The recent Israeli election resulted in what will likely be the most right-wing government to ever take office. This, combined with the prospect of Republican gains in Congress, may have alarming consequences concerning Americans' right to express dissent.

In the past seven years, 34 states passed laws or implemented executive orders penalizing boycotts of Israel. These laws are, in large part, the outcome of a close and troubling relationship between the Israeli and U.S. right-wing. Alarmingly, Republican state legislators have begun using these laws as a template to stifle dissent on other issues. Legislation has now been introduced in 15 states penalizing boycotts of the fossil fuel and firearms industries. Four of those states have passed such bills into law. At the end of the month, the conservative lobbying group ALEC will propose legislation for states to enact at a closed-door summit, which would protect all businesses from boycotts. With the shifts taking place in both governments, and with ALEC's new "model legislation," which of my constitutionally protected political freedoms will be next on the chopping block?

Americans for Peace Now (APN) welcomes news that the Biden administration has decided to launch an independent investigation into the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, the Al Jazeera reporter who was shot to death during an IDF operation in the Jenin refugee camp in May. Abu Akleh was an American citizen, and her family, like those of all US citizens killed abroad, has the right to a US investigation into the circumstances of her death.

APN’s President and CEO Hadar Susskind said: “We have called for an independent US investigation into Abu Akleh’s death since she was killed because we believe that her family deserves it and because the US government should know the clear and unequivocal truth about exactly what happened on that day. For a US investigation to succeed, full cooperation by Israeli and Palestinian authorities will be vital. We urge the government of Israel and the IDF to be forthcoming and aid the US investigation. We thank members of Congress who joined us in demanding that the Biden administration open an independent investigation and we thank APN’s activists who supported congressional actions in this regard.”

Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

On November 7^th, Israel’s outgoing Knesset held a commemorative session to mark the anniversary of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination, 27 years ago.

Among the speakers was MK Bezalel Smotrich, who chairs the ultra-nationalist Religious Zionism Party, the third largest party in the Knesset and Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief partner in his prospective coalition. In his speech, Smotrich voiced an absurd conspiracy theory that is prevalent among hard-right Israelis. According to this theory, Israel’s Shin Bet secret service “used irresponsible manipulations (…)  to encourage the murderer to carry out his plan,” as Smotrich put it. He added that the criticism of Rabin coming from the national religious community was justified, thus minimizing, indeed ignoring, the documented role that extreme right-wing incitement played in pushing the assassin, Yigal Amir, to pull the trigger.

In light of yesterday’s American elections, and with Israel’s elections of last week still fresh in our minds, Americans for Peace Now (APN) will urge the Biden Administration and the incoming Congress to take measures that advance the cause of peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and provide security, wellbeing, and human and civil rights to both peoples. Given the results of last week’s elections in Israel, we will also urge Congress to pay special attention to the state of democracy and the rule of law in Israel, as well as the continuing expansion of Israeli settlements and oppression in the Occupied Territories.

Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

PeaceCast is a podcast produced in Washington by Americans for Peace Now, the sister-organization of Israel’s preeminent peace movement, exploring issues and trends relating to peace and security for Israel, focusing on Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians and efforts to resolve it. If you care about Israel, about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, about Israel’s future as a democracy and a Jewish state, this podcast is for you. Episodes feature experts, activists, advocates and scholars whose work or passion is Israeli-Palestinian peace.

The podcast includes standalone episodes, as well as audio recordings of our webinars and events like the Dove, which brings together storytellers who have personally experienced or witnessed the Israeli Palestinian conflict to offer inspiration and hope for peace.

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