Debra Shushan
@drshushan.bsky.social
Middle East policy. Senior Resident Affiliate, Georgetown Center for Jewish Civilization. Yale PhD. Former J Street Director of Policy. Subscribe to The Debrief with Debra Shushan https://drshushan.substack.com/
MAYOR-ELECT MAMDANI! I'm excited & honored to host Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, the highest profile rabbi in NYC to endorse & campaign for Mamdani, for this important conversation. Today at 12pm Eastern. See link on graphic. Join us!
November 5, 2025 at 3:44 PM
MAYOR-ELECT MAMDANI! I'm excited & honored to host Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, the highest profile rabbi in NYC to endorse & campaign for Mamdani, for this important conversation. Today at 12pm Eastern. See link on graphic. Join us!
My latest, on @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social. Featuring some of my favorite Jewish folks including: @bradlander.bsky.social & @giligetz.bsky.social. Link in comments.
October 31, 2025 at 1:59 PM
My latest, on @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social. Featuring some of my favorite Jewish folks including: @bradlander.bsky.social & @giligetz.bsky.social. Link in comments.
I asked NYC Comptroller @bradlander.bsky.social to share his message to fellow New Yorkers Senator Chuck Schumer and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, who have failed to endorse Democratic primary winner @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social for mayor. They should hear what he has to say:
October 22, 2025 at 3:53 PM
I asked NYC Comptroller @bradlander.bsky.social to share his message to fellow New Yorkers Senator Chuck Schumer and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, who have failed to endorse Democratic primary winner @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social for mayor. They should hear what he has to say:
@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social has reached out broadly to NYC's Jewish community, says @bradlander.bsky.social, NYC's Comptroller & highest-ranking Jewish official. However, Cuomo & Sliwa are not called to account for ignoring NYC's 1-million strong Muslim population.
Link to full convo in comments.
Link to full convo in comments.
October 21, 2025 at 1:36 PM
@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social has reached out broadly to NYC's Jewish community, says @bradlander.bsky.social, NYC's Comptroller & highest-ranking Jewish official. However, Cuomo & Sliwa are not called to account for ignoring NYC's 1-million strong Muslim population.
Link to full convo in comments.
Link to full convo in comments.
Tomorrow at 10:30am ET:
On the second anniversary of October 7, join May Pundak and Rula Hardal of A Land for All and me to talk about a vision “grounded in dignity, equality, and belonging for both peoples" that provides more hope for Israel-Palestine than the Trump plan. Link in comments.
On the second anniversary of October 7, join May Pundak and Rula Hardal of A Land for All and me to talk about a vision “grounded in dignity, equality, and belonging for both peoples" that provides more hope for Israel-Palestine than the Trump plan. Link in comments.
October 6, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Tomorrow at 10:30am ET:
On the second anniversary of October 7, join May Pundak and Rula Hardal of A Land for All and me to talk about a vision “grounded in dignity, equality, and belonging for both peoples" that provides more hope for Israel-Palestine than the Trump plan. Link in comments.
On the second anniversary of October 7, join May Pundak and Rula Hardal of A Land for All and me to talk about a vision “grounded in dignity, equality, and belonging for both peoples" that provides more hope for Israel-Palestine than the Trump plan. Link in comments.
“America showed undue deference to Israel, excessive bias vs Palestinians, a constant desire to exert regional supremacy… How much more and how much better Americans could have done w/ much less”
I'll ask Rob Malley about his and Hussein Agha's indictment of US Middle East policy and more. Tune in!
I'll ask Rob Malley about his and Hussein Agha's indictment of US Middle East policy and more. Tune in!
September 25, 2025 at 1:46 PM
“America showed undue deference to Israel, excessive bias vs Palestinians, a constant desire to exert regional supremacy… How much more and how much better Americans could have done w/ much less”
I'll ask Rob Malley about his and Hussein Agha's indictment of US Middle East policy and more. Tune in!
I'll ask Rob Malley about his and Hussein Agha's indictment of US Middle East policy and more. Tune in!
I asked Rula Daood, Co-Director of @standing-together.bsky.social (a grassroots Jewish-Arab political movement fighting for peace, equality, and social justice in Israel-Palestine), how she responds when other Palestinians criticize her for working closely with Jewish Israelis. Her reply:
September 10, 2025 at 5:35 PM
I asked Rula Daood, Co-Director of @standing-together.bsky.social (a grassroots Jewish-Arab political movement fighting for peace, equality, and social justice in Israel-Palestine), how she responds when other Palestinians criticize her for working closely with Jewish Israelis. Her reply:
Prefacing his candor about convos with senior Biden Administration officials - including Jake Sullivan and VP Kamala Harris - on Gaza, @jjz1600.bsky.social said, said, "I'm going to be 80... and therefore don't give a s---."
Watch our full discussion, or listen to the podcast. Link in comments.
Watch our full discussion, or listen to the podcast. Link in comments.
September 5, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Prefacing his candor about convos with senior Biden Administration officials - including Jake Sullivan and VP Kamala Harris - on Gaza, @jjz1600.bsky.social said, said, "I'm going to be 80... and therefore don't give a s---."
Watch our full discussion, or listen to the podcast. Link in comments.
Watch our full discussion, or listen to the podcast. Link in comments.
Looking forward to hosting Jim Zogby @jjz1600.bsky.social of @aaiusa.bsky.social to discuss: "Where Is the Democratic Party Going on Israel-Palestine?" We'll also talk about public opinion & political mobilization in the Arab American community.
Join us tomorrow at 1pm ET & subscribe to The Debrief
Join us tomorrow at 1pm ET & subscribe to The Debrief
September 3, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Looking forward to hosting Jim Zogby @jjz1600.bsky.social of @aaiusa.bsky.social to discuss: "Where Is the Democratic Party Going on Israel-Palestine?" We'll also talk about public opinion & political mobilization in the Arab American community.
Join us tomorrow at 1pm ET & subscribe to The Debrief
Join us tomorrow at 1pm ET & subscribe to The Debrief
I'm grateful to @saribashi.bsky.social for a rich, thoughtful conversation yesterday. Here, Sari talks about how her world became smaller after October 7 -- when she discovered how “selective” the values of some people she cared about actually were.
August 26, 2025 at 4:35 PM
I'm grateful to @saribashi.bsky.social for a rich, thoughtful conversation yesterday. Here, Sari talks about how her world became smaller after October 7 -- when she discovered how “selective” the values of some people she cared about actually were.
TODAY @ 1pm ET: The brilliant and accomplished Israeli-American human rights lawyer @saribashi.bsky.social, who lives in the West Bank with her Palestinian husband (from Gaza) and their 2 kids, joins The Debrief to share her perspective and her Israeli-Palestinian family's experience. Come & learn!
August 25, 2025 at 2:52 PM
TODAY @ 1pm ET: The brilliant and accomplished Israeli-American human rights lawyer @saribashi.bsky.social, who lives in the West Bank with her Palestinian husband (from Gaza) and their 2 kids, joins The Debrief to share her perspective and her Israeli-Palestinian family's experience. Come & learn!
Fmr Knesset Speaker Avrum Burg on the All Its Citizens Party, which he co-chairs. “Is it hopeful? Yes. Is it optimism? Yeah. Is it naive? Yes. But since we tested all the cynical, practical... experiences of people who know it all, who brought us to this fu**ed up reality, give me a bit of naivete.”
August 17, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Fmr Knesset Speaker Avrum Burg on the All Its Citizens Party, which he co-chairs. “Is it hopeful? Yes. Is it optimism? Yeah. Is it naive? Yes. But since we tested all the cynical, practical... experiences of people who know it all, who brought us to this fu**ed up reality, give me a bit of naivete.”
I'll be speaking with singular Israeli political figure Avrum Burg tomorrow (yes, Sunday) at Noon Eastern / 7pm Jerusalem. More info + link in comments
August 16, 2025 at 7:44 PM
I'll be speaking with singular Israeli political figure Avrum Burg tomorrow (yes, Sunday) at Noon Eastern / 7pm Jerusalem. More info + link in comments
TODAY at 3pm Eastern on The Debrief: Join me and @elgindy.bsky.social to discuss "The Blindness of US policy toward Palestine & Israel"
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--> open.substack.com/pub/drshusha...
August 13, 2025 at 3:53 PM
TODAY at 3pm Eastern on The Debrief: Join me and @elgindy.bsky.social to discuss "The Blindness of US policy toward Palestine & Israel"
--> open.substack.com/pub/drshusha...
--> open.substack.com/pub/drshusha...
In our conversation today on The Debrief, @taniahary.bsky.social of Israeli human rights organization Gisha describes poignantly how the Netanyahu government’s strategy of making Palestinians desperate to leave Gaza is working.
Link to video in comments
Link to video in comments
August 5, 2025 at 11:22 PM
In our conversation today on The Debrief, @taniahary.bsky.social of Israeli human rights organization Gisha describes poignantly how the Netanyahu government’s strategy of making Palestinians desperate to leave Gaza is working.
Link to video in comments
Link to video in comments
TODAY at 1pm Eastern - As the Israeli govt is moving toward "full occupation of the Gaza Strip," don't miss this urgent briefing with @taniahary.bsky.social of Gisha.
Link in comments.
Link in comments.
August 5, 2025 at 1:49 PM
TODAY at 1pm Eastern - As the Israeli govt is moving toward "full occupation of the Gaza Strip," don't miss this urgent briefing with @taniahary.bsky.social of Gisha.
Link in comments.
Link in comments.
Looking fwd to my conversation with @rabbijilljacobs.bsky.social on Monday! We'll discuss the NYC mayoral race & the Jewish community's response to starvation in Gaza.
Rabbi Jacobs was arrested this week, protesting at the Israeli consulate.
Subscribe & watch on The Debrief: drshushan.substack.com
Rabbi Jacobs was arrested this week, protesting at the Israeli consulate.
Subscribe & watch on The Debrief: drshushan.substack.com
August 1, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Looking fwd to my conversation with @rabbijilljacobs.bsky.social on Monday! We'll discuss the NYC mayoral race & the Jewish community's response to starvation in Gaza.
Rabbi Jacobs was arrested this week, protesting at the Israeli consulate.
Subscribe & watch on The Debrief: drshushan.substack.com
Rabbi Jacobs was arrested this week, protesting at the Israeli consulate.
Subscribe & watch on The Debrief: drshushan.substack.com
Sanctioning a UN human rights official for working with the ICC is abhorrent, period. Yep, this is still true if you disapprove of her calling for the ICC to investigate corporate actors for allegedly profiteering from facilitating Israeli atrocities in Gaza.
July 9, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Sanctioning a UN human rights official for working with the ICC is abhorrent, period. Yep, this is still true if you disapprove of her calling for the ICC to investigate corporate actors for allegedly profiteering from facilitating Israeli atrocities in Gaza.
"My Hope for Zohran Mamdani and Jewish New Yorkers": the first post on my new Substack, The Debrief with Debra Shushan
open.substack.com/pub/drshusha...
Please subscribe, comment, share!
open.substack.com/pub/drshusha...
Please subscribe, comment, share!
July 6, 2025 at 10:40 PM
"My Hope for Zohran Mamdani and Jewish New Yorkers": the first post on my new Substack, The Debrief with Debra Shushan
open.substack.com/pub/drshusha...
Please subscribe, comment, share!
open.substack.com/pub/drshusha...
Please subscribe, comment, share!
So sad that @connolly.house.gov has passed. Gerry was an incredible MOC for his Fairfax County constituents. A brilliant statesman w/ an unwavering moral compass. Above all, he was a fighter. We must fight on in his memory. Gerry would expect no less.
May his memory be a blessing & an inspiration.
May his memory be a blessing & an inspiration.
May 21, 2025 at 1:14 PM
So sad that @connolly.house.gov has passed. Gerry was an incredible MOC for his Fairfax County constituents. A brilliant statesman w/ an unwavering moral compass. Above all, he was a fighter. We must fight on in his memory. Gerry would expect no less.
May his memory be a blessing & an inspiration.
May his memory be a blessing & an inspiration.
ISRAELIS OVERWHELMINGLY WANT A DEAL TO RETURN THE HOSTAGES & END THE GAZA WAR: 71% ✅, 15% ❌, 14% ❓.
Among voters for Bibi's govt: 56% ✅, 24% ❌, 20%❓
Who wants to continue war & sacrifice hostages? Extremists (to build settlements in Gaza) + Bibi (to keep power, avoid jail).
Among voters for Bibi's govt: 56% ✅, 24% ❌, 20%❓
Who wants to continue war & sacrifice hostages? Extremists (to build settlements in Gaza) + Bibi (to keep power, avoid jail).
November 29, 2024 at 11:31 PM
ISRAELIS OVERWHELMINGLY WANT A DEAL TO RETURN THE HOSTAGES & END THE GAZA WAR: 71% ✅, 15% ❌, 14% ❓.
Among voters for Bibi's govt: 56% ✅, 24% ❌, 20%❓
Who wants to continue war & sacrifice hostages? Extremists (to build settlements in Gaza) + Bibi (to keep power, avoid jail).
Among voters for Bibi's govt: 56% ✅, 24% ❌, 20%❓
Who wants to continue war & sacrifice hostages? Extremists (to build settlements in Gaza) + Bibi (to keep power, avoid jail).
If you're like me, you've been waiting for analysis from Michael Sfard, Israel's foremost international human rights lawyer, on the ICC warrants for Netanyahu & Gallant. As ever, Michael doesn't disappoint.
The following is from Michael's Facebook page, translated (by FB) from the original Hebrew:
The following is from Michael's Facebook page, translated (by FB) from the original Hebrew:
November 22, 2024 at 2:45 PM
If you're like me, you've been waiting for analysis from Michael Sfard, Israel's foremost international human rights lawyer, on the ICC warrants for Netanyahu & Gallant. As ever, Michael doesn't disappoint.
The following is from Michael's Facebook page, translated (by FB) from the original Hebrew:
The following is from Michael's Facebook page, translated (by FB) from the original Hebrew: