Jailed Palestinian activist goes on hunger strike

What We’re Reading

Occupation/Human rights

Israel And The Palestinian Authority Finally Agree — About Jailing Peace Activist Issa Amro,

“When it comes to subjugating Palestinians, Israeli-Palestinian cooperation is alive and well,” writes Peter Beinart.

Activist on hunger strike as Palestinian authorities extend his detention,

Amro, who lives in the West Bank city of Hebron, is the latest victim of a growing crackdown being waged by Mahmoud Abbas against journalists and critics on social media, activists and rights groups say.

Rep. Pocan blasts Palestinian Authority for arresting Amro,

“The Palestinian Authority’s unjust detention of Mr. Amro for exercising his right to free speech is wrong and I urge the Palestinian Authority to immediately release him,” Pocan told Jewish Insider.

Jerusalem Churches Warn of Israel's 'Systematic' Erosion of Christian Presence in Holy Land,

Church leaders in Jerusalem took the unusual step of issuing a statement protesting a recent ruling by a court in the capital instructing the Greek Orthodox Church to sell three buildings in the Old City to a Jewish settler organization. The statement also expressed opposition to an Israeli bill that would transfer ownership of church land sold to private citizens to the state.

Opinion: Condemnations of Israeli Occupation Aren’t Enough,

“The condemnations are seen as lacking urgency. You must take real actions,” writes Amira Hass.

Palestinian politics

How Palestinians can reverse Israel’s divide and conquer tactics,

“Oslo allowed Israel to reduce Palestinians to disparate fragments, each with their own challenge to merely survive. It’s time to reset that reality and view the Palestinians for what they are — physically fragmented, politically divided, but a whole people,” writes Sam Bahour.

Israel and the Palestinian Authority seek to silence the same media outlet,

Israel should allow the al-Hurriya media network and its affiliates to resume work without fear of harassment, and the Palestinian Authority should release Ayman al-Qawasme, the chairman of the same media network, from its custody, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Palestinians blast 'unacceptable' US ambassador comments,

“We consider the statement of the US ambassador to Tel Aviv, Mr David Friedman, referring to the above mentioned situation as ‘alleged occupation’ as unacceptable,” Saeb Erakat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said in a letter sent to diplomats.

Israeli politics

Netanyahu hails ‘best-ever’ ties to Arab world,

Hailing a “breakthrough” in Israel’s outreach to moderate Sunni states in the region, he acknowledged that these ties have not advanced to the point where those states have acknowledged them in public.

Meretz to Vote on Proposal to End Zehava Galon's Tenure as Leader,

A party member submitted the proposal to move up primary elections, but Galon is expected to maintain her position at the head of the left-wing party.

US-Israeli/Palestinian relations

Trump to Meet Netanyahu and Abbas on Sidelines of UN to Advance Peace Talks,

Senior Palestinian officials say Kushner and Greenblatt didn’t give Abbas a clear timetable for the peace initiative, but said it might happen before the end of the year.