Top news stories from Israel/Palestine: May 1, 2018

What We’re Reading

Occupation/Human rights

Why rules of engagement on Gaza border must be revoked,

The attempts to intimidate the Israeli public into believing that a murderous crowd is about to cross the border and destroy everything in its way have been revealed as a fiery rhetoric aimed at justifying indiscriminate shooting at thousands of Palestinians.

Top court hears first major challenge to IDF's live fire in Gaza,

Human rights groups argue the army’s open-fire regulations violate international law. The government claims the use of deadly force is justified — even against unarmed demonstrators.

State closes case on officers who killed Bedouin man in Umm al-Hiran,

Israel’s State Attorney Shai Nitzan ruled Tuesday that the police officers who shot to death Yaqub Musa Abu al-Qi’an in the unrecognized Bedouin village of Umm al-Hiran will not face criminal investigation.

Israeli politics

Why Do So Many Denounce Authoritarianism From Trump and Putin — but Not Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu?,

“We hear a great deal from liberals in the West these days about the rise of authoritarian and illiberal governments across the world: from Putin’s Russia to Orbán’s Hungary; from Trump’s America to Erdogan’s Turkey; from Modi’s India to Duterte’s Philippines. We don’t hear so much about Netanyahu’s Israel,” writes Mehdi Hassan.

Opinion: Decent Israelis Must Challenge Netanyahu's Attempt to Turn Israel Towards Autocracy ,

“The government is proposing legislation to dismantle Israeli democracy from its foundations. We know other elected governments have turned democracy into totalitarian regimes. Israel will not join them,” writes Tzipi Livni.

Billboards bashing social justice NGO dot Tel Aviv,

The far-right movement Im Tirzu began a smear campaign against the New Israel Fund last week.

Israel's Contentious 'Nation-state Bill' Passes First of Three Knesset Votes,

The word “democracy” was removed from this version of the controversial bill. This change is expected to foil the legislation’s original purpose, which was to subjugate High Court of Justice rulings such that so-called Jewish national or traditional values could take precedence over democratic values.

Knesset passes bill preventing terrorists from being MKs,

The goal of the legislation is to prevent those who have taken action against the state and its citizens for ideological reasons from being fielded as a candidate by a political party.

BDS and Settlement Boycotts

[Missouri] House approves controversial pro-Israel bill that many argue is unconstitutional,

The bill, sponsored by House Speaker Todd Richardson, would ban the state government from entering contracts with any company engaged in the boycott of the Israeli government.

Palestinian politics

Palestinian National Council meets for first time in 22 years,

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas delivered the opening session speech, which was heavy on history, light on policy.