Support for two states plummets among Israelis, Palestinians: Poll

What We’re Reading

Support for two states plummets among Israelis, Palestinians: Poll,

In the past year, support for the two state solution decreased among Palestinians and Israelis; today only 51% on each side support it. Meanwhile, each side continues to view the intentions of the other as posing an existential threat.

US-Israel relations

Poll finds massive drop in Israelis’ approval of Obama,

Confidence in Obama slipped in Israel from 71% in 2014 to 49% in 2015, while half of Israelis said they have no confidence in the president’s leadership in international affairs, according to the 2015 Spring Pew Global Attitudes Survey.

I have 'no differences' with Netanyahu over Iran, says Israel's opposition leader,

Israel’s opposition leader has voiced “extreme worry” over a possible nuclear deal with Iran, declaring there is “no daylight” between himself and Benjamin Netanyahu on this issue.

Who is more naive – Michael Oren or Barack Obama?,

“Oren is accusing Obama of being naive and detached, but it’s the former Israeli envoy who claims West Bank Palestinians don’t have it so bad,” writes Peter Beinart.

Occupation/Human Rights

'Settlers in the West Bank bring an end to two state solution',

Some 651,000 Israeli settlers lived in 185 illegal settlements and 220 unauthorised locations in the West Bank and Jerusalem at the start of 2015, representing 21 per cent of the area’s total population and making the “two state solution unachievable,” a senior Fatah member warned.

Gaza and Hamas

Obama administration rejects Security Council consideration of UN Gaza report,

The Obama administration opposes any Security Council consideration of a United Nations report on last summer’s war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Opinion: After Gaza report, Israel is losing its clout on Iran,

“Israel isn’t free to deal with the Iranian threat right now, because a far more dangerous threat is hovering over it – the UN Human Rights Council’s report on last summer’s war with Hamas in Gaza,” writes Zvi Bar’el.

Following UN Gaza probe, Palestinian Authority to present documents to ICC on Thursday,

Following the publication of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s investigation into the last round of fighting in Gaza, the Palestinian Authority plans on filing documents with the International Criminal Court on Thursday concerning what they term Israel’s violations in three areas.

After rocket, Israel revokes entry permits for 500 Gazans,

Israel said Wednesday it was revoking permits for 500 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to enter Jerusalem ahead of Friday prayers because of rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave.

Hamas Claims Captured IDF Soldier Still Alive,

In propaganda piece meant to stir Israeli public opinion to giving in on Hamas demands, terror group publishes account of Israeli soldier Oron Shaul.

Israeli politics

Arab List MK hits back at Knesset move to suspend him for Flotilla role,

Basel Ghattas, a Knesset member for the Joint Arab List, has hit back at condemnation of his participation in the Freedom Flotilla III, which is about to set sail to Gaza in an attempt to deliver humanitarian supplies.