The latest on Israel’s East Jerusalem settlement push

What We’re Reading

Occupation/Human rights

Possible Critical Developments in East Jerusalem,

Peace Now is deeply concerned that plans for thousands of new settler homes in East Jerusalem will pose a serious threat for a compromise in Jerusalem based on the Clinton Parameters, and thus for the possibility of a two state solution.

Defender of Land Grab Law Illegally Building Settlement Home,

Attorney Harel Arnon, who is representing the state in an appeal against the “Expropriation Law” allowing Israel to retroactively approve illegal construction on private Palestinian land in the West Bank, is illegally building a home in the settlement of El’azar in Gush Etzion.

Israeli police shoot and kill 16-year-old girl who brandished a knife at them, but did not pose a real danger to them,

B’Tselem’s inquiries indicate that Hjeiji, who stopped several meters away from the officers, did not pose a danger to them.

Opinion: Israeli Democracy Needs Hordes of Breakers of Silence,

“Netanyahu wants to enclose the occupation in an iron curtain that will give his government a monopoly on information,” writes Chemi Shalev.

FIFA delays decision on Israeli settlement soccer clubs,

FIFA said on Tuesday it was “premature” to take any final decision on the controversial issue of Israeli clubs in the West Bank, according to a statement.

Arabic daily claims Trump to announce Netanyahu-Abbas talks during Israel visit,

According to the London-based Al-Hayat, Trump is expected to announce a trilateral summit with the two leaders during his one-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority on May 22.

Palestinian prisoners

Palestinian prisoners having difficulty standing on 23rd day of mass hunger strike,

As some 1,600 Palestinian prisoners marked their 23rd day on hunger strike on Tuesday, the Palestinian Committee of Prisoners’ Affairs warned that hunger strikers had entered a dangerous stage, reporting that health conditions were deteriorating considerably.

It’s Crowded Down There,

“Too many Israelis treat the Palestinian struggle for freedom like a series of boxing matches in which we can always win by a knockout. That’s all the prisoners’ strike is to them,” writes Amira Hass.

Arabs call for Pizza Hut boycott after prisoner ad,

Arabs on social media are calling for a boycott of the popular pizza chain and franchise after one of its Israel branches posted a Facebook advert said to “mock” Palestinian hunger strikers.

Barghouti reportedly again barred from meeting lawyers,

The Israel Prisons Service has again reportedly prevented the attorneys representing Marwan Barghouti from meeting the hunger-striking Fatah leader while in solitary confinement.

Israeli politics

Full text of MK Avi Dichter’s 2017 ‘Jewish State’ bill,

Ministers gave their go-ahead Sunday to a controversial and long-debated proposal to officially define Israel as a Jewish nation-state.

The destructive potential of Israel's nation-state bill,

“The newest version of the nation-state bill, which effectively pulls Israel’s apartheid regime out of the closet, could potentially lead to massive violence against its weakest population,” writes Marzuq Al-Halabi.

With two hours’ notice, and after 49 years, Channel 1 news goes off the air,

With two hours’ notice, Israel’s Channel 1 nightly news ended a 49-year run on Tuesday evening, with anchors crying openly on the final broadcast, journalists skewering the abrupt government shutdown during the program, and Israel’s president issuing a warm tribute to the first news show in the State of Israel.

Palestinian politics

Why Abbas asked Israel to cut power to Gaza,

The Palestinian Authority has asked Israel to stop providing funding for Gaza’s electricity as part of President Mahmoud Abbas’ efforts to pressure Hamas into ceding power.

Hamas’ new policy document brings the group closer to Egypt,

In the new policy document, the Hamas movement announced its dissociation from the Muslim Brotherhood, which may improve ties with the Egyptian state that have been rocky after the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi.

US-Israel relations

Exclusive: Leaked copy of Donald Trump's speech at Masada,

Donald Trump is set to arrive in Israel in just under two weeks, and reportedly wants to deliver a major speech at Masada. A draft of the speech was leaked in advance.