Legislation that would cut US funding to the Palestinian Authority if it doesn’t stop paying terrorists and their families was added to a larger appropriations bill on Thursday in a bid to increase its chances of passing Congress.

“Without even a pledge of support from the Americans for a Palestinian state or a demand to Israel to halt settlement-building, it’s easy to predict how the discussion at the UN General Assembly, convening in mere weeks, will play out. With dwindling support among Palestinians, and rising anger at the political stalemate, Abbas will have to revive his previous threat to head to the International Criminal Court or to ask the UN to recognize a State of Palestine,” writes Dalia Hatuqa.

With a significant change in the latest version of the Taylor Force Act, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) will now support the effort after an amendment was agreed to on Thursday by the Appropriations Committee, a Booker aide told Jewish Insider.

“I think we have a chance of doing it, I think the Palestinians would like to see it happen, I think the Israelis would like to see it happen and usually when you have two groups that would like to see something happen, good things can happen,” Trump said Thursday at a news conference at the White House with the emir of Kuwait. “I think there is a chance that there could be peace.”

Israel’s attorney general is considering indicting the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Sara, on suspicion of using state funds for personal dining and catering services amounting to some $100,000, the justice ministry said on Friday.

Human rights groups and foreign diplomats were kept out of the closed-door Palestinian court hearing. Members of U.S Congress demand that Abbas release Amro, an EU-declared human rights defender, who was arrested for criticizing the PA on social media.

If approved and constructed, this will be the largest Israeli settlement built within a Palestinian neighborhood. This story was published this evening in KAN, following Peace Now’s exposure.

The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross on Thursday issued a scathing condemnation of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, describing them as a key reason for Palestinian suffering. Peter Maurer, wrapping up a three-day visit to the region, said settlement expansion is leading to a “de-facto annexation” of the West Bank.

“HaMoked is proud to be the lead organization contesting these demolitions, which are a blatant collective punishment of innocent people,” writes Jessica Montell.

The campaign to be launched by the National Union-Tkuma party includes dismantling the Palestinian Authority and expanding Israeli sovereignty over the entire West Bank.

Hamas is ready to strike a long-term cease-fire deal with Israel, if it lifts its closure on the Gaza Strip, senior Hamas official in the West Bank Hassan Yousef told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.

Young Palestinians are mourning the loss of two young artists from Gaza, a writer and an illustrator, both of whom represent Gaza’s lost generation, trapped by the hopelessness of Israel’s siege.