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.
Palestinians Say U.S. Rejecting Calls for Talks Due to Israel’s Political Crisis, Haaretz
The American delegation visiting Israel to prepare for U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit in July rejected Palestinian calls for peace negotiations, claiming that the political situation in Israel is too sensitive, according to senior Palestinian officials. The officials and diplomats said that all Palestinian appeals to the United States to move forward with a diplomatic process had thus far been met with claims that the political situation in Israel is too fragile for talks to resume.
Israel and Egypt Sign Gas Export Deal as Europe Seeks Russia Alternative, The Washington Post
Israel, Egypt and the European Union signed on Wednesday a trilateral natural gas deal in Cairo as Europe scrambles to cobble together an energy strategy to replace the Russian supplies it has relied on for decades. The deal will enable Israel to streamline and increase the export of its natural gas through already existing pipelines to Egyptian ports, where it can be pressurized and liquefied, then transported to Europe.
Syria Says Damascus Airport Operations Suspended After Israeli Strikes, The Washington Post
Syria’s main airport has been out of service since Friday when airstrikes, which the government attributed to Israel, heavily damaged infrastructure including runways and a hall in the airport’s terminal.
American Defense Firm in Talks To Buy Controversial Israeli Spyware NSO, The Hill
An American defense firm is in talks with the blacklisted NSO Group to potentially buy the Israeli company’s spyware and hacking technology, Pegasus, which has been used to surveil politicians, activists and journalists across the world.
Visiting Ramallah, EU President Confirms Resumption of Some Palestinian Aid, The Times of Israel
Some EU aid to the PA will resume after being held up for over two years, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh in Ramallah on Tuesday.
Iranian Hackers Broke Into Email Accounts of Senior Israeli Figures, Security Firm Says, Haaretz
Iranian hackers have taken control of the email accounts of senior Israeli figures and impersonated them, the Israeli cybersecurity company Check Point Software Technologies announced on Tuesday.
Lapid: All UN Security Council Nuclear Sanctions on Iran Must Be Restored, The Times of Israel
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid called on Wednesday morning for the United Nations Security Council’s “snapback” sanctions on Iran to be implemented over its resurgent nuclear program.
Israel Frees Itself of the Word ‘Occupation.’ But What About the Actual Occupation?, Haaretz
B. Michael argues, “The status of territories captured in a war can only be one of two types: either occupied territory under a military government, or territory annexed to the conquering nation. Israel does not like either of the two possibilities. It does not want to annex and be obligated to grant the captured people the rights that its citizens and residents have. And of course it doesn’t want to be considered an occupier, and suffer from the interfering annoyances of international law. That is why Israel, with complete seriousness, claims that it is neither. It is something else. The landowner, but also released from any obligations to the natives.”