Is the Search for a Palestinian State Over?

What We’re Reading

FMEP in the News

Is the Search for a Palestinian State Over?,

“The Obama administration’s decision on Dec. 23 to abstain from vetoing a U.N. Security Council resolution reaffirming the illegality of Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory marked the end of the longstanding U.S. monopoly over the negotiations process, and the acceptance of greater international ownership of a solution,” writes Matt Duss.

US-Israel relations

For the first time, Democrats are about as pro-Palestinian as pro-Israel,

For the first time this century — if not ever — Democrats are now about equally split between sympathizing more with Israel (33 percent) and with the Palestinians (31 percent).

GOP senators seek to defund UN over settlements resolution,

Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz plan legislation that would punish world body for Resolution 2334, which ‘declares much of Israel illegal,’ says Ted Cruz.

Mattis sticks with US policy: the capital of Israel is Tel Aviv,

President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for Defense Secretary, Ret. Gen. James Mattis, faced a series of rapid-fire questions at his confirmation hearing Thursday about the Middle East from Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a big player on military issues. Graham put Mattis on the spot, asking what the capital of Israel is. “The capital of Israel that I go to, sir, is Tel Aviv, sir, because that’s where all their government people are,” Mattis said.

Occupation/Human rights

Opinion: Moving the US embassy to Jerusalem would destroy Palestine’s hopes of justice,

“By moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, the Trump administration would not only be violating international law, it would also be denying the Palestinian right to self-determination and freedom,” writes Nur Arafeh.

It didn't have to be this way in East Jerusalem's Silwan,

“The neighborhood of Batan al-Hawa is today the site of major friction and tensions between Palestinian residents, Jewish settlers and the massive security presence that accompanies them. But things weren’t always like this, and they don’t have to be,” writes Hussam Abed.

Paris summit to declare two-state solution ‘only way’ to peace,

Draft statement will affirm international community will not recognize any changes to pre-1967 lines without agreement by both sides.

Why FIFA paid close attention to UN anti-settlement resolution,

“The dispute within FIFA over the status of the West Bank received a major breakthrough with UN Security Council Resolution 2334,” writes Daoud Kuttab.

Gaza

Paris is a long way from Gaza,

“The Paris Peace Conference will focus on Israeli settlements in the West Bank. That is because with greater and greater restrictions on movement, and by unraveling the ties that bind Palestinian society, Israel has effectively removed Gaza from the conversation. That is a terrible mistake,” writes Tania Hary.

Mass protest in Gaza against Hamas amid electricity crisis,

Severe electrical shortages in Gaza energizes thousands to take to the northern streets of strip, sparking arrests and prompting Hamas to respond with live rounds fired into the air.

Gaza security forces assault journalists amid power crisis protests,

Amid widespread protests Thursday night regarding the electricity crisis in the Gaza Strip, reports have emerged of Hamas security forces assaulting journalists covering the protests, as well as arresting opposition leaders suspected of criticizing the governing party’s handling of the crisis.

Palestinian politics

Palestinian journalists frustrated with inability to cover PA corruption,

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s investigation unfolds next door, Palestinian journalists envy the press freedom to investigate alleged wrong doing in their own country.