Hundreds of Labor Party activists voted Sunday to endorse party leader Isaac Herzog’s plan to separate from the Palestinians at a convention at the Tel Aviv Fairgrounds. “The two-state vision did not die, but it will not happen tomorrow,” Herzog told the crowd. “What can be achieved today is security for the citizens of Israel and separation between us and the Palestinians, with actions, not mere words.”

“The reality behind the plan for ‘disengagement from the Palestinian villages in East Jerusalem’ – which for decades have not been villages, but rather huge neighborhoods encompassing intricate urban spaces – is the aspiration to perpetuate Israel’s control of Jerusalem’s Historic Basin, site of its most important and sensitive cultural and religious monuments, to tear it away from the Palestinian neighborhoods that surround it and to tighten the grip over the Palestinians who live there and constitute more than 90% of its residents,” writes Yudith Oppenheimer.

Two taxi rides gave a small glimpse into some of the daily realities of Jerusalem’s Palestinian residents — ordinary people forced to live in unordinary circumstances.

After three days of strict military closure, the Israeli army lifted its blockade Saturday evening on the town of Qabatiya in the northern West Bank.

Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Bernie Sanders has had a long and apparently often critical relationship with Israel. “I’d like to see the United States pressing Israel more on the Palestinian issue,” he said in 1990.

“Netanyahu wants to kick Arab MKs out of the Knesset for meeting with families of Palestinian terrorists. Will the same standard be upheld for those who meet with Jewish terrorists?” asks Edo Konrad. Israel’s governing coalition recently agreed to formulate a bill that would suspend lawmakers for meeting with the families of terrorists.

Tzipi Hotovely says Israel’s domestic and military intelligence agencies are “absolutely wrong” to suggest that Palestinian violence is created from hopelessness. “It means that terrorism is the main problem, is the main issue, not frustration,” the de-facto foreign minister adds. Hotovely’s comments came as the Israeli army and security cabinet endorsed a plan to allow 30,o00 more Palestinians to work in Israel.

“For more than two decades, Palestinians have been saddled with the failed negotiations process and despite its disastrous effects, this Palestinian leadership has refused to seriously pursue an alternative strategy, preferring instead to threaten to take action if negotiations end,” writes Diana Buttu.

Almost ten years of talks, aimed at bridging the differences between Hamas and Fatah, have had little success. Representatives of the two groups are meeting yet again, this time in Qatar, to try and resolve their differences.

Survey shows 42% back armed uprising, down from over 60% in December; majority would support Abbas over Hamas candidate.

“Military preparations by Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip are raising speculation that a new war is on the way,” writes Rasha Abou Jalal.