Top news stories from Israel/Palestine: May 22, 2019

What We’re Reading

US-Israeli/Palestinian relations

Palestinians need a state, not a 'business plan',

Jared Kushner believes the first stage to peace is investing capital in Gaza and the West Bank. But just how far can that investment go when Israel is determined to maintain full control of and exploit every aspect of the Palestinian economy?

Why some Palestinians are backing Trump’s peace push,

A growing number of Palestinians want a ‘one state, equal rights’ model and think Trump may unwittingly pave the way for it.

It’s The Occupation, Stupid. No Amount Of Cash Can Buy Palestinian Freedom,

Economic problems in Palestinian society stem directly from the Israeli occupation and blockade, and throwing money at the economic problem while the cause of that problem remains intact is not only foolish but dangerous.

Opinion: The American Left Can Learn A Lesson From Israel,

The more figures like Tlaib and Omar are smeared without consequence and rebuke, the more leftist Jews are accused of anti-Semitism, and the less outrageous it will be to delegitimize anyone who gets in the way of those in power — paving the way to further normalize policies of oppression, inequality, and intolerance.

Republicans push BDS bill to paint Dems as anti-Semites, and party leadership falls for the trap,

“BDS is the gift that keeps on giving for the GOP,” states Lara Friedman of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, “and will remain so until Democrats find the courage to stop punching left and recognize boycotts of Israel and settlements as legitimate free speech that they unapologetically defend.”

Kushner's squeeze play on Jordan's King Abdullah,

Trump’s son-in-law will likely use Jordan’s economic and water crises to force the king to accept the ‘ultimate deal’.

Occupation/Human rights

Annexation threat heightens woes of West Bank's water-starved Palestinians,

Israeli control over water pipelines and other infrastructure erodes livelihoods and quality of life for Palestinians.

Gaza soda bottler opens West Bank site to deal with siege,

As many Gaza Strip-based businesses have struggled under the 12-year-long Israeli blockade, unable to make a sustainable profit, some are driven to search for new and alternative markets despite warnings of potential harm to the local economy.

What We're Watching

Rights Denied: Palestinian Children Under Occupation,

Farah Bayadsi and Brad Parker of Defense for Children International – Palestine talk about the ill effects of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip on the health and safety of Palestinian children and minors.

BDS

Dallas Journalist in Israel Boycott Suit Knows What the Screws Feel Like,

“It’s about the right of all people here in Texas to believe what they want without fear of punishment by the government,” Hale, who lives in Dallas, told me earlier this week.