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Blinken To Headline Annual J Street Conference on Sunday, The Times of Israel
“US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will headline the annual conference of the dovish J Street Middle East lobby on Sunday, the State Department confirms…Also set to appear at the two-day confab are nearly a dozen progressive Democratic lawmakers, former Meretz MK Yair Golan and Israeli and Palestinian civil society leaders.”
Israel’s Netanyahu Puts Hardliner in Charge of Settlements, The Washington Post
Israel’s designated prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday announced a coalition deal that will give a hardline, pro-settler party control over a number of key government ministries and a senior role in overseeing the construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. The agreement with the Religious Zionism party marked an important breakthrough for Netanyahu as he tries to cobble together a government following Nov. 1 elections. But it also could set the stage for conflict with key allies, first and foremost the United States.
Israeli Forces Kill 2 Militants in West Bank Arrest Raid, AP
Israeli forces killed two Palestinian militants during an arrest raid Thursday in the occupied West Bank, according to the military and the Islamic Jihad militant group, the latest bloodshed in months of violence between the sides. The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the men as Naeem Jamal Zubaidi, 27, and Mohammad Ayman Saadi, 26 and said they were killed in the Jenin refugee camp. The military said Saadi was a prominent member of the Islamic Jihad group while Zubaidi was involved in shooting attacks against Israeli troops. Islamic Jihad said the two men were members.
U.S. Warns Against Unilateral Israeli Steps in West Bank, Haaretz
Senior White House officials recently warned Israel that transferring responsibility for the Civil Administration, the governing body in over 60 percent of the West Bank, from the defense minister could hurt bilateral relations. The officials said the move could also endanger cooperation between Israel and the United States on dealing with regional challenges, including the threat posed by Iran.
Ex-Israeli Army Chief Calls for ‘Million People’ to Take to Streets Against New Government, Haaretz
Warning that prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu’s new coalition could harm Israeli democracy and security, retired IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot called for nationwide protests against what is shaping up to be the most right-wing and religious government in the country’s history.
Israel Says It Will Deport Palestinian Lawyer to France, The Washington Post
Israel on Thursday announced it has stripped a Palestinian lawyer of his Jerusalem residency and plans to deport him to France, saying the man is an activist in a banned militant group.
US Insists It’s Still Committed to Reopening Jerusalem Consulate, but Few Convinced, The Times of Israel
The Biden administration’s new envoy to the Palestinians declared Wednesday that the US still plans to reopen its consulate in Jerusalem after nearly two years of delays, but Israeli and Palestinian officials did not appear convinced.
Israel’s Military Police to Probe Alleged Abuse of Palestinians by Soldiers at Checkpoint, Haaretz
Israel’s Military Police Criminal Investigation Division opened an investigation on Wednesday following complaints by Palestinian drivers that IDF soldiers beat and abused them at the Maccabim checkpoint north of Jerusalem.
Israeli Peace Activists Show Presence in West Bank Hot Spot, AP
Dozens of Israeli peace activists toured the occupied West Bank’s largest city Friday in a show of solidarity with Palestinians, amid chants of “shame, shame” from ultra-nationalist hecklers.
Ben Gvir’s Dream Ministry Brings Kahane’s Vision One Step Closer, (+972 Mag
Natasha Roth-Rowland writes, “With the portfolio he’s craved, the far-right lawmaker can accelerate Israel’s colonial violence against Palestinians on both sides of the Green Line.”
