Deconstructed Podcast: “The Squad,” Part 3: The Last Gaza War
Dec 15, 2023
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This podcast explores the recent Gaza war, the change in narrative, and the denouncement by Democrats. It discusses the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the controversy over funding for Israel's Iron Dome, and the divisive vote on Israel and Palestine. The chapter also explores the influence of money in politics and the challenges faced by progressive candidates in the primary season.
The 2021 Gaza war reshaped the Democratic Party's stance on Israel and Palestine, with a larger block of Democrats denouncing the assault.
Progressive members of Congress, like AOC and Ilhan Omar, faced intensified opposition and financial challenges from establishment-friendly groups during Democratic primaries.
Deep dives
Israeli Defense Forces' assault in Gaza and the role of Democrats
The podcast episode discusses the recent Israeli Defense Forces' assault in Gaza, highlighting it as one of many attacks launched by Israel over the years. It highlights that the response from the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives was different this time, with a larger block of Democrats denouncing the assault. The narrative around the attack was more balanced, leading to President Joe Biden ordering a halt to the operation, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reluctantly complied with.
Evictions in Sheikh Jarrah and the escalation of violence
The episode explores the evictions of Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem, which sparked protests and tensions. It identifies the new element in the situation as Hamas, the government in Gaza, warning Israel of reprisals if the evictions continued. As Israel did not back off, Hamas launched rocket attacks into Israel, prompting an Israeli assault on Gaza and the initiation of the Gaza War of 2021.
Progressive members of Congress speaking out
The podcast highlights progressive members of Congress, including AOC, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna Pressley, who spoke out against the Israeli assault and denounced the US-Israel relationship. Their speeches emphasized the need to address Palestinian rights and the impact of the conflict on civilians. However, the episode also mentions divisions within the progressive movement, with some members, like Jamaal Bowman, voting in favor of Iron Dome funding.
Intensified opposition and influx of campaign funding
The podcast discusses the intensified opposition faced by progressive candidates, particularly members of the Squad, in Democratic primaries. It describes how groups like DMFI, APEC, and mainstream Democrats PAC directed significant campaign funding toward candidates, including Chantel Brown, to counter the progressive momentum. This influx of corporate and crypto money tipped the financial balance in favor of establishment-friendly candidates, creating a challenging environment for progressives.
Today, we’re sharing an episode of our sister podcast, Deconstructed, hosted by Ryan Grim.
More than 18,600 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel’s latest wave of attacks began just over two months ago, following the October 7 Hamas attack that killed some 1,200 Israelis. While the Biden administration continues to support Israel in its devastation, politicians and heads of state around the world are calling for a ceasefire. The last extended war on Gaza, in 2021, would reshape the Democratic Party's posture toward Israel and Palestine.
On this episode of Deconstructed, Ryan Grim brings us another audio documentary, adapted from an excerpt of his new book, “The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution.” In this episode, Grim revisits the 2021 Gaza war. When members of the Squad and their allies began speaking out about the U.S. government’s support for Israel, the debates in Washington grew extremely messy. The Squad’s opposition led to a political showdown, with special interest groups and other politicians applying pressure on those critical of Israel’s attacks. It threatened a government shutdown and further pushed the conversation on the U.S.’s unconditional support for the Israeli military, setting the stage for the widespread opposition seen today, as well as the highly organized and well-funded reaction from supporters of Israel.
You can find Grim's book here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250869074/thesquad
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