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Episode 231: How To Oppose Genocide Without Opposing Genocide (Part II) — AIPAC Dems' Fake Israel Criticisms
🕑 Added 2025-11-26 18:51:08 +0000 UTC"Moderate Dems get tougher on Netanyahu," proclaims Politico. "Democrats Pull Away From AIPAC, Reflecting a Broader Shift," reports The New York Times. "House Democrats to send letter to Trump…urging US to recognize Palestinian statehood," announces The Guardian.
Throughout the last year as support for Israel’s so-called “War in Gaza” has tipped tow les than 8 percent with Democratic voters, and over two-thirds calling it as genocide, Democratic politicians who want to seek higher office while still not running afoul of the weapons and Israel lobby, have found a number of ways to appear as if they’re distancing themselves from the horrors Israel has committed in Gaza without having to actually do so.
These faux oppositions include call for supporting an increase in aid to Gaza, without ending the bombing to appeals to "bear hug" Israel we are lead to believe, who has simply lost it’s way to pinning the genocide on One Bad Man, Benjamin Netanyahu.
To the untrained eye or the passive media consumer, these rebukes of Israel may seem like progress. The Democrats, we are repeatedly told, are "moving away from Israel." But a closer inspection reveals a party elite far more concerned with damage control, PR and buying time that meaningfully pushing back against the pro-genocide Washington Consensus.
What difference does it make if you reject AIPAC money while taking money from other pro-Israel groups that just have less name recognition? What use is it to demand a "surge in aid" while still supporting arming Israel to the teeth? What use is it to only oppose offensive weapons when "defensive weapons" are used to ethnically cleanse and kill in the West Bank?
On this episode, Part II of our two-part series “How To Oppose Genocide Without Really Opposing it,” we examine key ways in which prominent Democratic and Democratic-aligned officials have feigned opposition to Israel over Gaza, allowing them to appear “empathetic” to voters without having to alienate their pro-Israel donors or sacrifice their career prospects in policymaking, consulting, and, of course, news media.
Out guest is Al-Shabaka's Tariq Kenney-Shawa.
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Guest
Tariq Kenney-Shawa (@tksshawa / @tksshawa.bsky) is a US Policy Fellow at Al-Shabaka, a Palestinian think tank and policy network, and a producer at AJ+. His writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Foreign Policy, The Nation, Al Jazeera, +972 Magazine, and elsewhere.
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Show Notes
Why the Democrats were Israel’s perfect partners in genocide
Tariq Kenney-Shawa | October 29, 2024 | 972+ Magazine
Your guide to AIPAC Democrats’ fake Israel criticisms
Adam Johnson | August 21, 2025 | The Real News Network
It’s Not Just 'Netanyahu': The Rise of Liberals’ One Bad Man Theory to Explain Away Gaza Genocide
Adam Johnson | August 9, 2025 | The Column
Is the Tide Starting to Turn Against AIPAC?
Sam Rosenthal | November 24, 2025 | Truthout
Mitchell Plitnick | October 18, 2025 | Mondoweiss
October 3, 2025 | IMEU Policy Project / Gen Z For Change
Most Democrats favor sanctions on Israel, say Palestinians face genocide, poll says
Brendan Rascius | October 3, 2025 | Miami Herald
How Americans View the Israel-Hamas Conflict 2 Years Into the War
Ted Van Green, Steven Shepard, Andy Cerda, Gabriel Borelli and Jocelyn Kiley | October 3, 2025 | Pew Research Center
Democrats Pull Away From AIPAC, Reflecting a Broader Shift
Annie Karni | October 2, 2025 | The New York Times
Democrats’ waning support for Israel extends to Jewish Democrats too
Michael Tesler | September 23, 2025 | Good Authority
Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, UN Commission finds
Office the High Commissioner | September 16, 2025 | United Nations
Democratic Leadership Still Hasn’t Caught Up to the Party’s Base on Gaza
Stephen Zunes | September 4, 2025 | In These Times
Half of US voters believe Israel committing genocide in Gaza, poll says
John Power | August 28, 2025 | Al Jazeera
Democratic Party Scraps Resolutions on Israel and Gaza After Fraught Debate
Katie Glueck and Shane Goldmacher | August 26, 2025 | The New York Times
Democratic Party Leaders Need to Recognize Reality on Palestine
Dr. James J. Zogby | August 25, 2025 | Arab American Institute
Democrats torn between voters and donors on Palestine
Mitchell Plitnick | August 16, 2025 | Mondoweiss
Support for Israel continues to deteriorate, especially among Democrats and young people
William A. Galston and Jordan Muchnick | August 6, 2025 | Brookings
Majority of Senate Democrats Vote to Block Weapons to Israel as Famine Unfolds in Gaza
Palestine Policy Roundup | August 4, 2025 | IMEU Policy Project
Eric Bradner and Connor Greene | July 31, 2025 | CNN
32% in U.S. Back Israel's Military Action in Gaza, a New Low
Megan Brenan | July 29, 2025 | Gallup
Richard Escobedo and Mia Salenetri | July 28, 2025 | Face The Nation (CBS News)
It's Not Just Netanyahu. A Lot of Israelis Want Genocide, Too
Diana Buttu | June 23, 2025 | Zeteo
Israel Committing ‘Extermination and Acts of Genocide’ by Depriving Gaza of Water: HRW
Brett Wilkins | December 19, 2024 | Common Dreams
Who accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza?
Explainer | December 6, 2024 | Al Jazeera
Biden’s ‘Bear Hug’ of Israel Is a Failure
Khaled Elgindy | October 10, 2024 | Foreign Policy
The Democrats who flipped on Israel aid, and why
Blaise Malley | April 23, 2024 | Responsible Statecraft
The Problem Isn’t Just Netanyahu. It’s Israeli Society.
Mairav Zonszein | April 2, 2024 | Foreign Policy
How Biden Boxed Himself In on Gaza
Jonathan Guyer | March 28, 2024 | The American Prospect
Pro-Israel but anti-Netanyahu: Democratic Party leaders try to find the middle ground
Naomi Schalit | March 19, 2024 | The Conversation
Biden’s ‘bear-hugging’ of Netanyahu a strategic mistake, key Democrat says
Martin Pengelly | March 14, 2024 | The Guardian
This is not ‘Netanyahu’s war’, it is Israel’s genocide
Ahmad Ibsais | March 7, 2024 | Al Jazeera
Netanyahu might be losing ground, but his politics still resonate with most Israelis
Ksenia Svetlova | March 6, 2024 | Atlantic Council
Carol E. Lee, Jonathan Allen, Peter Nicholas and Courtney Kube | February 12, 2024 | NBC News
Biden’s Bear Hug of Netanyahu Is a Disaster
Jeet Heer | December 4, 2023 | The Nation
Marwan Bishara | October 20, 2023 | Al Jazeera
Joe Biden’s Bear-Hug Diplomacy in Israel
Susan B. Glasser, Jane Mayer, and Evan Osnos | October 20, 2023 | The New Yorker
In Tel Aviv, Biden’s Embrace of Israel Came With a Gentle Warning
Peter Baker | October 18, 2023 | The New York Times
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Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, go here. In the meantime, you can find transcripts of past episodes, live shows, Beg-a-Thons, Interviews and News Briefs here.
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Citations Merch
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Credits
Senior Producer: Florence Barrau-Adams
Producer: Julianne Tveten
Production Assistant: Trendel Lightburn
Newsletter: Marco Cartolano
Music: Grandaddy
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Comments
Big Nasty
John Oliver’s show is so good up until he gets to the “what is to be done” portion
