How building in the ‘settlement blocs’ could still sink the two-state solution

What We’re Reading

Occupation/Peace process

Limiting Settlement Construction to the "Blocs" - Implications for Jerusalem,

Jerusalem expert Danny Seidemann explains why accepting Israeli settlement construction inside the settlement “blocs” is “arguably the most dangerous option being put in front of the international community today,” and would likely destroy prospects for a two-state solution.

What a Palestine-Jordan confederation might look like,

“US President Donald Trump’s inclination toward a regional peace process has driven the Palestinians to create a new formula for a confederation with Jordan,” writes Uri Savir.

Jabal Mukaber faces Israel's collective punishment,

Palestinians in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood have been threatened with residency revocation after recent attacks.

Palestinian women lead resistance in Budrus,

Fighting back against Israel’s incursions has become second nature for residents of the West Bank village.

Israel removes settlers from homes on private Palestinian land,

Israeli police began removing settlers and hundreds of supporters on Tuesday from nine houses built illegally on privately owned Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.

US-Israel relations

Sanders Talks Israel, Trump, and Anti-Semitism at J Street,

Read Bernie Sanders’ speech at the J Street Conference yesterday in full.

Israeli politics

The Israeli Press under Pressure,

“The Mozes transcripts have increased concern among Israeli journalists that the media may be subject to political influence,” writes Uri Blau.

At J Street confab, top Arab MK takes aim at Israel’s ‘unreliable’ Labor Party,

Arab Joint List leader MK Ayman Odeh denounced the Israeli Labor Party in biting terms Sunday, accusing it at a conference of dovish pro-Israel lobby J Street of betraying its principles and failing to stand up to the country’s right-wing coalition government.

Gaza

Gaza War Report: Netanyahu will survive criticism - but war could have been prevented,

There were flaws, mistakes, bad decisions and failures – and yet it brought the longest period of quiet on the front between Gaza and Israel. These are the main conclusions which can be drawn from the report published on Tuesday by the Israeli State Comptroller on Israel’s war with Hamas in the summer of 2014.

Opinion: Let there be an airport in Gaza,

“The circumstances in Gaza are heading towards a certain disaster, unless serious action is taken to reverse the Strip’s de-development,” writes Ahmad Alkhatib.

Palestinian politics

Opinion: The Future of Palestinian Diplomacy in the Trump Era,

“The developments during the early months of 2017 show that the Palestinian Authority continues to prefer to express its opposition to Israeli policy through diplomatic means, including attempts to promote stronger international pressure on Israel,” writes Ido Zelkovitz.

Dahlan sends message with Palestinian youth conference,

“By organizing a youth conference in Cairo, dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan sought to assert his strong position as statesman to potentially replace President Mahmoud Abbas,” writes Mohammed Othman.