“A Middle Eastern intelligence official with knowledge of the episode said Israel was responsible for the attack on the Natanz nuclear complex on Thursday, using a powerful bomb. A member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps who was briefed on the matter also said an explosive was used. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity when discussing sensitive intelligence and operational topics.”

“Speaking after mysterious fire last week at Natanz site, defense minister says Iranian ‘systems are complex [with] very high safety constraints,’ and adds he is ‘not sure they always know how to maintain them.’”

“Former defense minister turned opposition figure says everyone knows the identity of the New York Times source who said Israel planted a bomb at an Iranian nuclear site.”

“They’re still assessing the damage to the nuclear facility, but Iran is already blaming Israel. They may try to retaliate.”

“Israel’s plan to apply sovereignty to parts of the West Bank puts an end to the ‘morally repugnant’ notion — endorsed by all U.S. administrations except Trump’s – that Jews need to be ethnically cleansed from the territory, preeminent legal expert Eugene Kontorovich told Breitbart News in an exclusive interview.”

“Agents say they have seen a leap in sales since annexation began dominating headlines after the launch of the US plan, with buyers worried prices will rise.”

“Those who use the term ‘annexation’ subscribe, in whole or in part, to this Palestinian narrative. According to their logic, because Jews are foreigners, applying Israeli law to territory in Judea and Samaria is akin to annexation. However, as former prime minister Menachem Begin once stated, ‘You can annex foreign territory. You cannot annex your own country.’ For historical and legal reasons, Judea and Samaria is indeed Israel’s ‘own country.’”

“Outgoing Defense Ministry director-general Udi Adam said Sunday that Israel cannot unilaterally annex large areas of the West Bank, and that the process requires regional cooperation, including with the Palestinians.”

“…for Netanyahu and his camp within the Israeli defense community: We do this now because American power is in retreat; because our enemies are on the rise; because our allies won’t really abandon us, since they need us just as much as we need them; and because if we don’t ‘put the car on the road’ – move from theory to practice on a question of existential significance for our future – no one else will.”

“Some answers to frequently asked questions in this report address key points of historical context and U.S. policy,how annexation might affect existing realities,and various factors that could influence Israeli decisions on annexation. Considerable debate within Israel focuses on whether the risks of annexation are justified by benefits beyond those that Israel already has from its de facto control over the West Bank areas in question.”

“‘The American window for deciding on the matter of Israeli sovereignty [in parts of Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley] is between a month and 45 days,’ senior White House officials recently told Zionist Organization of America National President Morton Klein. The officials also told Klein there was ‘more than a 50% chance’ that the sovereignty initiative would be approved.”

“Once again, Hamas and Fatah vow to recover national unity and present a united front against Israel’s plans for the West Bank, and Palestinians now face three options moving forward.”

“Palestinian terrorist organizations in Judea and Samaria have declared their intention of escalating attacks against Israeli targets in an attempt to thwart the sovereignty move. National and Islamic Forces in Ramallah, the top coordinating framework of PA terrorist cells, called on residents of PA-controlled areas to escalate the ‘popular struggle’ against the ‘Occupation’ by all means ‘enshrined in international law.’” [Suggesting that means “enshrined in international law” are a form of terrorism.] Also see: PA building international coalition to block sovereignty

“Palestinians took to the streets to protest against Israel’s declared intention to annex parts of the already illegally occupied West Bank, a move that was said to begin on July 1. In Gaza City and near the West Bank city of Jericho, Palestinians rallied to call on the international community to stop any Israeli annexation of land under US President Donald Trump’s so-called ‘Middle East plan’.”

“ An adviser to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas warned Saturday there was a possibility of a third intifada if the Israeli government goes ahead with its plan to annex parts of the West Bank. The Kan public broadcaster reported that Nabil Shaath told the Arabic-language arm of the France 24 network that Palestinian rivals Fatah and Hamas are in agreement that there should be a popular uprising if the controversial plan goes ahead. ‘When things flare up and it becomes a fully-fledged intifada, we will see a combination of forces between Gaza and the West Bank,’ Shaath said.”

“Jibril Rajoub, a senior official with the Palestinian Authority’s ruling Fatah faction, on Monday visited a prominent Hamas activist who was released from Israeli prison last week. The visit is seen by Palestinians as part of his effort to achieve reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas. Last week, Rajoub held a joint teleconference press interview with the deputy head of Hamas’s ‘political bureau,’ Saleh Arouri, who is based in Lebanon.”

“It is time to ‘turn the page’ and clash with Israel, former Hamas Political Bureau chairman Khaled Mashal said in a video that was uploaded last week to YouTube. In an interview uploaded to YouTube on July 1, Mashal that today’s Palestinian leaders must re-examine the plan for a peace settlement with Israel and advocated the creation of a detailed ‘resistance’ plan that would involve every Palestinian living in the West Bank, Gaza, Israel and abroad. In light of Israel’s sovereignty plans, he said, the West Bank must rise up using direct confrontation, with every weapon available, including vehicles, stabbings and other, ‘innovative’ measures.”

“Jordan is being forced to confront a new reality with alarming cartographic and demographic consequences.”

“Palestine Expo, an event held to raise awareness on key Palestinian issues as well as celebrating the culture of its people, moved online this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The conference, now in its fourth year and the biggest Palestine heritage event in Europe, is organised by the UK-based non-profit organisation Friends of Al-Aqsa.  Covering an array of topics, including history, food, arts and culture, the two-day  event, with over 350,000 people tuning in, gave viewers an insight into the Palestinian experience and heritage. However, it was the issue of Israel’s planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank that dominated much of the proceedings.”

“Kuwait has strongly denounced the Israeli regime’s plan to annex large parts of the occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank, calling on the international community to take a united stance against the move.”

“The Elders, founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007, say in letters to the leaders of France, Germany, Britain and the European Union that they should insist to Israel that annexation, as they call it, would have negative political and economic consequences for bilateral and regional relations.”

“Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and several Persian Gulf states reportedly do not plan to take action over Israel’s plan to apply sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria. PA said to be pressing for ‘holy war’ against Israel ‘before it’s too late.’”

“The last few days have been busy for European politicians: parliaments in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany have passed resolutions on Israel’s annexation plans for West Bank territory. Over 1,000 members of parliaments from across Europe signed a letter denouncing President Trump’s Israel-Palestine ‘peace’ plan, and calling on European leaders both to reject any form of West Bank annexation and to act to protect international law. Yet, today, with the door open for annexation under Israel’s coalition agreement — which required that no action on the matter be taken before July 1 — even discussing sanctions is still off the table in Brussels.”

“Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Monday called on Israel to close all its border crossings with the West Bank to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.The appeal came as the PA Health Minister announced the detection of another 64 coronavirus cases in the West Bank in the past 24 hours, raising the number of Palestinians diagnosed with the disease to 4,786. The death toll of the coronavirus has risen to 21 after a Palestinian man in his 60’s, who had been diagnosed with the disease, died on Monday morning. ‘We will send a request to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) to monitor the situation at the 1967 borders,’ Shtayyeh said during the weekly meeting of the PA cabinet in Ramallah. Shtayyeh called on Palestinian workers in Israel to stay overnight at their work places and not to move on a daily basis through the border crossings.”

“Samaria council says Jewish farmers were attacked by mob of 100 stone throwers; Biddya municipality says settlers were trying to take over Palestinian land and shot 2 farmers.” Also see: Al Bawaba – Armed Israeli Settlers Raid West Bank Farm, Attack Two Palestinians; Arutz Sheva – Jewish farmers attacked by Palestinian Arabs in Samaria

“Trump plan announcement triggered PA ‘construction race’ in areas designated for Israeli sovereignty in Gush Etzion.”

“The Israeli military on Sunday said three rockets were fired toward southern Israel by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. The barrage set off air-raid sirens in Israel’s south. Israel’s Channel 12 TV said two rockets landed in open areas, causing no damage or injuries. The army said it intercepted a third rocket fired later Sunday evening. There was no immediate Israeli reaction, although the military usually responds to rocket fire with airstrikes on militant targets in Gaza.” Also see: Times of Israel – Three rockets fired at Israel from Gaza as border region heats up

“The Israel Defense Forces bombed a number of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Sunday night after terrorists in the enclave fired three rockets into southern Israel earlier in the evening, the military said. According to a number of Palestinian outlets in the Strip, in several rounds of airstrikes, the Israeli military targeted a Hamas observation post, as well as ‘agricultural lands,’ east of Gaza City. In the past, such Israeli strikes on ‘agricultural lands’ have targeted underground rocket launchers that were buried under fields.”  Also see: Jerusalem Post – IDF strikes Hamas targets following Gaza rocket fire,

“The Sumarin family has been ordered by Israeli court to leave their home in latest Jerusalem land expropriation battle.”

“An Israeli municipal government is planning to turn an industrial neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem into a technology hub. But opponents say the project is another attempt to illegally solidify Israeli control over occupied Palestinian land.”

“Violations against reporters, including physical assaults and arrests, have increased in recent months, especially in occupied Jerusalem.”

“An onslaught of exaggerated, sometimes wholly baseless, accusations of antisemitism has proved brutally effective.”

“Ignoring a directive from the PA to all banks in the PA areas that they must accept money for payment of salaries to the accounts of terrorists and families of killed terrorists, at least four banks have refused to follow the PA’s dictates. This was exposed by PA Director of the Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs, Qadri Abu Bakr yesterday. All the banks are refusing to allow these groups to use their ATM cards.”

“By obsessing over statehood and relying on foreign aid, the Palestinian leadership has crippled its people’s ability to mobilize against the occupation, says scholar Dana El Kurd.”

“Israel doesn’t even bother hiding behind the sacred cow of ‘security’ anymore to justify controlling Palestinians’ lives. Even three year-old kids are a threat to its demographic and political goals.”

“Whether Israel’s illegal appropriation of Palestinian land takes place with massive media fanfare and a declaration of sovereignty, or whether it happens incrementally over the course of the coming days, weeks and months, Israel has, in reality, already annexed the West Bank — not just 30 percent of it but the whole area.”

“Former Shin Bet chief Carmi Gillon talks to Haaretz about the occupation, Netanyahu’s cowardice and why he laughs when people call him a leftist.” [Also: “The occupation is the mother of all evils” and “all the Shin Bet directors down through history have opposed the occupation. They fought terrorism and opposed the occupation.”]

“In the shadow of annexation, the embodiment of power prevailing over justice and international law, I am running out of counter-arguments. This is how Israel is losing America.”