Top news stories from Israel/Palestine: December 21, 2017

What We’re Reading

US-Israeli/Palestinian relations

Trump suggests he will cut aid to countries that vote against Jerusalem recognition at UN,

President Donald Trump suggested he would cut aid to nations that vote at the U.N. to rebuke his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Congress calls Trump’s bluff on threat to cut aid over UN vote,

President Donald Trump’s threat to cut foreign aid to countries that criticize his position on Jerusalem at the United Nations is drawing fierce condemnation from key Democratic lawmakers, raising doubts that Congress would allow him to carry it out.

Shunned by Palestinians, Trump envoy tells Netanyahu he’s still working on peace,

Jason Greenblatt joined by US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman for talks said to focus on ‘peace efforts which will benefit both Israelis and Palestinians’.

Bahrain FM seems to call Jerusalem a ‘side issue,’ urges unity against Iran,

Bahrain’s foreign minister appeared to downplay  as a “side issue” the controversy over US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Israel’s capital, while urging a united front with Washington against “theo-fascists” Iran.

Opinion: Introducing a vision of peace for Jerusalem is the ultimate response to Trump's statement,

“Pro-peace Israeli politicians should not compete with the right-wing government over who is more enthusiastic about Trump’s statement and who is more committed to ‘united Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal capital’. Instead, they should engage in dialogue with Israel’s Palestinian and Arab neighbors, and introduce a vision of peace for the city of Jerusalem,” writes Nimrod Goren.

Occupation/Human rights

Two-thirds of Palestinian Minors Testify to Abuse in Israeli Detention,

The incidence of reported physical violence against child detainees has risen since a 2013 UNICEF report on the matter. Other aspects of detention, such as access to a lawyer, have improved.

Israeli army responds to fresh protests with live fire,

More than 80 Palestinians have been injured in fresh protests across the West Bank, two weeks after US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, according to the Red Crescent.

Will Israel investigate the beatings of Palestinian detainees?,

“A new video in which soldiers beat a handcuffed Palestinian detainee poses a challenge to Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked: will she call to investigate this incident, or are investigations reserved solely for persecuting political rivals?” asks Yariv Mohar.

Opinion: EU must end complicity in Israel's shameless flouting of international law,

“The US administration’s brazen recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was met with global shock and condemnation. It is now imperative that the EU translate its words into action, making clear that it will not support US President Donald Trump’s announcement and will take concrete steps to end complicity in Israel’s shameless flouting of international law,” writes Rami Saleh.