In the pro-Netanyahu demonstration today, one of his supporters threatens left-wing Jews: "We’ll beat you. You’re the first enemies we’ll send far, far away, to Birkenau, to Auschwitz, and we’ll rebuild Sobibor for you!" Israel 2026. The Jewish state.

🔴 UPDATE | Activist Andrey X and journalist Jasper Nathaniel remain under arrest following Wednesday’s violent Israeli settler attack in Umm al-Khair, in the occupied West Bank. ➤ Fellow activist Adele Shoko said lawyers have now spoken to both men and confirmed they are “physically okay.” ➤ Shoko previously reported that Andrey was severely beaten and lost consciousness several times in front of Israeli police officers. Video below shows part of the confrontation.

"Coloured" voter casting his ballot in an Apartheid South Africa election in Johannesburg, August 1984.... but please tell me more about South African 'apartheid'

Eisenkot is a hawk, even by the standards of Israel's deeply militaristic political culture. Yet in his campaign he broke two major taboos in extremist-dominated Israel: challenging alarmism about Iranian "nuclear weapons" and rejecting regime change through military force.

It is just so unbelievably cynical. The prime minister of Israel spent all of Election Day texting scare tweets about Arabs “descending on the polls” in order to “steal the election.” Please take three short seconds to think about what would happen if Mamdani had tweeted before his election, “Jews are heading to the polls in droves. This is a war over New York City.” And then attached a photo of Birkat Cohanim at the Kotel as proof. Now take three more seconds and imagine his tactic working. Then, after Arab citizens gathered themselves up and exercised their nonviolent, legal right to participate in their country’s free and fair election, the change bloc – the good guys. The liberals. The we-are-not-our-government, time-for-a-change, Bibi-must-go guys – say to their fellow citizens, “Sorry, did you think your vote mattered? Oh no no no no no. We’ll throw everything else away before we allow your leaders to have a seat in our government.” And not only will the Hasbarists never admit any of this, but they are sharing some of the exact same photos Bibi used to terrify his base into voting. Only they are pretending to be proud. “Look at our incredible values at work. Look at all these Arabs voting. We just love it so much. Apartheid? Here? In the only democracy in the Middle East? We don’t think so.” Even when the comment section is full of people revealing the truth, admitting they don’t actually think Arabs should have the right to vote, spewing vile, racist comments about the way they are dressed, “what that polling station must have smelled like,” even that is not enough. Hasbara is a drug. It is consumed by addicts who take it to dull the pain of having to confront the truth. And it is constantly being pushed by shameless and aggressive dealers who do not care how dangerous it is.

This is a very significant story, but there is a lot we still don't know about what is motivating Liberman, who is the most unpredictable Israeli politician of all. Here is what we do know: 1) Since election day, Liberman has stopped answering calls from Gadi Eisenkot and Naftali Bennett. Only campaign staff are still in touch. 2) He has refused a minority government in writing. In August he posted: “Yisrael Beytenu will not be a partner in any constellation for a minority government. Period.” In October he said he would not back one even as a transitional government. 3) If anyone from the bloc joins Netanyahu, Liberman wants it to be Eisenkot, according to Channel 12. He expects Eisenkot to face pressure to join a unity government, and he wants Eisenkot to make that move, not himself. 4) He has already set this up. In October he accused Eisenkot of secretly planning a government with Netanyahu and called him “Gantz 2.” Eisenkot has ruled out serving in a government led by Netanyahu. 5) Liberman has also written off the opposition’s fallback plan. He sees no practical way to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana. Without the Speaker, the opposition cannot control the Knesset agenda or pass laws against Netanyahu without forming a government. 6) People around him expect a security escalation to complicate the political picture. He is waiting rather than committing. The war in Iran could give him the excuse he seems to be looking for. 7) His 7 seats decide the arithmetic. With 84.4% counted, Netanyahu’s bloc has 54. Liberman voting against alongside it makes 61, enough to bring down any minority government on its own. Without Liberman, the opposition shrinks from 49 seats to about 42. He has done this before. After the 2009 election, he took a week-long vacation before joining Netanyahu’s government. So don't take his refusal to work with the opposition right now as a final word. But it shows he is going to milk his position as kingmaker for all its worth.

“There was no Democratic election in Israel.” @PeterBeinart @normfinkelstein @OmarBaddar on the “rigged” election that disenfranchises so many living under Israel’s control and leaders that dismiss the participation of many of its own citizens.

🎥 New footage of Wednesday’s Israeli settler attack in Umm al-Khair, in the occupied West Bank, shows settlers repeatedly punching and beating activist Andrey X, forcibly grabbing and holding him as he screams in pain. The footage also shows settlers physically assaulting Jasper Nathaniel. Adele Shoko, who shared the video, said she and Jasper were also beaten, that settlers stole Andrey’s phone and her glasses, and that Jasper was pepper-sprayed and subsequently arrested.

It has been amusing to see many of the accounts that are always lecturing us about Israel admit they cannot understand the Israeli elections. Have you considered that your total ignorance also applies to the conflict? Maybe shut the fuck up and learn something?

Just had a fantastic interview with @academic_la on whether Netanyahu will remain in power despite losing the election yesterday. This is one you don't want to miss! Will Netanyahu Still Remain in Power? w/ Shaiel Ben-Ephraim