Mamdani Victory Shows Support for Palestinian Rights Is an Asset | Palestine Policy Roundup 11.10.25
Welcome to the Palestine Policy Roundup, a weekly publication of the IMEU Policy Project.
👀 ICYMI: MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SPEAK OUT
Rep. Pramila Jayapal: “I am appalled that the Israeli government plans to demolish Umm Al-Kheir in the West Bank. Palestinians have called this land home for generations. Any effort to expel them to expand Israeli settlements is a blatant violation of international law.”
Rep. Rashida Tlaib: “There is no ceasefire. It's a lie. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli government since Trump claimed a ceasefire was achieved. The Israeli government never even stopped bombing Lebanon. They are still committing war crimes.”
DC DEVELOPMENTS
⚡ REPORT: BIDEN ADMIN CONTINUED FLOW OF WEAPONS TO ISRAEL DESPITE KNOWLEDGE OF POSSIBLE WAR CRIMES
The Biden administration continued to send weapons to Israel despite US intel that outlined Israeli military lawyers’s warnings of possible war crimes committed in Gaza, according to reporting published in Reuters. This decision was in clear violation of US law governing weapons transfers, including the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), since Israel’s genocidal violence against Palestinians in Gaza relies on US weapons.
According to the report, US intelligence became aware of the Israeli military’s doubts on the legality of its operations in Gaza, which sparked concern that Israel was intentionally targeting civilians and humanitarian workers as the death toll from Israel's violence continued to rise.
This intelligence was debated within the Biden administration by December 2024, but it ultimately chose to continue supplying Israel with weapons–even proposing one last weapons package, valued at $8.7 billion and presumably funded by American taxpayers, in the final days of the administration.
The report also notes that lawyers within the State Department told former Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel’s violence amounted to possible war crimes. Lawyers within the State Department, however, refused to make an official assessment of those warnings, choosing instead to claim a lack of evidence of intent–despite repeated statements by Israeli officials that provided evidence of genocidal intent.
This report is just the latest confirmation of the Biden administration’s complicity in Israel’s genocidal violence in Gaza in violation of US law and its own policies. From Secretary Blinken’s report to Congress whitewashing Israel’s violations of National Security Memorandum 20 to the administration’s refusal to enforce Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act even after determining that Israel was obstructing aid, this was a consistent pattern of behavior by the Biden administration.
The report also notes that Biden admin officials passed this information along to the then-incoming Trump administration, and it said that they did not seem interested in it.
As the Trump administration continues to violate US law by sending weapons to Israel, it is up to Congress to exercise its oversight authority and bring the US into compliance with its own laws, including the AECA, in light of this information. The US also must stop weapons transfers to Israel under its obligations to prevent and punish genocide. Representatives can begin this process by cosponsoring the Block the Bombs Act.
❓ US PROPOSES MULTINATIONAL FORCE TO UN TO ENFORCE TRUMP’S GAZA PLAN, KEY QUESTIONS REMAIN UNANSWERED
Last week, the US reportedly began circulating its draft text of a UN Security Council resolution that would allow for a multinational force to operate in Gaza as part of the Trump administration’s preparations for the next phase of its plan for Gaza.
The draft would reportedly allow for the multinational force, in which Arab and Muslim countries would participate according to the plan, to remain in Gaza until the end of 2027. The multinational force would also operate under the corporate-style board for which the Trump plan calls.
Crucially, the draft provides for an endorsement of the Trump plan for Gaza, which perpetuates Israel’s occupation of Gaza and denies Palestinians self-determination, as outlined in IMEU Policy Project’s policy memo on the plan.
International lawyer Itay Epshtain noted that this contradicts the International Court of Justice’s 2024 advisory opinion which concluded that Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is illegal under international law and calls for Palestinian self-determination.
By endorsing the plan, Epshtain also highlighted that the draft resolution empowers the corporate-style board to effectively govern Gaza and the multinational force to operate there without oversight by the UN or accountability to Palestinians. Critically, the multinational force is not a UN peacekeeping mission, and is instead effectively under the purview of the board–which is to be chaired by President Trump and may include former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
This would also mean that humanitarian aid would be channeled through the board and would give it the authority to refuse to cooperate with organizations and agencies it disfavors. This is a clear attack on UNRWA’s ability to deliver aid to Gaza as Trump administration officials vow to shut the agency out of Gaza’s future.
Additionally, there are several unanswered questions with regard to Israel’s obligations under the ceasefire agreement. While it calls for parties to implement the Trump plan, there is no enforcement mechanism to compel Israel’s compliance with it. This is a crucial question as Israel continues to violate the ceasefire by restricting the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and continues to kill Palestinians.
Additionally, it fails to clarify the deadlines by which Israel will pull back its forces to the second and third redeployment lines under the Trump plan. This failure threatens to perpetuate Israel’s indefinite military presence in half of Gaza.
The resolution also does not outline the multinational force’s responsibilities should Israel continue its genocidal violence against Palestinians in Gaza–and its call for the force to consult with Israel and Egypt may suggest a level of complicity with Israeli violence. Because the multinational force is not a UN peacekeeping mission, it is unclear whether it would serve to keep Israel and Palestinian groups separated and to what extent it would protect Palestinians from Israeli violence.
These questions make clear that the draft resolution seeks international approval of the Trump plan and its corporate-style board led by President Trump, which would deny Palestinian self-determination.
IN THE NEWS
✅ ZOHRAN MAMDANI VICTORY DEMONSTRATES THAT SUPPORT FOR PALESTINIAN RIGHTS IS A POLITICAL ASSET
Last Tuesday, Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral election, once again demonstrating that his vocal support for Palestinian rights was a political asset. As the Democratic Party turns to the 2026 midterm elections, its leadership must heed key lessons on support for Palestinian rights that can be learned from Mamdani’s victory.
Mamdani’s campaign showed that standing up for Palestinian rights can energize new voters: this mayoral election saw the highest turnout in more than 50 years. According to IMEU Policy Project’s poll following his victory in the Democratic primary, new voters in that election were more likely to say that Mamdani’s support for Palestinian rights was a factor in their vote.
According to exit polls, Mamdani won more voters who said that Palestinian rights was a factor in their vote than did Andrew Cuomo, an issue which 67% of NYC voters said was a factor in their choice.
Mamdani’s support for Palestinian rights was clear throughout the campaign. In September, he pledged to order the New York Police Department to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for his role in Israel’s genocide in Gaza, should he visit the city. He also correctly identified Israel’s assault on Palestinians in Gaza as a genocide early on in his campaign.
IMEU Policy Project’s poll also found that Democratic New York City primary voters broadly supported his platform on Palestinian rights: 78% agreed that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, 79% supported restricting weapons to Israel, and 63% supported arresting Netanyahu if he visits New York City. The poll also found that 72% of Democratic primary voters are more likely to support Congressional primary candidates who pledge to support the Block the Bombs Act.
Mamdani’s historic victory has provided a blueprint for Democrats as they look toward the 2026 midterm elections. In poll after poll, Democratic voters have made clear their support for action in support of Palestinian rights, including imposing sanctions and blocking weapons to Israel. As Democrats mount a campaign to take back Congress, it is crucial that party leaders listen to what voters are repeatedly telling them and commit to supporting Palestinian rights.
PALESTINE/ISRAEL DEVELOPMENTS
⛺ ISRAEL RESTRICTS ENTRY OF SHELTER, OTHER HUMANITARIAN AID INTO GAZA AS WINTER APPROACHES
International NGOs report that Israeli authorities have rejected 23 requests to deliver tents, winterization materials, and essential household goods to Gaza, and warn that the window to scale up the delivery of these crucial items is rapidly closing. The humanitarian groups stated that their requests were denied as a result of Israel’s de-registration of NGOs, which is likely related to new restrictions announced by Israel earlier this year that are meant to silence groups from reporting on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Palestinians also report that Israel has not met its obligation under the ceasefire agreement to allow tents and mobile shelters into Gaza as Palestinians face another winter with worn out tents. Last winter, several children were killed by hypothermia as a result of Israel’s obstruction of aid.
As a result of Israel’s displacement of Palestinians and its flattening of much of Gaza’s infrastructure, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that nearly 1.5 million people need emergency shelter items and essential household items. More than 80% of all structures and more than 280,000 housing units in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed.
Israel has continued to violate the ceasefire agreement by not fulfilling its commitment to allow 600 trucks of humanitarian aid to enter Gaza every day. According to the World Food Programme, only two crossings into Gaza are open, which severely limits the amount of aid that can enter the area due to Israeli restrictions that slow the process down.
Additionally, neither of these crossings are in northern Gaza, forcing humanitarian workers to traverse difficult and slow routes and limiting the amount of aid that is delivered to that area. 77% of Gaza’s road network has been damaged, destroyed, or blocked by the rubble created by Israel’s genocidal violence. Earlier this year, the UN-backed hunger monitor reported that famine was present in Gaza City and surrounding areas, which are in northern Gaza.
Palestinians report that Israel is primarily allowing the delivery of sugars, starches, and carbohydrates into Gaza while continuing to restrict fresh fruits and vegetables, and fresh meat and eggs. These items are insufficient to meet the nutritional needs of Palestinians who have been deliberately starved by Israel. Additionally, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reports shortages of medicine and medical supplies as a result of Israeli restrictions on the entry of these supplies.
Israel’s continued obstruction of the entry of humanitarian aid is not only a violation of the ceasefire agreement, but also violates both international and US law. Specifically, it violates Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act, which prohibits the delivery of weapons to countries that are obstructing the delivery of US-provided aid. As Israel continues to refuse to meet its ceasefire obligations, Members of Congress must exercise their oversight authority and bring the US into compliance with the law by immediately ending all weapons transfers to Israel.
⛓️ ISRAEL CONTINUES TO EVADE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ABUSE OF DETAINED PALESTINIANS
Last week, Israeli authorities arrested Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the Israeli military’s former top lawyer who resigned from her position after she revealed her involvement in a leak of a video that allegedly shows Israeli soldiers assaulting a Palestinian man who was abducted from Gaza and detained. Tomer-Yerushalmi’s arrest followed condemnations by Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, of her involvement in leaking the video.
Tomer-Yerushalmi’s office has a record of refusing to investigate possible war crimes committed by the Israeli military in Gaza, which demonstrates the systemic lack of accountability for crimes against Palestinians committed by the Israeli military. Her alleged leaking of the video does not change that fact. However, this leak sheds light on the systemic torture and sexual abuse of Palestinians in Israeli detention.
The leaked video was reportedly taken from surveillance footage collected at the Sde Teiman detention facility, which was used by the Israeli military to hold Palestinians it abducted from Gaza during its genocide there. The footage shows Israeli soldiers taking the victim out of the sight of cameras, covering him with shields, and allegedly sexually abusing him.
This incident reportedly left the victim with severe wounds to his rectum, several fractured ribs, and a punctured lung. It was cited in an independent UN Commission of Inquiry report on Israel’s systemic use of sexual violence, which also outlined several more incidents of Palestinian detainees being beaten and tortured while in Israeli detention.
The alleged perpetrators of this violence were part of the Israeli military unit Force 100, which guarded the Sde Teiman facility–a prison notorious for accounts of abuse and torture committed there. So far, only five of the soldiers have been indicted. In response to these allegations, the State Department reportedly began to investigate the unit for human rights abuses under the Leahy Law, but it still has not delivered its conclusions.
In response to the revelations about the leak, Israeli officials attempted to undermine the case. The victim was released back to Gaza without his testimony being taken, potentially limiting accountability for these abuses even more.
This incident was just one of many at Sde Teiman and in the Israeli prison system, which the Israeli human rights NGO B’Tselem described as a network of torture camps in its report on the torture and abuse Palestinian captives face while detained.
Palestinians who have been released from Israeli detention as part of the captive exchange under the ceasefire agreement continue to describe the torture they faced while there. One freed Palestinian captive alleged that beatings by Israeli authorities continued up until the day he was released, and another said that he bled for 22 days after he was raped by prison staff. Additionally, an Israeli soldier who spoke to the Financial Times said that some soldiers seemed eager to abuse and torture Palestinians.
The systemic torture of Palestinians is a crucial element of this story that cannot be ignored. So far, it seems that Tomer-Yerushalmi may receive more punishment for leaking a video of just one of these incidents than the countless perpetrators of violence against Palestinians will under the Israeli legal system.
The US is complicit in these crimes, and has violated both international and US law by providing weapons to Israel as this has gone on. Members of Congress must immediately exercise their oversight authority and bring the US into compliance with its laws by ending weapons transfers to Israel.
Photo: lev radin, via Shutterstock. Stock Photo ID: 2694963315