“Amidst a period of diplomatic pessimism, Dahlia Scheindlin and Dov Waxman helpfully propose a different approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Rather than advocating for a two-state solution or one secular, democratic state, they propose a third alternative, a confederal solution (or here.)” writes Jeremy Pressman. “But like any other proposals for Israeli-Palestinian peace, a confederal approach has important vulnerabilities.”

“A recent poll finds that 72 percent of Jewish Israelis believe Israel’s control over the Palestinian territories does not constitute occupation. So what do you call military rule over a captive population that didn’t vote for the army to be there?” writes Natasha Roth.

“IDF soldiers find Palestinians beaten by settlers yet do not ask the right questions. An incident that will, inevitably, go completely under the radar,” writes Yossi Gurvitz.

“For the first time, an official Israeli report links the suffering in the Gaza Strip caused by the blockade and the firing of rockets into Israel,” writes Shlomi Eldar.

Jihadists inspired by the Islamic State group’s ideology are seeking to benefit from the desperation of young Palestinians to strengthen their foothold in the Gaza Strip.

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would like to add the Zionist Camp to his coalition, but not at the price of freezing settlement construction or pushing the HaBayit HaYehudi Party out of the government,” writes Ben Caspit.

The Palestinian government in the West Bank has decided to hold local council elections, but Hamas is rejecting this announcement.