Top news stories from Israel/Palestine: June 29, 2018

What We’re Reading

BDS and Settlement boycotts

House panel unanimously advances federal anti-BDS legislation,

The House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously passed controversial legislation on Thursday to target boycott efforts against Israel and Israeli businesses, advancing the measure to now be considered by the entire House chamber.

What It Means For Israel If Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Is Democrats’ Future,

Her victory — with 57% of the vote — raises larger questions about the party’s direction, including whether she won despite or because of her stinging comments about Israel on the campaign trail.

Boycotting Israeli Settlement Goods Back Up for Debate at Irish Parliament,

Irish Senator Frances Black announced on Wednesday that a bill she is promoting to boycott products manufactured in Israeli settlements will be discussed at the Irish parliament on July 11, 2018.

To deport Human Rights Watch official? Court wrestles with Boycott debate,

The Jerusalem District Court heard on Wednesday an intense legal battle pitting Human Rights Watch against the government and a group of anti-BDS NGOs over whether the state can be deport HRW’s representative for Israel and the Palestinian areas.

Occupation/Human rights

Birthright Participants Walk Off Trip to Join Anti-occupation Tour,

A group of five American Jews visiting Israel as part of the Birthright Israel program left the trip Thursday in protest of the program’s treatment of the occupation and joined a tour of Hebron led by anti-occupation army veterans’ group Breaking the Silence

Many Gazan Women Are No Longer Able to Enter Israel for Cancer Treatment,

In 2012, Israel approved ninety-two per cent of medical permits for Gazans. In 2014, a year of deadly conflict, eighty-two per cent of patients were allowed in. But, since the beginning of 2018, with no announcement of a change in policy, more than half of applications for medical permits from Gaza have been turned down or left unanswered, according to Physicians for Human Rights – Israel.

Cars Vandalized, Graffiti Sprayed in West Bank Village as Hate Crimes See Resurgence,

Slogans saying ‘Jews do not keep silent’ and ‘Here live enemies to expel or kill’ were spray-painted on the walls.

Israeli Official Declares Plot State Land, Then Turns It Into Illegal Outpost,

The land hosts a farm and a guesthouse whose profits go to a company established by the official, who has since left his government job.

As Israelis, we call on the world to intervene on behalf of Palestinians,

“The state of Israel is facing a catastrophic situation, which could, alarmingly soon, lead to extensive bloodshed. It is time for the international community to act decisively. Substantive external pressure – political, economic and cultural – offers the only chance of emerging from this impossible situation before it is too late,” write Ilana Hammerman and David Harel.

Trump peace plan

Kushner peace push undermined by Trump's policies,

Jared Kushner’s Middle East peace push is being undermined by a series of administration policy decisions that have alienated both the Palestinian leadership and people.

Arab Leaders Asked U.S. Not to Reveal Mideast Peace Plan, Palestinians Say,

According to Palestinian officials, Arab representatives warned Kushner and Greenblatt that disclosing a plan that doesn’t meet Palestinian expectations could disturb regional stability.

Gaza

Abbas' sanctions on Gaza could soon become Israel's war,

The Palestinian Authority’s attempts to destroy Gaza’s economy could end up dragging Israel into military conflict.

FMEP Resources

VIDEO: Complex Palestinian narratives & competing political visions,

The American public and policymaking circles all too often reduce the “Palestinian perspective” to a single, monolithic viewpoint, both in terms of historical experience and yearning for the future.