Top news stories from Israel/Palestine: June 21, 2018

What We’re Reading

US-Israeli/Palestinian relations

The Trump “Peace Plan” & Jerusalem,

The White House likely has in mind a series of limited measures and policies aimed to create sufficient forward movement – or the optics of forward movement – to facilitate an alliance against Iran comprising the United States, Israel, and key Sunni-Arab states. Here’s what it means for Jerusalem.

Saudis meet with Kushner, Greenblatt to discuss Gaza, peace push,

The meeting with Prince Mohammed bin Salman came as Israeli warplanes pounded Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in response to a barrage of rockets and mortar shells fired from the Palestinian enclave.

Qatar used pro-Israel businessman to pay Zionist group $100,000 — report,

A pro-Israel businessman doing public relations work for Qatar donated $100,000 to the Zionist Organization of America out of money Qatar paid him to engage in “community engagement.

Haim Saban criticizes Democratic senators for signing Bernie Sanders letter on Gaza crisis,

Israeli-American media mogul Haim Saban took several Democratic senators to task for signing on to a letter organized by Sen. Bernie Sanders that calls on the U.S. to “act urgently in order to help relieve the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.”

Gaza

Gazans have survived years of war. Now depression is killing them.,

Mental health experts say they have seen a significant increase in symptoms of psychological distress in recent years.

'Israel Might Have No Choice but to Launch a Large-scale Military Operation in Gaza,' Minister Says,

Security cabinet member Gilad Erdan calls to shoot at burning kite launchers: ‘They’re terrorists, their age doesn’t matter.’

Occupation/Human rights

Israeli Bill Would Give Officers in East Jerusalem Immunity From Prosecution,

Under current law, Israel Defense Forces soldiers and Border Police troops are protected from damage suits filed by Palestinians, as long as they were acting ‘on the grounds of combat activity’ in the West Bank.

Israel's Education Ministry Is Funding Two Illegal West Bank Farm Schools,

The government is financially supporting, two farm schools in the West Bank via the Education Ministry and two local councils that were built illegally on land that does not belong to the state.

IDF demolishes home of Palestinian car-rammer who killed two soldiers,

The Israeli military on Thursday demolished the West Bank home of a Palestinian man who rammed his car into a group of IDF soldiers earlier this year, killing two of them and injuring two more, the army said.

FMEP Resources

Palestinian politics

Palestinian security forces criticized for attack on press,

Local and international media organizations have criticized the Palestinian security forces for their role in an attack on journalists during a June 13 demonstration in Ramallah.

Israeli politics

The Israeli Student's Map of Israel,

In a class of 40 university students, only one knew what the Green Line is.