From December 27 through January 1, demonstrators used their cars—bedecked with slogans like “Intifada” and “Long live the resistance!”—to obstruct roads to major airports in Los Angeles and New York City. On Monday, Jewish Voice for Peace, the Democratic Socialists of America, and other groups organized a “shut it down for Palestine” protest, which involved physically blocking four of the main thoroughfares leading in and out of Manhattan. Police eventually removed the activists and even made arrests. But Nicole Gelinas argues that much stronger measures, entirely within the bounds of current laws, should be taken:

[T]o avoid the excessive-force charges that dogged them in 2020, police now refuse to stop people from blocking roadways, entrance ramps, and major transit centers, instead arresting them only after they’ve blocked a target, have finished with their planned action, and surrender themselves. . . .

No one is saying that people obstructing roads and transit should stew in prison for years. But they should at least receive a small-scale criminal punishment for their small-scale, criminal transgression. Police detained (and immediately released) more than 300 people during Monday’s traffic sabotage; instead of dropping the charges, why not pursue them this time?

Even a violation such as disorderly conduct can carry a fifteen-day jail sentence. A higher-level misdemeanor charge such as “criminal nuisance,” or “knowingly or recklessly creat[ing] or maintain[ing] a condition which endangers the safety or health of a considerable number of persons,” carries a potential three-month sentence. Sentences tend to get people’s attention.

If the “shut it down” crowd keeps facing no consequences, they’ll keep on shutting it down—and untrammeled low-level lawbreaking will soon become a higher-level problem, as New Yorkers, better than most, should already know.

Besides restoring order and preventing further inconveniences to the lives of millions of New Yorkers, such steps would send a clear message that the government does not approve of such expressions of hatred toward the Jewish state.

On Tuesday, representatives of Hamas met with their counterparts from Fatah—the faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) once led by Yasir Arafat that now governs parts of the West Bank—in Beijing to discuss possible reconciliation. While it is unlikely that these talks will yield any more progress than the many previous rounds, they constitute a significant step in China’s increasing attempts to involve itself in the Middle East on the side of Israel’s enemies.

By contrast, writes Tuvia Gering, Taiwan has been quick and consistent in its condemnations of Hamas and Iran and its expressions of sympathy with Israel:

Support from Taipei goes beyond words. Taiwan’s appointee in Tel Aviv and de-facto ambassador, Abby Lee, has been busy aiding hostage families, adopting the most affected kibbutzim in southern Israel, and volunteering with farmers. Taiwan recently pledged more than half a million dollars to Israel for critical initiatives, including medical and communications supplies for local municipalities. This follows earlier aid from Taiwan to an organization helping Israeli soldiers and families immediately after the October 7 attack.

The reasons why are not hard to fathom:

In many ways, Taiwan sees a reflection of itself in Israel—two vibrant democracies facing threats from hostile neighbors. Both nations wield substantial economic and technological prowess, and both heavily depend on U.S. military exports and diplomacy. Taipei also sees Israel as a “role model” for what Taiwan should aspire to be, citing its unwavering determination and capabilities to defend itself.

On a deeper level, Taiwanese leaders seem to view Israel’s war with Hamas and Iran as an extension of a greater struggle between democracy and autocracy.

Gering urges Israel to reciprocate these expressions of friendship and to take into account that “China has been going above and beyond to demonize the Jewish state in international forums.” Above all, he writes, Jerusalem should “take a firmer stance against China’s support for Hamas and Iran-backed terrorism, exposing the hypocrisy and repression that underpin its vision for a new global order.”