Top news stories from Israel/Palestine: October 18, 2018

What We’re Reading

US-Israeli/Palestinian relations

US downgrades Jerusalem diplomatic mission to Palestinians,

The United States on Thursday downgraded the status of its main diplomatic mission to the Palestinians by placing it under the authority of the U.S. Embassy to Israel.

US Amb. David Friedman attends official event in West Bank settlement,

David Friedman participated at an event in the West Bank settlement of Ariel, in his position as United States ambassador to Israel.

Pro-Israel Congress members push bill for Palestinian investment,

A bipartisan slate of lawmakers in Congress introduced a bill that would invest in businesses in the Palestinian areas — a bid to replace some of the massive cuts in assistance imposed recently by the Trump administration.

Ted Cruz slams ‘rabidly anti-Israel’ J Street in debate with Beto O’Rourke,

Sen. Ted Cruz called J Street, the liberal Jewish Middle East policy group, “rabidly anti-Israel” in the Texas Republican’s debate with his Democratic opponent, U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke.

Occupation/Human rights

Persecution as Policy,

It has become routine for Israel’s extreme right to malign civil society organizations. A small, relatively new group — the Akevot Institute for Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Research — recently joined the ranks of the persecuted.

Beyond Talk: 5 ways the American Jewish establishment supports the Occupation,

A new report from IfNotNow examines five concrete ways the American Jewish establishment actively supports the Occupation.

Elections in Jerusalem 2018: The Palestinian Dimension,

In this document we examine the dynamics of the current election cycle in East Jerusalem, and share some observations about the anticipated results and their potential ramifications.

Everything you need to know about Khan al-Ahmar,

Israeli authorities are set to demolish and forcibly displace the entire Palestinian village of Khan al-Ahmar any day now. Here is what you need to know about the village, and why rights groups and world leaders are describing Israel’s plans as a war crime.

Hagai El-Ad's address at the United Nations Security Council, 18 Oct. 2018,

Full text of B’Tselem Director Hagai El-Ad’s address to the UNSC.

Israeli politics

Israel Too Soft on Gaza Border Fence, Netanyahu Rival Says,

“We haven’t shown enough of a steel fist there,” Bennett, a longtime political rival within Netanyahu’s governing coalition, said Tuesday at his Tel Aviv office. “We’ve been mighty soft on the fence, and that softness invites an increase in attacks.”

BDS and Settlement boycotts

New Zealand justice minister: Lorde ruling is a 'political stunt',

Andrew Little, the justice minister of New Zealand, said Tuesday that an Israeli court ruling against two New Zealand BDS activists was a “political stunt.”