Episode 231: How To Oppose Genocide Without Opposing Genocide (Part II) — AIPAC Dems' Fake Israel Criticisms

"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

Democrats finally seem ready to address the Gaza genocide, but it won’t matter if they don’t support Palestinian rights

Mitchell Plitnick | October 18, 2025 | Mondoweiss

National Poll: Supermajority of Democrats Support Same Sanctions Against Israel That Brought Down Apartheid in South Africa

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

US support for Israel’s actions in Gaza drops, as Democratic opposition grows and MAGA movement splits

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

Senate Democrats urge U.S. to stop funding GHF, resume support for U.N. food distribution in Gaza as more starve

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

Biden disparages Netanyahu in private but hasn’t significantly changed U.S. policy toward Israel and Gaza

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

The Biden hug

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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