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.
Joe Biden Won’t Budge on This Make-or-Break Iran Deal Issue, and Progressives Are Furious, JTA
“J Street, the liberal Jewish Middle East policy group which backs reentry, said that fears of political blowback are unmerited. “Poll after poll shows that not only a majority of voters overall but a super majority of Democrats and a super majority of Jewish Americans want the deal restored, and it’s important to remember that not one lawmaker who voted for the deal in 2015 lost their seat to someone who opposed the deal in 2016,” said Dylan Williams, J Street’s senior vice president for policy, noting that at the time, some figures close to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee predicted electoral consequences for Democrats who favored the deal. “I think it’s also clear that Republicans will attack any outcome, whether there is a deal or no deal,” he added.”
Israeli Police Beat Mourners With Batons at Funeral Procession for Veteran Journalist, CNN
Mourners flocked to Jerusalem’s streets on Friday to attend the burial of veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead on Wednesday while reporting on a military raid in the West Bank city of Jenin, and were met with violence by Israeli police as they tried to carry the coffin on foot. The funeral was taking place a day after a memorial procession that brought thousands to the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Israeli Activists Report Settler Attacks, Military Roadblocks on Way to West Bank Demonstration, Haaretz
The Israeli military issued an order on Friday preventing buses from going into the West Bank through a crossing that leads to the Palestinian hamlets of Masafer Yatta, blocking Israeli activists from joining a demonstration against their eviction. About 200 left-wing activists, including Meretz lawmaker Mossi Raz, marched from the Meitar crossing toward the demonstration’s meeting point in Masafer Yatta. Some of them reported attacks by settlers, and five were reported wounded. One of them taken to hospital.
Israel Tightens Restrictions on Travel to the Occupied Territories, The Intercept
A new 97-page directive is aimed at restricting the flow of foreigners of Palestinian descent and others who want to visit the West Bank.
Israeli Officer, Two Palestinian Militants Seriously Wounded in Jenin Standoff, Haaretz
Two Palestinian militants turned themselves in to Israeli forces on Friday, ending an hours-long standoff at the Jenin refugee camp, two days after a Palestinian-American journalist was killed there. The fighting left an Israeli officer seriously wounded and two Palestinian militants in critical condition.
Israeli Official Says West Should Stop Pressing Egypt on Human Rights, Axios
Israeli national security adviser Eyal Hulata said in a closed lecture to the board of governors of Tel Aviv University on Thursday that Western countries should stop pressuring Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on human rights.
Bennett Fears Islamist Coalition Partner Mansour Abbas Will Be Assassinated, Haaretz
“Mansour Abbas is in mortal danger and might be murdered.” This statement was recently made by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in private talks with two political figures. Bennett did not elaborate on the basis of his assessment and whether there was intelligence on the matter.
Biden Is Working To Stop Iran’s Nuclear Program — It’s Time for Democrats To Get Behind Him, The Hill
Congressman Alan Lowenthal argues, “Colleagues in Congress: let’s give President Biden the support he needs to secure a return to the JCPOA as soon as possible. We won’t get this chance again…There is no doubt — rejoining the JCPOA is a crucial foreign policy priority and needs to happen as soon as possible. We have an opportunity to end the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran with the stroke of a pen — let’s seize it.”
Stories of 5 Journalists Killed Covering Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, The Washington Post
Miriam Berger writes, “At least 19 journalists have been killed in Israel and the Palestinian territories since 1992, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Sixteen of those killed were Palestinians, who disproportionately bear the brunt of the violence by Israel’s military in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Many other reporters, photographers and video journalists have been injured by missile strikes, live fire, rubber bullets, tear gas and physical altercations while on assignment. Here are the stories of five of the journalists who were killed.”