Shifting US politics offers opportunity for Palestinian self-determination

On August 5, progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic primary for the US Senate in Michigan, beating Haley Stevens, who was backed by the Democratic establishment. The race reflected the escalating rift within the Democratic Party over support for Israel. El-Sayed, like other progressives, is an outspoken critic of Israel and has openly expressed solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Stevens, on the other hand, was supported by pro-Israel Political Action Committees (PACs).For years, many Israelis assumed that unquestioned bipartisan support in Washington would continue to underpin its political strategy, regardless of which administration sat in the Oval Office. Halfway through the decade, however, bipartisan support for Israel in the US is eroding. In this environment, Palestinians have a rare opportunity to translate shifting public sentiment into sustained political pressure capable of advancing policies that end the Israeli occupation and support Palestinian self-determination.According to a Pew Research Center survey released in April, 60 percent of US adults now hold an unfavourable view of Israel, with negative perceptions especially pronounced among younger...