Announcements, Query, Trainings, Resources
Everything you need to know in the world of the critical study of antizionism ...
7-15-26
I. ANNOUNCEMENTS
(1)
We’re moving forward with the Journal for the Critical Study of Antizionism! We would love to have another Israeli and a couple of European scholars on the Editorial Board, so if that’s you or you know of someone, please get in touch.
We’d also love to hear from anyone with experience launching and/or running an academic journal!
(2)
The International Freedom Coalition (IFC) is launching next week in Washington DC. Their slogan is “The Free World Stands United Against Jihadism,” and they aim to raise awareness of the threat that Islamism and jihad pose to the global community. Their launch event will feature speeches from victims of jihad from around the world, documenting how they have been abandoned by international media and human rights groups instead fixated solely on Israel. Since Islamist jihad is one of the major forms antizionism takes today, this is right up ICSA’s alley.
Thursday, July 23, 2026
9:00 – 11:30 A.M.
HVC-200, Capitol Visitors Center, Washington, D.C.
It requires an RSVP so if you’re interested let me know and I’ll connect you.
Their website is here: https://www.internationalfreedomcoalition.org/.
(3)
Speaking of jihad, and of those who reject the Islam-Islamism distinction, the Ideological Defense Institute has just published the first edition of their new journal:
The House of Islam: The Case Against the Islam/Islamism Divide
It’s a collection of essays including some great scholars, and I look forward to diving in myself.
More information here: https://idicenter.org/article/the-house-of-islam
(4)
QUERY:
A talented young man is looking for work:
Alexander Mermelstein holds an M.P.P. and Data Science degree from USC and a B.S. in Actuarial Science. He currently interns at a research institute focused on media monitoring and OSINT. He writes on Iran policy, antisemitism, and U.S.-Israel relations, with recent pieces in JNS, The Algemeiner, and The Hill covering topics including Iran deterrence, campaign finance and FARA, and the asymmetric application of international law to Israel. He also writes the Mermelstein Memo on Substack. He is currently seeking full-time research, policy, or advocacy roles in the Iran/Israel/antisemitism space and would welcome any leads or introductions.
Reach him directly at alexander.mermelstein@gmail.com
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II. TRAININGS
Our friends at both the Movement Against Antizionism and StopAntizionism offer terrific “training” sessions, getting people up to speed on understanding the necessity for the critical focus specifically on antizionism. I recommend them to every member of ICSA, and to everyone you know, so please spread the word!
--MAAZ Australia has a training coming up next week Australia time I think. Check it out and sign up here: https://cal.com/maaztrainaus/training-session
--StopAntizionism offers their own trainings and even a certificate program if you want to really master this stuff. Check them out and sign up here: https://www.stopaz.org/educationtraining
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III. RESOURCES
So much good stuff has come out since our last substack!
(1)
I absolutely must lead with this terrific piece co-written by two former antizionists and articulate dissectors of antizionism:
Kile Jones & Tobias Gisle
“The Antizionist Script: How Two Strangers Reached the Same Conclusion”
Read it: https://icsa.substack.com/p/by-jones-and-gisle-the-antizionist
(2)
Given the theme of Islamism in this issue, Dr. Daniel Allington has written a very detailed report about Islamist Antisemitism. It’s long, but has a useful executive summary at the start. Unfortunately I can summarize it very briefly: The problem here is very very bad.
Dr. Daniel Allington
“Islamist Antisemitism: A Neglected Hate”
(3)
The anti-antizionist superstar Hen Mazzig, who goes where many fear to tread, has a spot-on analysis of the circus-style dog-and-pony show of politicians and others advancing their careers by dumping on Israel. Basically, antizionism has become a career move. Shades of earlier (dark) times, to be sure.
Hen Mazzig
“Truth Hurts: Ro Khanna Just Copied Lizzo’s Move: Has Free Palestine become reputation rehab?”
Read it:
(4)
Happily, another review critiquing this crazy new antizionist trend of romanticizing the Bund—i.e. advocating for a movement that proved its (lack of) value by being destroyed by the Holocaust.
By Barry Finger, “Review of Molly Crabapple, ‘Here Where We Live Is Our Country’ (Random House, 2026): On this new trend of romanticizing an old trend that died in genocide”
Read it: https://icsa.substack.com/p/by-barry-finger-review-of-molly-crabapple
(5)
Finally, I discovered a new guy this week who gets it. Aro Korol is a Polish filmmaker who understands that antizionism is a problem:
Aro Korol
“The Cause That Ate the Brain: Anti-Zionism’s Roots: How an old Western habit of making Jews symbolic got a keffiyeh, a placard, and a sociology degree.”
Read it:
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There’s still plenty more, but that’s it, for now.
Remember: We need teams of scholars producing reams of scholarship about antizionism.
We need ICSA.
Andrew Pessin
Your link to the IDI Center document The House Of Island needs the period at the end deleted.
The correct link is
https://idicenter.org/article/the-house-of-islam
without the period
Canada has become a hotbed for organized Jihadism where Canadian tax dollars are funding antisemitism. The irony is that I am paying taxes to people who want to kill me. Www.israelellis.com
See my latest post on instagram- Stupid white people paid to protest against Israel in downtown Toronto. @israel_ellis