what remains of the built environment in the Strip - turning Gaza city into rubble, just like Rafah and Khan Yunis before, and a permanent Israeli occupation. >
In any case, nothing could really change dramatically as long as the right-wing fanatic government rules Israel, and as long as Trump permits Bibi's forever war. The most important thing is to put all the pressure possible to stop the further destruction and starvation of Gaza.
