News Roundup for June 2, 2022

June 2, 2022
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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.

Top News and Analysis

Bill to Ban Palestinian Flag at State-funded Institutions Gets Preliminary Knesset Approval, Haaretz
A bill banning people from flying Palestinian flags at state-funded institutions passed a preliminary Knesset vote on Wednesday, with 63 in favor and 16 against. The bill must pass three additional Knesset votes to become law, but that isn’t expected to happen soon, as the coalition plans to stall further debate on it. The vote comes amid a fierce public debate over Palestinian flags on Israeli university campuses, following several events marking the Nakba Day.

Third Palestinian in 24 Hours Killed by Israel Army, Al-Monitor
Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian during a clash in the West Bank on Thursday, the third Palestinian killed in the occupied territory in 24 hours, the health ministry said. The violence erupted in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem, a ministry statement said, identifying the dead man as Ayman Muhaisen, 29. He was the third Palestinian killed in 24 hours after a woman approaching soldiers with a knife was shot early Wednesday, and a man was killed in an Israeli raid in the northern West Bank later that day.

News

U.S., Israeli Officials To Coordinate To Prevent Iran From Getting Nuclear Weapons, Reuters
U.S. and Israeli officials committed to coordinating efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons in a meeting of senior officials, the White House said in a statement on Wednesday. The officials also discussed economic and diplomatic steps to achieve their goals and reviewed ongoing cooperation between the U.S. and Israeli militaries in Tuesday’s meeting, the White House said.

Israel Moves Blood Bank Underground to Safeguard It From Attacks, The New York Times
By the end of the year, the blood bank will be relocated to a bright, state-of-the-art subterranean facility built to withstand chemical, biological and conventional weapons, including a direct hit from a large missile, as well as earthquakes and cyberattacks.

Pentagon Weighs Downgrading Rank of U.S. Palestinian Security Post, Axios
The Pentagon is considering downgrading the post of the official in charge of security coordination with the Palestinian Authority from the rank of three-star general to that of a colonel, according to four current and former U.S. officials and two Israeli officials.

Dozens of Jerusalem Day Videos Showed Jews Beating Palestinians. Only Two Were Arrested, Haaretz
Numerous videos and photographs taken on Sunday in Jerusalem appear to show offenses committed by Flag March participants against Palestinians along the route of the march and in areas adjacent to the Old City. The police say more than 60 people were arrested and detained in the city that day, the large majority of them Palestinian. Only two of the people arrested were Jews.

Police Arrest Man for Threats Ahead of Jerusalem Pride March, The Washington Post
Israeli police say they arrested a man on Thursday suspected of sending death threats to an organizer of the annual Jerusalem Pride Parade, an event that has witnessed attacks on participants by religious radicals in previous years.

Opinion and Analysis

The Violation of Civil Rights Is Too Great, Haaretz
Haaretz’s editorial board explains, “Today, the police can conduct a search without a judge’s permission when an offense has been committed, when a resident of the home seeks police help or in pursuit of someone who has escaped arrest or legal custody. The bill, which would be enacted as an 18-month temporary provision, would allow the police to conduct a search without a warrant in order to collect evidence, in particular to seize security cameras.”