Trump freezes funds for Palestinian Authority

What We’re Reading

US-Israel relations

Palestinians say Obama’s last-minute $221 million payout frozen by Trump,

Source says State Department has notified Ramallah the funds will not be immediately available, while it examines the transfer.

Trump said set to halt funding for UN agencies, other groups that give PA, PLO full membership,

President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing two executive orders that would halt US funding to the UN and other bodies that grant full membership to the Palestinian Authority and the PLO, the New York Times reported Wednesday.

Opinion: Trump’s unquestioning support means trouble for Israel,

“The Israeli leadership may want ‘carte blanche,’ but that puts it on a collision course with the rest of the international community,” writes Ishaan Tharoor.

Occupation/Human rights

Opinion: The Dangers of Annexing the West Bank,

“‘United Israel’ would mean perpetual civil war, apartheid and socioeconomic implosion,” writes Shaul Arieli.

Peace Now: Israel begins to act on 73% of the 2,500 settler homes,

Opinion: A one-state solution would bring economic disaster,

“A one-state reality won’t likely affect the top tiers of Israeli society. Yet those near bottom of the ladder will inevitably face an economic nightmare. The only solution is for both Israelis and Palestinians to have their own functioning nation states,” writes Omri Eilat.

Opinion: How the Surge in East Jerusalem Construction Plans Could Spell End of Two-state Solution,

Buoyed by Trump’s ascent to power, here are the plans that could create irrevocable facts on the ground.

Israeli politics

New settlement homes are just a ‘taste,’ Netanyahu tells MKs,

‘We are going to be doing many things differently from now on,’ prime minister says, confirms he’ll discuss settlement building with Trump.

Netanyahu’s coalition rivals prepare for battle,

Political figures on the right are jockeying for position to lead Israel’s right wing in anticipation of a police investigation and other issues forcing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step down.

Gaza

Gaza reels as power crisis continues to leave its population in darkness,

The power crisis and its roots in the Gaza Strip have stirred a heated debate involving mutual accusations between the PA and Hamas, while Palestinians take to the streets to protest the growing problem.

Israel’s Gaza war and ‘post-truth’ politics,

“On the eve of the release of the report on the failures of the political leadership during Operation Protective Edge, the country’s leaders have launched a war of versions in order to derive political benefit,” writes Mazal Mualem.