The Shift: Palestinian American writer Ahmed Moor will run for Fetterman’s Senate seat

Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) hasn’t officially announced whether he will seek reelection in 2028, but the first challenger for his seat has emerged. It’s Ahmed Moor, a Palestinian-American writer and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member. On his campaign website, Moor, who was born in Gaza and grew up in Philadelphia, cites the U.S. government’s devotion to war as a motivating factor behind his run. “A few years ago my birthplace was turned to rubble in a genocide funded by our tax dollars, with the support of politicians on both sides of the aisle who can’t find money for healthcare, transit, or removing asbestos from our schools,” it reads. “It’s the same story now in Iran. We’ve spent $90 billion on a war no American wants, driving up the price of diesel and making our groceries more expensive.” In 2024, Moor was a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the State Department, which claimed that the government was required to sanction Israeli military units under the Leahy Law, which was passed in 1997. “My direct participation in the lawsuit goes to my increasing inability and increasing likelihood — inability to speak with family members in Gaza and increasing likelihood that they’re going to be subjected to further inhumane conditions and harm,” he told Democracy Now at the time. “My family has experienced direct loss through the genocide. Most recently, my cousin’s 19-year-old son was killed by an Israeli sniper in Rafah. And so, the urgency surrounding this lawsuit goes to the fact that the conditions are getting worse.” Since being elected in 2022, Fetterman has emerged as one of the most pro-Israel lawmakers in the country and has remained a strong supporter of Israel throughout the genocide in Gaza. Earlier this fall, he was the only Democratic Senator to vote against a resolution to force an investigation into the killing of Americans in the West Bank. “I can’t ever turn my back to Israel,” Fetterman told the comedian Jon Stewart in an August interview. Most recently, Fetterman has voiced his support for Chuck Schumer (D-NY) amid a growing push to oust him as the Senate leader. “I absolutely stand with Schumer,” he told reporters. “I’m going to vote for Schumer.” In an interview with Philly Rhino News, Moor was asked whether Fetterman’s position on Israel pushed him to run. “The problem of Israel-Palestine is bigger than John Fetterman,” he explained. “John Fetterman is just an AIPAC guy. He’s just following the money. I think I may have frozen there, but John Fetterman is just following the AIPAC money, like so many of our politicians. The Palestine-Israel problem is one of equal rights.” “We litigated that question in America 160 years ago in a civil war. We came down firmly on one side of that,” Moor continued. “I’m an equal rights guy. Black, brown, white, green, blue, we’re all equal. And that statement is firmly embedded in our Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights. They had the idea that all people are created equal. Now, the bigger issue around Israel is special interests. I want to get the special interests… I want to drive them out of business. But we also need moral leadership.” NDAA challenge On the day of the midterms, President Trump casually announced that he was ending military aid to Israel. The timing of the statement was suspicious, and Israeli leaders seemed bewildered by the declaration, but the move wasn’t exactly a surprise. For months, Republican lawmakers, Democratic presidential hopefuls, pro-Israel lobbying groups, and even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have stated that Israel can buy its own weapons and not rely on them to be gifted by the United States. This is effectively a brand reset, as the U.S. population has developed increasingly negative views toward Israel and opposes continued military support. This pivot is set to coincide with a strengthening of the U.S./Israel alliance, as 2027’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) contains a Section (219) that expands the United States’s “intelligence sharing” with Israel, establish joint ventures for the co-production of weapons, promote joint military exercises, and integrate Israeli weapons into existing U.S. systems. The NDAA has already passed the House. In a recent interview with Mondoweiss, writer and foreign policy analyst Mitchell Plitnick said that challenging this move will be the first test for the new Congress. “Section 219 is an issue,” he explained. “It is part of the reason it is being held up, and we need to keep that issue alive in the wake of the midterms. I think focus has gone away from that. It needs to come back, and it needs to come back fast, because that will probably come back to the floor in the next month, I would say.” “That will tell us a lot because these Democrats, I think, if they are willing to fight, you’re going to have a progressive wave come in in January and you’ll have a real opening and have places and space to push for a real reset in the U.S.-Israel relationship,” he continued. We are beginning to take that effort take shape. Earlier this week, 12 U.S. Senators sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them remove three provisions from the NDAA that would expand technology cooperation and intelligence sharing between the United States and Israel. “Should these provisions be enacted, it would further increase Israel’s leverage over the United States through some of the most sensitive technologies in warfare,” reads the letter. “That is not in the U.S. interest. If enacted, these agreements would create long-term dependencies by embedding Israeli technology into the U.S. defense industrial base that could make future policy changes costly or difficult to implement.” “We do not share, let alone co-produce, many of these sensitive technologies even with our closest partners, including NATO or other treaty allies,” it continues. “To do so in this instance would be unwise, especially as the government of Israel continues to pursue policies in Gaza, the West Bank, and other parts of the region that are inconsistent with US interests and values.” The letter was led by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), who is considering a run against Schumer for the Senate Majority Leader role. Odds & Ends ⚫ Mondoweiss: The fight over Democratic party leadership mirrors the wider battle over Israel ⚫ Mondoweiss: The U.S. government is escalating its attack on Palestine activism in Michigan ⚫ Mondoweiss: What will the Democrats’ ‘Blue Wave’ mean for Trump’s foreign policy? ⚫ Mondoweiss: The American people have spoken, and across the political spectrum they don’t like Israel ⚫ Electronic Intifada: What will big wins by Democrats actually mean for Palestine? ⚫ Counterpunch: Make Armistice Day Great Again ⚫ Zeteo: Palestinian Suffering Was ‘Never Guiding’ Biden’s Gaza Policy, New Book Says ⚫ The Intercept: Humanitarian Orgs Demand Answers on Yemen War After Hegseth Impeachment Fails ⚫ Drop Site: Israel Targets U.S. Conservatives in Influence Operation ⚫ Common Dreams: Trump vs. the ICC: The Law of the Strong or the Strength of the Law? ⚫ The Nation: The Unpardonable Malpractice of Pete Hegseth