“From Day 1, I warned that Taylor Force Act was NOT about reducing US $ to PA, but was about redefining PA/PLO as terrorist entities, as step to US treating them as radioactive/enemies. On 10/9, JINSA published an op-ed in the Hill stating exactly that.”

“The Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics released new official data charting population growth in Israel and in the West Bank for 2018.  Before diving into the numbers regarding settler population growth, it is essential to note that the data below does not specifically count the population of settlers in East Jerusalem or their growth rate as a discreet group.”

“Israeli police officers in the East Jerusalem Palestinian neighborhood of Isawiyah were caught on camera complaining that there was no purpose to an ongoing police operation in the neighborhood, highly criticized by community leaders, other than deliberately provoking the residents.”

“Any Israeli with a conscience and a basic awareness of the situation beyond the Green Line should refuse this invitation. The West Bank has fascinating landscapes with an extraordinary mix of nature and areas shaped by agriculture. According to international law, the role of the authorities representing the ruling military force is to protect the natural and cultural heritage of the area. There are a few important actions taken by these authorities, such as protecting wild animals from hunters, most of whom are Palestinian, or preventing mining and quarrying in protected areas. But the authorities have not stopped there. They have joined in a variety of ways the settlement and occupation enterprise, which co-opts nature for its own purposes.”

“The PA backed down on its decision at a remarkable timing that revealed the incorrect assumptions they had made. It first bet on the Israeli security services to convince their government to return the money to the PA for fear of its collapse, but this did not happen. Second, it bet on the Israeli elections in April and September to result in the overthrow of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the formation of a government that would reverse Netanyahu’s decision and return the clearing funds in full, which did not happen. Third, it bet on getting Arab financial assistance. But despite successive Palestinian appeals, the Arabs failed their Palestinian brothers, either because they were too busy with domestic issues or because they feared raising the ire of the United States by supporting the PA.”

“But Nasser Tahboub, a former PA official and one-time dean of the Faculty of Economics at Jerusalem’s Al-Quds University, harshly criticized the PA, saying that the ‘unwise’ decision had been made by the ‘stupidest leadership ever passed on to the Palestinian people ‘It is a stupid leadership and it is proud of its stupidity,’ he says. ‘This decision means that Israel will deduct all the debts owed to the Palestinians, including debts to the PA and municipalities. Debts to municipalities and hospitals are not the responsibility of the Authority’.”

“The Palestinian Authority government in Ramallah has frozen the bank accounts of dozens of Palestinian non-governmental organizations in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) revealed on Monday. Palestinians believe the move is in the context of the PA’s economic sanctions against organizations that are affiliated with Hamas and other Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip.”

“Abu Tir, 67, has spent 37 years of his life in Israeli jails. Upon his release, he told Al-Monitor, ‘I don’t know why I was detained and no one told me what I am accused of.’ He added that he had spent the past seven months in the Ofer military prison and was not allowed to meet with a lawyer. Abu Tir did not know when he would be freed, as the Israeli authorities often do not charge those under administrative detention with specific offenses, making it impossible for them to defend themselves. In addition, any evidence against suspects presented to military courts is usually classified. ‘That is why I don’t know the reason for the detention, nor the reason for the release,’ Abu Tir said. During the interview, which was conducted over the phone, dozens of friends and neighbors — some of whom he barely knew due to his frequent incarcerations — came to his house to congratulate him on his surprise release. A Palestinian security source told Al-Monitor that Abu Tir’s release was yet another sign of progress in contacts between Israel and Hamas over a long-term deal in the Gaza Strip.”

“Speaker of the Jordanian House of Representatives and the President of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union Atef Tarawneh stated that the peace treaty between Jordan and Israel is ‘under threat’ due to Israeli ‘violations’ against Jerusalem, according to Jordan’s government news agency.”

“To keep Israel’s longest border not only secure but also flourishing over the long run, and to preserve the huge historic achievement by the peace agreement’s signatories, it isn’t enough to maintain clandestine ties among security agencies, no matter how close those ties are. The Israeli government must be more sensitive to its neighbors to the east, especially regarding Jordan’s special status at Jerusalem’s Islamic holy sites, and prevent baseless, irresponsible talk implying that the Palestinian people belong in Jordan. Moreover, Israel must invest a great deal more enterprise, creativity and resources in civilian cooperation. It must launch projects that will make the importance of the relationship clear to the public in both countries while supporting cooperation among academics, cultural figures and young people on both sides. Without such steps, there is no guarantee that there will be a 50th anniversary of the peace agreement.”

“The tensions between the Jordanian authorities’ stance and public opinion in Jordan on the subject of Israel, and the disparity between the open and behind-the-scenes relations between the two countries, was a topic that came up in interviews that Haaretz conducted with a number of experts and senior officials on both sides of the border for the 25th anniversary of official diplomatic relations. A number of conversations also included comments about purported missed opportunities. In such an atmosphere, it’s no wonder that the two countries have decided to forgo a ceremony to mark the occasion.”

Yossi Beillin writes, “In his recent speeches Netanyahu has changed his tune for a narrow right-wing government and has become an ardent supporter of the idea of a national unity government, using Iran’s recent action against the Saudis as a reason for the necessity of the formation of such a government. His claim is that Israel must be prepared for potential attacks of the same precision, and that this involves an expenditure of billions of shekels, which can be achieved in the framework of national unity. The topic of peace with the Palestinians doesn’t get even lip service from Netanyahu. It’s so clear to him that there’s no one to talk to and nothing to talk about that he doesn’t even mention the topic in his speeches. “