From the FMEP Blog
Herzog's Alternative Plan: Politics Before Policy, Mitchell Plitnick, FMEP
“Herzog’s plan, while preferable to Netanyahu’s status quo and certainly to the vision of those even farther to the right, falls well short of a structure that gives either Israel or the international community a framework to move toward an end to Israel’s occupation,” writes FMEP’s Mitchell Plitnick.
US-Israel Relations
Bernie and Israel: It's complicated, Politico
Sanders’ stance on Israel has left many Democrats scratching their heads, amid a history where he has cast votes and made statements that “unnerve some in the pro-Israel community,” but also includes a record that prompts one prominent Democratic activist to say, “His voting record on Israel recently is fine, absolutely fine.”
Occupation/Human Rights
The Discriminatory Face of Israel's Second Legal System, Ha'aretz
Amid Hebron tussle, PM to give ministers power over West Bank disputes, Times of Israel
In order to avoid a clash within his coalition, Netanyahu will implement an agreement made with the Jewish Home party that removes authority to settle housing disputes in the West Bank from the Defense Minister and creates a committee of Ministers to settle such issues. The decision is a response to outcry over Defense Minister Ya’alon evicting settlers from homes in Hebron which they occupied without due process.
Israeli Politics
Deputy AG closes case against Im Tirtzu for incitement against Left-NGOs, Jerusalem Post
Despite saying that the video circulated late in 2015 by the right wing activist group Im Tirtzu was “ugly and very problematic and that it would have been better if it had not been posted,” Israel’s Deputy Attorney General declined to pursue a full criminal investigation, saying that “the message that the video clip sends out is clear and unambiguous – which is to support the bill that the clips’ producers are trying to advance, not to undertake violent acts or actions.”
It's open season on anyone opposing the occupation, +972 Magazine
“There is a campaign being carried out against anyone actively opposing the occupation in Israel, and it doesn’t matter if you’re an activist in the field, a human rights attorney or a former soldier talking about what you were ordered to do.” writes Noam Sheizaf.