J Street works to promote an open, honest and rigorous conversation about Israel. The opinions reflected in articles posted in the News Roundup do not necessarily reflect J Street’s positions, and their posting does not constitute an endorsement from J Street.
Shushan Street: Why the Netanyahu Government’s Disengagement Repeal Is So Problematic for the Biden Administration, J Street
In this column, J Street Director of Policy Dr. Debra Shushan examine why, of all the extremely problematic moves undertaken by Netanyahu’s government, the Knesset repealing key portions of the 2005 Disengagement Law is deserving of a rare display of American pique. The repeal of the 2005 Disengagement Law’s key provisions is both a direct repudiation of Israeli-US commitments and also a major step in realizing the annexationist plans of Netanyahu’s far-right government.
Israel Moves Forward With Far-Right Plan for National Guard, The New York Times
The Israeli government agreed in principle on Sunday to establish a national guard, handing a political victory to the far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who had long demanded the militia as a condition for supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.The form and leadership of the national guard were yet to be determined and will take months to be fleshed out by a committee of government officials, who will then present their proposal for the cabinet’s approval.
Israeli Police Fatally Shoot Man at Jerusalem’s Holiest Site, The Washington Post
Israeli police shot and killed a man who they alleged tried to snatch an officer’s gun at an entrance to a Jerusalem holy site early Saturday, raising fears of further violence during a time of heightened tensions at the flashpoint compound. Later Saturday, the Israeli military said a Palestinian driver rammed his vehicle into a group of Israelis in the occupied West Bank. Israeli medics said three people were wounded, two seriously, and the alleged attacker was shot dead.
Palestinians Say 2 Killed in Israeli Army Raid in West Bank, AP
Two Palestinian men were killed by Israeli troops in an army raid in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus on Monday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, the latest in a year-long spike of violence that shows no sign of abating. The Israeli military said that troops arrested two people suspected of assisting a gunman who shot two soldiers in the occupied West Bank town of Hawara last month. The army said its soldiers came under fire during the raid and shot back, confirming “hits.”
Israel Dismisses Envoy Who Criticized Judicial Overhaul Plan, AP
Israel’s antisemitism envoy said Sunday that she was fired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, citing her criticism of its planned judicial overhaul as a possible cause. Noa Tishby, a pro-Israel activist and actress, was appointed to the volunteer role to combat antisemitism last year by Israel’s previous administration.
From Tel Aviv to the White House, Israel’s Pro-democracy Protesters Thank Biden, Haaretz
Demonstrators throughout Israel and the United States protesting against Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul used this week’s demonstrations to thank U.S. President Joe Biden for his rare rebuke of the Israeli prime minister. The protests are the 13th week of demonstrations against the judicial overhaul — a sign that Netanyahu’s temporary suspension of the legislation has not subdued opposition.
Israel Downs Flying Object From Syria As Iran Vows Revenge, Al-Monitor
Israel downed an unidentified flying object from Syria on Sunday, after firing missiles at Syrian and Iran-backed military targets earlier in the day. Tensions are high after several suspected Israeli attacks on Syria in recent days.
Israel’s Supreme Court Rules Against Evicting Palestinian Family in East Jerusalem After 32-year Battle, Haaretz
Israel’s Supreme Court ruled against evicting a Palestinian family in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan on Monday, capping a 32-year battle. The case was originally filed by the Jewish National Fund and was supported by the right-wing group Elad. The court also ruled that the JNF’s subsidiary Heimanuta must compensate the family with 20,000 shekels ($5,560).
Enshrining Jewish Supremacy Is the Real Reform of This Israeli Government, Haaretz
Carolina Landsmann argues, “Public discourse never devotes even one word to the occupation, but the occupation is at the heart of the dispute. The true reform sought by this “fully right-wing” government is reversing the diplomatic horizon. There will be no more two-state solution, and there will be no territorial compromises. The new diplomatic horizon will be a single state, with the Palestinians as subjects deprived of citizenship. One state with two legal systems. Apartheid. Jewish supremacy.”