Top news stories from Israel/Palestine: March 9, 2018

What We’re Reading

FMEP Resources

Legislative Round-Up: March 9, 2018,

An overview of this week’s Middle East-related developments on Capitol Hill.

Settlement Report: March 9, 2018,

FMEP’s report on Israeli settlement activity, this week covering: A new settlement in Hebron; a looming Israeli plan to unite and expand settlements near Qalqilya; and more.

Occupation/Human rights

15 Years of Separation: The Palestinians Cut Off From Jerusalem by the Wall,

Palestinians see it as Israel’s attempt to expel them from Jerusalem; Israelis see it as protection from terrorism. Haaretz investigates the separation barrier’s impact on the city and its residents.

Seeds of resistance: The woman fighting occupation with agriculture,

Vivien Sansour, founder of the Palestine Heirloom Seed Library, talks to +972 Magazine about Palestinian agricultural heritage, the occupation in global context, and the movement to preserve local farming techniques and biodiversity.

Palestinian Boy Loses His Sight After Israeli Troops Shoot Him in the Eye,

Paramedics told Mohammed’s mom he was shot in the eye by IDF troops during a demonstration. She felt relieved. At least he’s alive.

The Line Outside Israel's Sole Office in East Jerusalem Is Sparking Unrest Among Palestinians,

Men climb the fences while Palestinian women give birth outside the city just to save their kids from endless lines. Things are so bad that videos of the chaotic scenes outside of the office went viral this week.

Israeli politics

Israel's alt-right is now mainstream - are lawmakers doing enough to stop it?,

Critics argue that Israeli lawmakers have enabled Jewish anti-miscegenation group Lehava, even as they’ve demonized left-leaning human rights groups.

Slew of anti-Palestinian bills points to impending Israeli elections,

“The numerous anti-Palestinian bills pushed forward by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition are signs that the right is preparing for early elections,” writes Akiva Eldar.

Israeli PM said to push funneling Palestinian refugee aid via Jordan,

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pressing for a portion of the UN agency for Palestinians refugees’s budget to be transferred to Jordan, which already hosts millions of Palestinian exiles, an Israeli news channel reported Thursday.

Gaza

[PDF] Dreams Deferred: The impact of the closure on women in the Gaza Strip,

Women, who account for 49% of the population of the Strip, are particularly susceptible to the repercussions of the severe limitations imposed by Israel on the movement of people and goods into and out of Gaza.

Opinion: Does Hamas have the courage to admit failure?,

“There was a meeting in Cairo on Thursday, and there will be a brainstorming session at the White House next week to find real solutions to the problems that Hamas has caused,” writes US Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt.

US-Israeli/Palestinian relations

Christians Emerge as Key Patrons for Jews Moving to Israel,

Seven decades after its foundation, Israel is relying on Christians to help fulfill the promise of encouraging Jewish immigration — and what was once a strictly Jewish-funded mission is increasingly being bankrolled by evangelical Christians.

AIPAC Policy Conference: 10 Most Outrageous Quotes,

Read the full transcripts of the AIPAC speeches and interviews here.

BDS and settlement boycotts

Danish pension giant divests from Motorola over ties to Israeli settlements,

Danish pension fund giant Sampension has officially excluded Motorola over the latter’s ties to Israel’s illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

Palestinian politics

New tax plan set to increase Palestinians' burdens,

The Palestinian Cabinet announced Feb. 27 in a statement it released after the end of its weekly video conference session in Ramallah and Gaza City new tax measures to increase local revenues.

Israel, Palestine & the Middle East

Arabs advising Abbas to accept Trump peace plan or risk losing out — report,

A number of Arab countries have advised Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to accept whatever US President Donald Trump proposes in the context of his long-awaited Middle East peace plan, according to a Thursday report.