BREAKING: Israel Approves Extreme Death Penalty Law Targeting Only Palestinians *Israeli soldiers detain Palestinians during a raid in the occupied West Bank on Sept. 11, 2025. Photo by Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP via Getty Images* Israel’s parliament approved a one-sided death penalty measure to execute Palestinians. It’s one of the most extreme laws in the nation’s history, and will exacerbate the far-right government’s illegal system of apartheid. Some members of the Knesset, including ultranationalist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, were seen wearing noose pins in the Knesset on Monday, and [celebrating][1] with drinks on live TV after the bill passed. Ben-Gvir [said][2] hanging is “one of the options,” as is execution by the electric chair or euthanasia. The bill drew international condemnation ahead of its passage, including from the [European Union][3], UN special rapporteur [Francesca Albanese][4], and Amnesty International. Human rights groups have [vowed][5] to challenge the bill in Israel’s supreme court. [Subscribe now][6] The legislation, which has garnered broad public support in Israel, authorizes executions for “terrorists” who kill “with the intent to deny the existence of the State of Israel,” [according to Haaretz][7] – effectively ensuring it won’t apply to any of the settlers who routinely murder Palestinians. In military courts in the occupied West Bank, [execution][8] will now be the default punishment for terrorism. Only Palestinians are tried in these courts, and [96% of people are convicted][9], though cases are largely built on “confessions” extracted through torture. The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians [condemned][10] the bill on Monday ahead of the vote as an “extreme escalation in Israel’s genocidal policies against Palestinians.” “The progression of the legislation marks not just a profoundly unjust and illegal act of discrimination under international law, but a far more sinister escalation of Israel’s apartheid legal systems,” the center wrote. *Lawyers protest the draft bill to impose the death penalty on Palestinian detainees, on Nov. 9, 2025 in Hebron. Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Anadolu via Getty Images* Israel is currently imprisoning about 9,500 Palestinians, according to the human rights group B’Tselem, and about half of them are held under administrative detention. According to the group, the Israel Prison Service has already started to prepare designated execution facilities. B’Tselem on Sunday called the bill “another official killing mechanism” that will further normalize the slaughter of Palestinians, as Israel continues its genocide in Gaza and intensifies attacks in the occupied West Bank. [Share][11] “The death penalty is a total violation of the most basic human rights, primarily, the right to life,” B’Tselem wrote. “Israel enforces a comprehensive policy of killing and oppression against the Palestinian people in all the territories it controls. The Death Penalty Law gives Israel’s apartheid regime yet another tool for advancing that policy.” On top of Monday’s bill, the Knesset is also considering another death penalty measure to impose on alleged Oct. 7, 2023, attackers. [According][12] to Amnesty, that bill would effectively expand the unilateral powers of military judges and eliminate judicial safeguards. *Have a tip for Minnah? Reach out on Signal at minnahfarshad.94.* ***Check out more from Zeteo:*** [1]: https://x.com/JalalAK_jojo/status/2038681147740188777?s=20 [2]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/30/israel-passes-law-death-penalty-palestinian-convicted-terrorists [3]: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/israel-statement-spokesperson-death-penalty-bill_en [4]: https://zeteo.com/p/entrenching-apartheid-amnesty-un [5]: https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-death-penalty-bill-knesset-ben-gvir-c67c1c14f218a4d67ed3d5011cd5cf8d [6]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe? [7]: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-politics/2026-03-30/ty-article/israel-passes-bill-mandating-death-penalty-for-palestinians-convicted-of-terror/0000019d-3f83-d3ba-abbf-bfdfd95c0000?utm_source=App_Share&utm_medium=iOS_Native [8]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/30/israel-passes-law-death-penalty-palestinian-convicted-terrorists [9]: https://x.com/btselem/status/2038306992012345741 [10]: https://www.icjpalestine.com/2026/03/30/israels-death-penalty-for-palestinians-is-a-solidification-of-its-ethnic-cleansing-campaign/ [11]: https://zeteo.com/p/israel-approves-death-penalty-law-palestinians?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share [12]: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/ACT50/0677/2026/en/ https://zeteo.com/p/israel-approves-death-penalty-law-palestinians

Who’s in Charge: Israel or the US? Mehdi and Prem React The war on Iran continues to spiral into a quagmire that seems to have Donald Trump stuck. Why? Well, it seems like the US might not be calling the shots. In a revealing moment, Trump [said][1] last week that he couldn’t name the Iranian negotiator he was in talks with because he “doesn’t want them to be killed.” **“Why couldn’t we just tell the Israelis not to kill him? Because we don’t control Israel, apparently. Apparently, Israel controls us,” **says** Mehdi **to** Prem **on** **‘Ask the Editor,’ **Zeteo’s** weekly live Q&A. **“$3.3 billion a year, for what?”** Prem responds. [Subscribe now][2] Watch the** full video above** to hear Prem and Mehdi unpack: * A possible ground invasion of Iran: **“Trump likes to watch action movies. I like to watch action movies. But I’m not president, and I don’t think action movies are real life. Trump does.”** * JD Vance suggesting that this war could last up to a year (?!) * Democrats dragging their feet on this war:** “Why the fuck are you in Congress then?”** * Mehdi’s reaction to his viral [‘Professor’ Jiang interview][3] * …and much more! Let us know what you think in the comments, and [subscribe][4] to catch our next episode of **Ask the Editor** every **Monday at 11am ET **on [Zeteo.com][5], [YouTube][6], or on the Substack app. [Share][7] *If you believe in the work we do and want to see more of it, do consider [becoming a paid subscriber][8]. A [donation][9] to Zeteo also goes a long way.* ***Check out more from Zeteo:*** Get more from Mehdi Hasan in the Substack app Available for iOS and Android [Get the app][10] [1]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2036084891654164923?s=20 [2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe? [3]: https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-goes-head-to-head-with-professor-jiang [4]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe [5]: http://zeteo.com/ [6]: https://www.youtube.com/@zeteo/streams [7]: https://zeteo.com/p/whos-in-charge-israel-or-the-us-mehdi?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share [8]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe [9]: http://donorbox.org/support-zeteo [10]: https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&utm_content=author-post-insert&utm_source=zeteo https://zeteo.com/p/whos-in-charge-israel-or-the-us-mehdi

Are These Trump's Worst Poll Numbers... Ever? *On this day in 1981, President Ronald Reagan, his press secretary James Brady, and two officers were shot outside the Washington Hilton Hotel. All four survived, though Brady was paralyzed. The shooter, John Hinckley Jr., was charged with attempting to assassinate the president but found not guilty by reason of insanity. * Good morning! **Andrew** here. Two days after 8 million people took to the streets to reject **Donald Trump** as part of the nationwide “No Kings” protests, a new poll shared exclusively with **Zeteo** finds Trump with what may be his worst approval rating of his political career. Today’s newsletter is paywall-free, thanks to our sponsor, **Ground News.** In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ only **33% **of Americans approve of **Trump’s job performance**, not even MAGA voters want their Mad King to put boots on the ground in Iran, **AOC** is tired of being hit from the left, and the US will allow **Cuba** to receive one oil tanker. [Subscribe now][1] # Everybody Hates Don *Trump at Miami International Airport on March 27, 2026. Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images.* Donald Trump keeps musing about his desire to serve an unconstitutional third term. Last week, he [shared][2] a post on Truth Social about how he deserves a third term **“as a reward”** for the 2020 election being stolen from him – which is, of course, a complete lie. New polling shared exclusively with **Zeteo** demonstrates just how delusional our president really is: Only **33%** of Americans approve of the job he is doing, and **62% **disapprove, according to the UMass Amherst national poll. This figure may well represent the worst approval rating of Trump’s political career. The UMass poll finds broad opposition to Trump’s illegal and dangerous war in Iran: **29%** say they approve of Trump’s military actions against Iran, while **54%** disapprove. [Subscribe now][3] The war has more support among MAGA fans.** “With the war entering its second month, our findings suggest that the Trump administration has withstood the criticism coming from within its own base,”** Tatishe Nteta, director of the poll and political science professor at UMass Amherst, tells **Zeteo**. But that could change if Trump decides to put boots on the ground in Iran. Only **8% **of Americans believe the US should send ground troops, and **67%** disagree with the idea, per the UMass poll. Among people who **“very much” **identify with MAGA, **30%** say the US should put boots on the ground in Iran, while **36%** of MAGA devotees disagree. As **Zeteo** has reported, Trump has for weeks been [weighing a ground invasion][4] of Iran – despite obvious [logistical problems with the idea][5] – and senior administration officials have been briefed that efforts to seize Kharg Island, a decades-long goal for Trump, [would result][6] in **“considerable”** American casualties. The *Washington Post* [reported][7] over the weekend that the Department of Defense **“is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran,”** citing US officials, **“as thousands of American soldiers and Marines arrive in the Middle East for what could become a dangerous new phase of the war should President Donald Trump choose to escalate.”** Trump [spoke][8] with the *Financial Times* on Sunday about his desire to **“take the oil in Iran”** by occupying Kharg Island, from where most of Iran’s oil is exported. Trump complained that **“stupid people back in the US say: ‘Why are you doing that?’ But they’re stupid people.”** Americans, by and large, understand the US-Israeli war in Iran is causing energy prices to spike: **79%** say invading Iran will increase oil prices, while only **7%** disagree. **“The American public does not seem to be buying what President Donald Trump is selling when it comes to the war with Iran,”** Nteta says. [Share][9] Outside of the war, which could get much worse at any moment, Trump’s approval on key issues ranges from bad to catastrophic: **24%** say Trump has handled inflation well, **28%** say he’s handled tariffs well, and **22%** believe the president has done a good job handling the release of information concerning his former friend Jeffrey Epstein, the world’s most famous pedophile. According to the UMass poll, **59%** of Americans agree with the following statement: **“The Trump administration is hiding important information about the Epstein case.”** And **50% **of Americans believe Trump’s attacks on Iran are meant to distract from the Epstein files, while **30% **disagree. Those figures [mirror the findings][10] of a recent Data for Progress poll conducted on behalf of Drop Site News and **Zeteo**. Nteta notes that immigration – Trump’s signature issue – has **“quickly become one of the president’s most pressing vulnerabilities.” **Only **35% **say he’s handled immigration well, and** 60%** say he hasn’t. The UMass poll is one of many showing Americans are turning on Trump. The president’s response, beyond urging his party to pass a sweeping voter-suppression bill, is to publicly pretend it isn’t happening. **“Right now my polls are better than they’ve ever been before,”** he lied on Friday. ## 🇮🇷 Iran War Updates **Death tolls:** * **Iran:** Iran’s deputy health minister [told][11] Al Jazeera that at least 1,937 people had been killed in US-Israeli attacks. Iranian officials said earlier this month that nearly 20,000 people had been injured. * **Lebanon:** Israel has killed at least 1,238 people, including more than 120 children, in Lebanon, according to yesterday’s [figures][12] from the country’s Health Ministry. * **US troops**: At least 13 US troops have died in incidents related to the war. * **Israel**: At least [25][13], including six Israeli soldiers, have been killed and thousands injured in Iranian and Hezbollah attacks in Israel. * **Elsewhere in the region:** Dozens of others have been killed across the region, including four Palestinian women in the occupied West Bank. **And in more Iran war news…** * **Oil and uranium:** Trump may want Iran’s oil, but according to [the ][14]*[Wall Street Journal][15]*, he’s also considering an operation to “extract nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium.” Such a mission would be extremely risky and dangerous for US troops, experts noted. * **Spain closes airspace to US military: **Spain has [closed its airspace][16] to US aircraft involved in strikes on Iran, further cementing its opposition to the war after already saying the US cannot use joint military bases inside the country to launch attacks. * **Israeli and Kuwaiti infrastructure hit:** In Israel, a fire broke out at an oil refinery in Haifa after missiles were fired toward the city. Earlier, a chemical plant in Israel was [hit][17]. In Kuwait, a power and desalination plant was [targeted][18]. * **War widens:** Iranian-backed Houthis [claimed][19] responsibility for missiles fired at Israel from Yemen, the first since the war began. * **Israel kills reporters:** An Israeli strike [killed][20] three Lebanese journalists, including Al-Mayadeen’s Fatima Ftouni, her brother, Mohammed, and Al-Manar’s Ali Shuaib. Their car was reportedly clearly [marked][21] “press.” Israel [admitted][22] to targeting Shuaib, whom it accused without evidence of being part of Hezbollah’s intelligence unit – an allegation the group, which controls Al-Manar, denied. Israel also admitted that it photoshopped an image of Shuaib in a Hezbollah uniform. * **‘Buffer zone’:** Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [said][23] Israel would “further expand” operations in southern Lebanon, though it was not clear if he was referring to territory beyond the Litani River. More than a million people have already been displaced. [Subscribe now][24] *A recent report shows that more than 11,000 US citizen children have had their parents detained by ICE. Of these arrests, nearly 60% have resulted in deportations. The impacts of such enforcement are undeniable – the Trump administration is leaving many children without their parents, resulting in devastating trauma and family separation.* *What’s also troubling is the limited coverage that this story is receiving. Despite the urgency of the situation, only 10 outlets have covered the latest reports, and none of them were right-leaning news sources. This means that regardless of your political views, you may never see this story.* *In a time this turbulent, don’t miss out on the facts. [Ground News][25] is a news app and website that scans 50,000+ articles while offering built-in bias comparisons, factuality checks, and funding transparency for every source. The Blindspot feature also highlights stories like this one that you might miss in your daily reading. * *With Ground News’ sVantage Plan, information becomes your superpower. Learn more at [ground.news/zeteox][26] and get 40% off the Vantage Plan for just $5 a month.* *(This portion of the post was sponsored content)* ## AOC Hits Back Last year, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rankled the left by voting against an amendment from conservative Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to block $500 million for Israel’s Iron Dome and missile defense programs. Ocasio-Cortez [argued][27] at the time that the measure would do “nothing to cut off offensive aid to Israel,” and would only target defensive aid “while allowing the actual bombs killing Palestinians to continue.” She ended up voting against the overall military funding bill and, to be clear, even Elon Musk’s Grok AI chatbot agrees that she has [never actually][28] “voted to approve weapons sales or major military aid packages to Israel.” Nevertheless, eight months later, AOC is still catching heat from some on the left for her vote on the Iron Dome amendment – and now she’s hitting back. Political commentator Ana Kasparian, from The Young Turks, tweeted at Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday, “You should vote to send Israel more money for weapons!” AOC [replied][29] with a burn: “I never have. Feel free to continue lying publicly, though. Those checks don’t cash themselves and you aren’t talented enough to be relevant with the truth.” ## **🗞️ **What You Need to Know * **DHS chaos:** With the partial shutdown [dragging on][30] and airport misery ongoing, Republicans who [failed][31] to pass funding tried to pass the buck. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise [said][32] senators had “buyer’s remorse” after voting to fund DHS but not ICE or part of Customs and Border Protection, but didn’t name any. * **House of Mouse: **Lindsey Graham didn’t let the DHS mess stop him from flying to Disney World. [TMZ][33] published snaps of the senator breakfasting at Chef Mickey’s. Graham said he flew to Orlando to meet Trump envoy Steve Witkoff. * **Endorsement watch: **[Justice Democrats][34], backer of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Summer Lee, and other progressives, announced new endorsements: Saikat Chakrabarti in California’s 11th district and Adam Hamawy in New Jersey’s 12th. * **DNC vs. AIPAC?:** The Democratic National Committee will next month consider a resolution criticizing the pro-Israel lobby group by name, Semafor [reported][35]. The measure also “condemns the growing influence of dark money and corporate-backed independent expenditures in Democratic elections." * **Piker likers:** Three possible Democratic presidential hopefuls – Gavin Newsom, Ro Khanna, and Rahm Emanuel – [told][36] *Politico* they would speak to left-wing influencer Hasan Piker. Cory Booker, Ruben Gallego, and Elissa Slotkin said no – even though they’re all happy to go on Islamphobe Bill Maher’s HBO show! [Share][37] ## 🧠 Pop Quiz! ***As a child, Senator Lindsey Graham earned a distinctive nickname from the patrons of the Sanitary Café, the bar his father owned in Central, South Carolina. What was it?*** Keep your eyes out for the answer below! ## 🚨 Don’t Miss It! Will Trump carry out a ground operation in Iran? Join **Mehdi** and **Prem** TODAY **at 11am ET, 8am PT, or 4pm GMT,** for **Zeteo’s** **‘Ask the Editor.”** [TUNE IN HERE][38] ## Anywhere But America * **🇵🇸 Don’t forget Gaza: **An Israeli airstrike today [killed][39] at least three Palestinians in Gaza City. Over the weekend, Israel [killed][40] at least 10, including a 15-year-old boy as he was returning home after collecting aid at a UN food distribution point. * **🇵🇸 More press attacks: **Israeli soldiers [detained][41] CNN journalists in the occupied West Bank, after putting the crew’s photojournalist in a chokehold. In a rare condemnation, Israel said the soldiers’ actions represented a “serious ethical incident” and that the battalion would be suspended from operations in the West Bank, though as Al Jazeera [noted][42], soldiers often face no significant consequences for wrongdoing. * **🇷🇺 🇨🇺 Oil in: **The US will [allow][43] a Russian tanker to reach Cuba, after a months-long blockade that has caused blackouts and amid dire threats from Donald Trump. * **🇳🇵 Oli out**: Nepal’s former prime minister Khadga Prasad Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak were [arrested][44] over the deaths of protesters in September, shortly after ex-rapper Balendra Shah was elected prime minister. * **🇸🇩 Sudan death toll climbs**: At least 14 people were killed, and 23 others injured, in the central region of Kordofan of Sudan after the Rapid Support Forces and their allies [carried out][45] a targeted attack on residential areas in the city of Dilling. * 🇨🇦 **Canada’s NDP looks for comeback: **Canada’s primary progressive party, the New Democrats (NDP), [elected][46] Avi Lewis, the husband of **Zeteo **contributor Naomi Klein, as its new leader in a decisive first ballot vote. [Share][47] ## 📊 Chart of the Day With the SAVE Act, Republicans are proposing that over 5 million voting-age Americans have to drive [at least an hour][48] just to register to vote. #### 🧠 Trivia answer: “[Stinkball][49].” ## 📺 Sunday Show Roundup * On CBS’s ‘Face the Nation,’ Border Czar **Tom Homan** [said][50] that the agency is planning to “continue an ICE presence” at airports until they feel that airports are fully staffed. * Meanwhile, on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press,’ GOP Senator **James Lankford** [called][51] Democrats’ demand for ICE to be kept away from polling places “absolutely absurd” – because obeying the law that bans federal officers from the polls is crazy, right? * “They trained activists to obstruct justice, encouraged them to put themselves in harm’s way, knowing they could get harmed. They got two martyrs, then they used their martyrs as their excuse to try to defund law enforcement.” That’s Senator **Ron Johnson’s** outlandish [explanation][52] on Fox for why Democrats are to blame for the partial DHS shutdown. * The GOP controls the House, Senate, and White House, but has failed to control the DHS funding battle. When Fox’s Maria Bartiromo [called][53] this out, GOP Rep. **Lisa McClain** had no good response – chalking up the fight to “radical Democrats” wanting open borders. * Democratic Rep. **Jim Himes**, ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, said Trump lied about being in talks with Iran. “He just made it up that they’re in negotiations with the Iranians,” he [told][54] Margaret Brennan of CBS News. ## 🗓️ Mark Your Calendars * **Monday, March 30: **A federal court is scheduled to hold a hearing in the *[New York Times’s][55]*[ case][56] accusing the Pentagon of violating a court order blocking its restrictive press access policy. * **Tuesday, March 31: **The Endangered Species Committee, aka the “God Squad” to environmental groups, is set to meet to consider [exempting oil and gas drillers][57] in the Gulf of Mexico from a mandate aimed at protecting endangered species. * **Wednesday, April 1: **The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments over Trump’s bid to restrict birthright citizenship – one of the most high-profile cases this term. Plus, the launch window for NASA’s Artemis II mission, set to be the first crewed flight around the moon in more than half a century, will open. * **Thursday, April 2**: A US District Court will hold a hearing on a proposed [$72.5 million settlement][58] in a lawsuit from victims of Jeffrey Epstein, alleging Bank of America aided in their abuse. ## ICYMI From Zeteo *Zeteo’s Martin Pengelly, Akshay Gokul, and Ninar Taha contributed to this newsletter.* [Share][59] *Still want to get **Zeteo **content, but not this newsletter? You can unsubscribe directly from ‘**First Draft**’ by going to ‘[manage subscription][60]’ in Substack, scrolling down, and toggling the button for ‘First Draft’ off. * [1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe? [2]: https://meidasnews.com/news/trump-reposts-message-calling-for-third-term-reward [3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe? [4]: https://zeteo.com/p/the-kharg-island-bloodbath [5]: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Dc7kTRJTIFw [6]: https://zeteo.com/p/the-kharg-island-bloodbath [7]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/28/trump-iran-ground-troops-marines/ [8]: https://www.ft.com/content/3bd9fb6c-2985-4d24-b86b-23b7884031f5?syn-25a6b1a6=1 [9]: https://zeteo.com/p/are-these-trumps-worst-poll-numbers-first-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share [10]: https://zeteo.com/p/new-poll-most-americans-believe-trump [11]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/3/27/iran-war-live-trump-delays-attacks-on-iranian-energy-sector-by-10-days [12]: https://www.moph.gov.lb/en/Media/view/83171/1/daily-report-on-the-aggression-death-toll-rises-to-850#/en/Media/view/83488/daily-report-on-the-aggression-1-142-martyrs [13]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/how-many-people-have-been-killed-us-israel-war-iran-2026-03-17/ [14]: https://x.com/alexbward/status/2038403337515655617?s=46 [15]: https://x.com/alexbward/status/2038403337515655617?s=46 [16]: https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/spain-closes-airspace-us-planes-involved-iran-war-el-pais-says-2026-03-30/ [17]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/adama-chemicals-plant-southern-israel-hit-by-iranian-missile-or-debris-2026-03-29/ [18]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/3/30/iran-war-live-worker-killed-in-kuwait-israel-intercepts-drones-from-yemen [19]: https://www.dw.com/en/iran-war-houthis-claim-2nd-attack-on-israel-in-24-hours/live-76573681 [20]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/29/world/middleeast/funerals-lebanese-killed-israeli-strike.html [21]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/28/three-journalists-killed-in-israeli-strike-on-marked-press-car-in-lebanon [22]: https://x.com/treyyingst/status/2038211697022808099?s=46 [23]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/netanyahu-orders-expansion-security-buffer-zone-southern-lebanon-2026-03-29/ [24]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe? [25]: http://ground.news/zeteox [26]: http://ground.news/zeteox [27]: https://x.com/AOC/status/1946588421197046084?lang=en [28]: https://x.com/grok/status/2038316062198972761 [29]: https://x.com/AOC/status/2038310906845614535 [30]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/29/dhs-longest-partial-government-shutdown [31]: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/27/dhs-shutdown-house-gop-mess-00848735?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ2HI9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR63SkN71fJWXXDrEUVJStzzUKvhUhtiK78vpzA9JtoOGdOZji4IQWfbY_o5sA_aem_CGI0__jrlMBhxmaWmAlehQ [32]: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/29/scalise-homeland-security-vote-00849583 [33]: https://www.tmz.com/2026/03/29/lindsey-graham-at-disney-world-during-shutdown/ [34]: https://justicedemocrats.com/ [35]: https://x.com/daveweigel/status/2038424304895816008?s=46 [36]: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2026/03/28/dems-piker-pickle-00849445?nname=playbook&nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&nrid=0000014e-f10d-dd93-ad7f-f90de50d0003 [37]: https://zeteo.com/p/are-these-trumps-worst-poll-numbers-first-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share [38]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2WTc8Xlq3o [39]: https://aje.news/p0huh8?update=4445621 [40]: https://www.haaretz.com/gaza/2026-03-29/ty-article/.premium/idf-strikes-kill-at-least-10-palestinians-in-gaza-health-ministry-says/0000019d-3ab0-dc64-a3df-faff7db70000 [41]: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/27/middleeast/israeli-soldiers-settler-ideology-detain-cnn-crew-latam-intl [42]: https://aje.news/p0huh8?update=4445744 [43]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/29/world/americas/cuba-russian-oil-tanlker.html [44]: https://apnews.com/article/nepal-former-prime-minister-oli-arrest-protests-0853943a32336ba71f3564e2ee93c246 [45]: https://apnews.com/article/sudan-war-military-rsf-6abc282349c8deba92481895d1744913 [46]: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-new-leader-avi-lewsi-9.7146004 [47]: https://zeteo.com/p/are-these-trumps-worst-poll-numbers-first-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share [48]: https://www.axios.com/2026/03/29/save-act-voter-registration-distance-travel?utm_campaign=editorial&utm_source=x&utm_medium=owned_social [49]: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/11/lindsey-graham-reverse-ferret-john-mccain-trump [50]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2038265706899202203?s=46&t=uXB-axTQSod3D2EIebJYlQ [51]: https://x.com/calltoactivism/status/2038271512612831258?s=46&t=uXB-axTQSod3D2EIebJYlQ [52]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2038263593255256358?s=46&t=uXB-axTQSod3D2EIebJYlQ [53]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2038262012220715089?s=46&t=uXB-axTQSod3D2EIebJYlQ [54]: https://x.com/facethenation/status/2038292514684203352?s=46&t=uXB-axTQSod3D2EIebJYlQ [55]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/24/business/media/new-york-times-pentagon-court-order.html [56]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/24/business/media/new-york-times-pentagon-court-order.html [57]: https://newrepublic.com/article/208313/trump-god-squad-endangered-rices-whale-extinction-gulf-mexico [58]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/business/bank-of-america-epstein-victims-settlement.html [59]: https://zeteo.com/p/are-these-trumps-worst-poll-numbers-first-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share [60]: https://zeteo.com/account?utm_source=user-menu https://zeteo.com/p/are-these-trumps-worst-poll-numbers-first-draft

Ground Troops to Iran? Mehdi Takes Your Questions LIVE on Monday for 'Ask the Editor' Don’t miss out on this week’s episode of ‘Ask the Editor!’ Join **Mehdi** and **Prem** for a live Q&A on **Monday** at **11am ET, 8am PT, or 4pm GMT** to break down the latest stories. Subscribers can join the conversation on [Zeteo.com][1], the Substack app, or [YouTube][2]. [Subscribe now][3] **Zeteo’s** editor-in-chief will unpack the latest chaos from Donald Trump’s war on Iran (including a possible ground invasion!), Israel’s lawless violence in the West Bank and further invasion into Lebanon – and whatever news you’re asking about. Don’t miss it. **Tune into ‘Ask the Editor’ below:** [Tune in here!][4] *If you support the work we do, consider becoming [a paid subscriber][5]. A [donation][6] would also go a long way in supporting our mission of independent, accountability journalism.* ***Catch up on more from Zeteo:*** [1]: https://open.substack.com/live-stream/147866?utm_source=post-publish [2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2WTc8Xlq3o [3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe? [4]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2WTc8Xlq3o [5]: https://substack.com/redirect/87804755-6b5b-4164-ad33-8dc58a67bb24?j=eyJ1IjoiNG4xMWJiIn0.VdqxNfiAjWMuJ0INyIr1sjJ74hlF9jPSY_30l39faNc [6]: https://substack.com/redirect/20ac81a5-7391-4986-aed0-cf4649d94472?j=eyJ1IjoiNG4xMWJiIn0.VdqxNfiAjWMuJ0INyIr1sjJ74hlF9jPSY_30l39faNc https://zeteo.com/p/ground-troops-to-iran-mehdi-takes

The Palestinian Question Is Still the Core of the Middle East Conflict *Palestinians rally on Land Day on March 30, 2018, in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus. Photo by Nedal Eshtayah/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images* At the start of every parliamentary session, Benjamin Netanyahu would give his customary speech. He would parade his achievements, while his servants in parliament rose to applaud him at every pause, and he would ignore his failures. But there was always one topic he reserved for after a long, deliberate pause – his way of signaling its importance. By now, we knew exactly what was coming. He would smile and declare with confidence something along the lines of: ‘They used to say the Palestinian issue is the root of the conflict. But the real root is the refusal to recognize Israel. The Abraham Accords show that peace with the Palestinians does not guarantee peace with the Arab world.’ He would add, ‘The true challenge is achieving peace between Israel and the Arab states.’ We knew this argument contradicted both reality and reason. Yet, in recent years, the Palestinian issue has been at a difficult turning point. Several Arab states were normalizing relations with Israel, one after another, with strong encouragement from Donald Trump. At the time, we warned clearly that the Israeli occupation of the Palestinians would not end unless it became truly costly for Israel. Now everyone understands that the occupation has indeed become unbearably costly. [Subscribe now][1] The latest war began in [Gaza][2], and after two and a half years of staggering loss – both in lives and resources – its consequences have rippled across the entire region. What began in Gaza has now escalated into a wider confrontation between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran (with support from Russia and China) on the other – a conflict with ripple effects stretching far beyond the battlefields. In this expanding crisis, Tehran’s network of regional actors has been engaged to varying degrees, with some militias intensifying attacks even as others hold back from full‑scale war. As a member of the Knesset, I sit in many parliamentary committee meetings – and there is not a single committee untouched by the occupation, whether directly or indirectly. The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is an obvious example. The Finance Committee debates a budget that dramatically strengthens the occupation and the settlements, all at the expense of social and economic needs. The Interior Committee grapples with crime in the Arab community, which the government refuses to address seriously, seeing Palestinian citizens as part of a people it treats as an enemy. And the Constitution Committee, led by the settler Simcha Rothman, pushes a judicial overhaul designed to allow the seizure of privately owned Palestinian land in Area C without interference from the Supreme Court. And so it goes across the entire Knesset. Yet those who suffer most inside Israel are the country’s [Palestinian citizens][3], who make up roughly 20% of the population. Their reality is like that of a tightrope walker in a circus: lean too far toward their national identity, and they risk losing their citizenship; lean too far toward citizenship, and they risk losing their national identity. Since October 7, even this fragile rope has begun to fray. *Palestinian citizens of Israel in Tel Aviv protest against the Israeli government’s inaction over growing crime in Arab-Israeli communities on Jan. 31, 2026. Photo by Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images* History has lessons. Thucydides wrote that “war is a violent teacher,” revealing harsh truths about power, fear, and human limits. His lesson is evident today: the war in Gaza has violently exposed the limits of force. At first glance, it seemed to offer the Israeli right every possible advantage: the most right-wing, ideologically cohesive government in Israel’s history; October 7 as justification to pursue its full political agenda; a war [backed][4] by more than 90% of Jewish Israeli citizens; the longest and most intense conflict since 1948; and two American administrations more supportive than ever. Yet despite all this, when the war ends, there will still be roughly 7.5 million Palestinians and 7.5 million Israelis living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. That reality has not changed – and it will not. After the wars of 1948 and 1967, the vast majority of Israeli Jews felt triumph, while Palestinians endured the humiliation of defeat. This war is different. Ask Israelis and Palestinians today whether they would return to October 6, 2023, and most would likely say yes. That alone reflects a profound transformation in the region’s political and human landscape. [Subscribe now][5] The war with Iran – yet another consequence of the unresolved Palestinian question – has revealed something else: the United States and Israel are unlikely to achieve their stated goal of regime change. Everything that has unfolded over the past two years shows that the Middle East will remain a region prone to repeated eruptions of violence. At the center of that instability is the unresolved Palestinian question. But there is a solution. This is certainly not the solution proposed by the Israeli right, which has repeatedly failed. Just a year ago, it claimed Hezbollah had been neutralized – yet the group remains a powerful and determined fighting force. The same has happened with Hamas, and the same has happened with other Palestinian leaders who were eliminated in the past. The founding event of the Zionist left over the past 30 years is the [Oslo Accords][6]. The founding event of the Israeli right is October 7, and this war. After Oslo, the right attacked the Zionist left, claiming that the peaceful approach brought neither a solution nor security. Now all of us can attack the Israeli right by arguing that the military approach has also brought neither a solution nor security. Both peoples must not choose death separately, but rather life together, or separately. They must recognize one another and choose life. You cannot defeat an idea with military force alone. Ideas can only be challenged with better ideas. The only truly convincing idea is one that recognizes the national rights of both peoples – Jewish and Palestinian – and guarantees self-determination for each. I believe the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, first launched by Saudi Arabia, offers a realistic and achievable framework. Its core principle is simple: Israel recognizes a Palestinian state, and in return, it secures peace and normalization with the entire Arab and Muslim world. Some groups or states may still oppose such an agreement. But if the Palestinians themselves – the people whose rights are directly at stake, including the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, which support it – accept it, there would be no practical basis left to reject it. After two and a half grueling years, what we need most is an ethical and courageous choice: the choice of peace rooted in the rights of both peoples. *Ayman Odeh protests against the war in Gaza on Nov. 4, 2023. Photo by Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images* On October 7, the Palestinians struck the Israelis more than at any time since the beginning of the conflict 100 years ago. But the result is that the State of Israel still exists. After October 7, the Israelis struck the Palestinians more than at any time since the beginning of the conflict. But the result is that the Palestinian people remain. Both peoples must not choose death separately, but rather life together, or separately. They must recognize one another and choose life. ***Ayman Odeh **is a Palestinian citizen of Israel and the chair of the Hadash–Ta’al List in the Knesset. * ***The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Zeteo.*** [Share][7] ***Check out more from Zeteo: *** [1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe? [2]: https://zeteo.com/p/dont-forget-gaza-and-palestinians-iran-war [3]: https://zeteo.com/s/diary-from-a-palestinian-in-israel [4]: https://www.inss.org.il/publication/israel-war-support/?utm_source=chatgpt.com [5]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe? [6]: https://imeu.org/resources/important-events/explainer-the-oslo-accords/116 [7]: https://zeteo.com/p/palestinian-israeli-conflict-middle-east-solution-ayman-odeh?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share https://zeteo.com/p/palestinian-israeli-conflict-middle-east-solution-ayman-odeh

Mehdi Debates Right-Wing Podcasters on Iran, Israel and Immigration If you’ve been waiting for a good-faith, wide-ranging, substantive, lengthy debate between **Mehdi** and the right on hot-button issues like Israel, Iran and immigration, well… *the wait is over.* It was two against one as **Zeteo’s** editor-in-chief appeared on the popular UK politics podcast ‘Triggernometry,’ to take on right-wing hosts **Konstantin Kisin** and **Francis Foster**. [Subscribe now][1] Mehdi, as ever, didn’t hold back as the three of them discussed and debated: * How this Iran war began (**“There’s a history of Israel bombing [Iran] every time we’re close to a deal”**) * The role of AIPAC (**“There is an Israel lobby that has massive, oversized influence on American politics”**) * The left’s response to rising immigration (**“You triggered me with ‘open borders’”**) * Which Democratic candidates may have a chance of winning in 2028 (**“Do I wish there was a more dynamic Democrat? Yes.”**) [Subscribe now][2] You can watch the full hour-plus debate above, which was filmed in Washington DC just over a week ago. Do please support the important and independent journalism we do here at **Zeteo** by becoming a **[paid subscriber][3] **today, and/or by donating to **Zeteo** **[here][4]**. [Donate][5] If you are already a **paid subscriber**, first, *thank you!*, and second, do please feel free to give your feedback on the debate and especially on Mehdi’s performance in the comments below. ***Don’t miss these other Zeteo stories:*** [Share][6] [1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe? [2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe? [3]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe [4]: https://zeteo.com/p/donate-to-zeteo [5]: https://zeteo.com/p/donate-to-zeteo [6]: https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-debates-right-wing-podcasters?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-debates-right-wing-podcasters

The Campaign Against Hasan Piker Is About Crushing the Left *Hasan Piker at the Web Summit Qatar on Feb. 4, 2026. Photo by Noushad Variyattiyakkal/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images.* Donald Trump is leading a horrifying ethnic-cleansing campaign, gutting the Constitution, and trying to give himself king-like powers. He’s leading an illegal and reckless war against Iran, in partnership with Israel, that’s immiserating so many people here and abroad. Meanwhile, prominent Democrats – ranging from elected members of Congress, to 2026 Senate candidates, to likely 2028 presidential hopefuls – are spending their time condemning Hasan Piker, the left-wing streamer and influencer, as part of a cancellation campaign spearheaded by Third way, the centrist think tank. Third Way, which is funded by billionaires and corporate interests, has been quite open about its broader goal and ongoing campaign to marginalize the left. “We will be the chief opponent of the left in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary,” the organization’s president, Jon Cowan, [recently pledged][1]. Asked to define the kind of lefty candidates Third Way doesn’t like, he pinpointed pols who “are for Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, abolishing ICE, open borders.” Cowan told the *New York Times* that Third Way will “probably spend $30 million to $50 million” toward this campaign over the next few years. [Subscribe now][2] In a [memo][3] [last year][4], Third Way advised Democrats to build “a moderate Democratic infrastructure, including media, talent pipelines, and communications networks.” And it urged Dems to “reduce far-left influence and infrastructure,” neither of which meaningfully exists yet in US politics. Third Way is targeting Piker as part of a broader effort to keep the Democratic Party under the control of big corporations, the ultra-wealthy, and supporters of Israel, no matter what the party’s base wants. [ Read more ][5] [1]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/02/us/politics/democrats-centrism-2028-election.html [2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe? [3]: https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000195-5511-d4a2-afbf-dd7121940000 [4]: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/02/third-way-patriotism-democrats-campaign-00206890 [5]: https://zeteo.com/p/third-way-hasan-piker-democrats-mcmorrow https://zeteo.com/p/third-way-hasan-piker-democrats-mcmorrow

WATCH: Zeteo Was at the Huge ‘No Kings’ Rally in a State Trump Tried To Destroy On Saturday, **Zeteo **returned to St. Paul, Minnesota, to cover the massive “No Kings” rally in front of the state Capitol. President Donald Trump has unleashed a brutal campaign of terror and violence on the state and the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Despite a supposed “drawdown” of forces, armed ICE agents remain in Minnesota in large numbers – and the residents of the two cities and its suburbs are still *remarkably* pissed off. Many of the locals who spoke to **Zeteo’s** senior political correspondent **Asawin “Swin” Suebsaeng** explicitly connected what the Trump-Vance administration had done to them to what the president is now doing to Iranians with his latest illegal war. **Watch the video above** to see **Zeteo**’s coverage of the St. Paul event, where turnout was massive, **Bruce Springsteen** sang, an array of liberal and progressive leaders spoke, and middle fingers (real and figurative) raised at President Trump abounded. Several Minnesotans told Swin about the people they know who were abducted by ICE. Everyone we spoke to expressed their continued desire to fight on and remain vigilant against Trump’s wrath – for the sake of their families and neighbors, citizen and noncitizen. **Zeteo** also spoke one-on-one with Democratic Senator **Amy Klobuchar** and **Kat Abughazaleh**, who ran for Congress in Illinois. We are not putting this article behind a paywall. Please help us do more of this reporting by [becoming a paid subscriber][1], or [making a donation][2], and watch for more of **Zeteo**’s coverage from Minneapolis, Minnesota. *Zeteo’s Liam Mann contributed to this post and video.* ***Check out more from Zeteo:*** [1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?utm_source=menu&simple=true&next=https%3A%2F%2Fzeteo.com%2F [2]: https://zeteo.com/p/donate-to-zeteo https://zeteo.com/p/no-kings-trump-minnesota-ice

This Week in Palestine: Israeli Forces Allegedly Torture Gaza Toddler to Force His Father to Confess *According to doctors, the marks on the legs of Jawad Abu Nassar are consistent with deliberate cigarette burns that his family said he suffered while in Israeli custody. Photo by Ramzi Abu Amer/IMAGO Images via Reuters* Israeli forces allegedly tortured a 1-year-old boy in Gaza to coerce a confession from his father – and the story barely got any media coverage at all. A leading UN expert said Israel is systematically torturing Palestinians. Most Western media didn’t seem to care. These are just two stories from this week in Palestine – a week defined by torture – that likely wouldn’t have gotten much Western media attention even if the US wasn’t pursuing an illegal war, ICE wasn’t in US airports, and Donald Trump wasn’t spewing out his latest lies. But they’re stories, like the rest below, we at **Zeteo** didn’t miss, and are exactly why we launched this project a few weeks ago. [Subscribe now][1] A quick note before we jump into this week: For now, we’re sending **‘This Week in Palestine’** to all **Zeteo **subscribers, but that won’t always be the case. To ensure you get the newsletter every week, go to ‘[manage subscription][2]’ in your Substack account, scroll down, and toggle **on** the button for ‘**This Week in Palestine**’. Please make sure you’re a**[paid Zeteo subscriber][3]** so you can read past the paywall. Now, here’s another troubling **‘This Week in Palestine’**: #### **Sunday, March 22 – Israel ‘Tortured’ 1-Year-Old Boy to Get Confession From Father, Family Says ** *Jawad Abu Nassar suffered physical and psychological injuries after he and his father were arrested by Israeli forces near the Maghazi refugee camp. Photo by Ramzi Abu Amer/IMAGO Images via Reuters* Palestine journalist Osama Khalout[ reported][4] that the family of 21-month-old Jawad Abu Nassar said they believe the toddler was tortured by Israeli forces to coerce a confession out of his father. Israeli forces[ took the child after arresting][5] his father, Osama, near the so-called yellow line near Gaza’s Maghazi refugee camp earlier this month. When Israel returned Jawad 10 hours later (a return Israeli forces filmed), his family noticed his pants were bloody, and he had marks on his legs. “I observed multiple deep uniform lesions on his lower body, which are clinically consistent with deliberate cigarette burns used as a form of physical torture,” Dr. Bisan Ahmed, who conducted the examination of Jawad,[ told Sky News][6]. Israel denied the claims, suggesting to Sky News that the child may have suffered light injuries in the gunfire they claimed was directed towards the father and son in an attempt to get them to turn around. They also claimed Osama confessed to being a member of Hamas, and ridiculously said he was using his son as a “human shield.” Osama remains in Israeli custody. [Share][7] #### **Monday, March 23 – World Has Given Israel ‘License to Torture Palestinians’** [ Read more ][8] [1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe? [2]: https://zeteo.com/account?utm_source=user-menu [3]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe [4]: https://www.instagram.com/osama.kahlout/reel/DWLw3WyigrQ/ [5]: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/gaza-toddler-released-israeli-custody-cigarette-burn-wounds [6]: https://news.sky.com/video/family-in-gaza-says-toddler-detained-by-israeli-forces-by-for-10-hours-13524867 [7]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-palestine-israeli-forces?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share [8]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-palestine-israeli-forces https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-palestine-israeli-forces

Mehdi Goes Head-to-Head With ‘Professor’ Jiang, the Internet Sensation Self-styled “professor” **Xueqin Jiang** became an internet sensation after a 2024 video he posted to his YouTube channel went viral. In the video, Jiang made three big predictions: Trump would win the 2024 election, the US would go to war with Iran, and ultimately, the US would lose that war. He has been [dubbed][1] “China’s Nostradamus” and his [YouTube channel][2] now has more than 2 million subscribers. But in this riveting, can’t-miss **Mehdi Unfiltered** interview, **Mehdi** challenges Jiang on how accurate – or unique! – those predictions are, including the big 2024 prediction he got *wrong*; whether he has slipped into antisemitic conspiracy theorizing; and why exactly his YouTube channel* isn’t* being censored by China. **“It is possible I’m a useful idiot and I suspect that there are many entities around the world who would like to amplify my message**,” Jiang tells Mehdi, referring to both the Chinese and Russian governments. [Subscribe now][3] Also during this provocative and wide-ranging interview, Mehdi presses Jiang on peddling conspiracy theories about the Illuminati and the Jesuits, as well as his promotion of the far-right concept of “Pax Judaica.” “**Surely you understand why a lot of people think, at best, you’re trafficking in pretty antisemitic tropes, and at worst, you’re a card-carrying antisemite when they see that stuff,**” Mehdi says. **Paid subscribers** can watch the whole interview, in which Jiang warns of an impending US ground invasion of Iran, while predicting that the US and Israeli governments will *not* use nuclear weapons. **Free subscribers **can watch a 5-minute preview. Consider [becoming a paid subscriber][4] to **Zeteo** to unlock this episode and the rest of our award-winning content. [Share][5] ***Check out more from Zeteo:*** [ Read more ][6] [1]: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/chinas-nostradamus-predicts-how-iran-36856458 [2]: https://www.youtube.com/@PredictiveHistory [3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe? [4]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe [5]: https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-goes-head-to-head-with-professor-jiang?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share [6]: https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-goes-head-to-head-with-professor-jiang https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-goes-head-to-head-with-professor-jiang