Top news stories from Israel/Palestine: January 5, 2018

What We’re Reading

FMEP Resources

Settlement Report: January 4, 2018,

Everything you need to know about settlement-related developments this week, including the latest on the Netanyahu government’s plan to annex West Bank settlements, apply Israeli law in the settlements, efforts to block a peace agreement in Jerusalem, and more.

Occupation/Human rights

Ahed Tamimi's lawyer: Her case is making people see the occupation again,

Gaby Lasky, the human rights attorney representing Ahed Tamimi and her mother Nariman, talks to +972 about what it means for a Palestinian to be put on trial in the occupier’s military courts, and some of the dangerous precedents being set.

The Story Behind Ahed Tamimi's Slap: Her Cousin's Head Shattered by Israeli Soldier's Bullet,

Just before Palestinian teen Ahed Tamimi slapped one of the soldiers who’d invaded her yard, she learned that her 15-year-old cousin Mohammed had been shot in the head at close range.

Internet-Famous in the West Bank,

Viral videos of the Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi confronting Israeli soldiers reveal how the conflict is evolving with technology.

More than 1,329 Settlement Housing Units will be Approved Next Week,

A planning committee is expected to approve the promotion of at least 1,329 housing units in the settlements, of which two-thirds (883 housing units) will be located in isolated settlements that Israel would probably have to evacuate under any two-state agreement.

Shin Bet: Lose your job if your kid thows stones,

Israel’s security service publishes notices in the Palestinian village of Beit Omar threatening to revoke work permits from families whose children are suspected of stone throwing.

The impossible return home,

An Israeli woman married to a Palestinian man talks about the challenges they face when visiting home.

Israel's new death penalty bill 'targets Palestinians',

The Israeli government’s proposal to make it easier for judges to hand out the death penalty for “terrorist activity” has been condemned as “fascist” by Palestinian politicians and rights groups, who fear it will give Israel legal cover to target Palestinians.

US-Israeli/Palestinian relations

Less American Aid to Palestinians Means More Violence Against Israelis,

“The U.S. president’s threat to weaken UNWRA means hurting Palestinian society’s weakest members, and that isn’t in Israel’s interest – or America’s,” writes Peter Lerner.

White House ‘reviewing’ aid to Palestinians after threats to slash funds,

The White House is examining possible aid cuts to the Palestinian Authority, a senior administration official said Thursday, days after US President Donald Trump threatened to slash funding over Ramallah’s refusal to work with Washington on peace talks.

The End of the Line in Jerusalem,

“A series of Israeli declarations undermine chances for peace—and are a direct response to Trump’s decision to end America’s moderating role,” writes Gershom Gorenberg.

Palestinian politics

Hamas Says Willing to Integrate Military Wing as Part of PLO,

Hamas expressed willingness to place its military wing under the authority of the Palestine Liberation Organization if it joins the organization and becomes part of the official Palestinian government framework, the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper reported Friday morning, citing sources in Gaza.

Gaza

Israel caught between Trump and Gaza suffering,

“Israel recognizes UNRWA’s role in preventing starvation in Gaza, so it cannot openly endorse the Trump administration’s apparent desire to cut aid to the organization,” writes Shlomi Eldar.