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.
‘The Mayor of Ramallah’: Israel Belittles Abbas’ Demands for Palestinians in Saudi Deal, Haaretz
Despite US insistence that without significant measures on behalf of the Palestinians it will be difficult to put together an agreement, Israeli officials continue to dismiss the Palestinian leader and his demands, while accusing the US of paying too much attention to the issue.
Jews Spitting on the Ground Beside Christian Pilgrims in the Holy Land Sparks Outrage, AP
A video that shows ultra-Orthodox Jews spitting on the ground beside a procession of foreign Christian worshipers carrying a wooden cross in the holy city of Jerusalem has ignited intense outrage and a flurry of condemnation in the Holy Land.
Blinken Overrides GOP Block on Palestinian Food Aid at Last Minute Amid Looming Crisis, Haaretz
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken overrode a Republican-issued hold on $75 million in food assistance for the Palestinian Territories, hours before the money was set to be forcibly redistributed elsewhere.
West Bank’s Area C ‘Integral to State of Palestine:’ PA Prime Minister, The Jerusalem Post
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh created a ministerial committee to promote the development of Area C declaring that region of the West Bank to be an “integral part of the State of Palestine.”
‘A Lot of Work’ Remains on Saudi-Israel Deal, Says Abraham Accords Advisor, Al-Monitor
In an interview with Al-Monitor, the State Department’s Senior Adviser for Regional Integration Daniel Shapiro said there’s no question Israel’s normalization with Saudi Arabia would “radiate out” to other countries looking to join the Abraham Accords.
Report: Police Eye Changes to Rules for Use of Live Fire Against Rioters in Wartime, The Times of Israel
Police and the National Security Ministry are seeking a change to rules of engagement to allow the use of live fire to disperse rioters during wartime, particularly over concerns that Arab Israeli protesters could block roads used by army convoys.
Israeli Minister Holds Sukkot Prayer Service in Saudi Arabia Amid Warming Ties, JTA
Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi held a Sukkot prayer service in Riyadh on Tuesday, a sign of warming ties as Israel and Saudi Arabia move toward establishing diplomatic relations.
How Four Leaders Are Turning the World Upside Down, The New York Times
Thomas Friedman argues, “If we have three more years of this extremist Netanyahu government, with its aspiration to annex the West Bank and govern Palestinians there with an apartheidlike system, the Jewish state could become a major source of instability in the region, not stability, and a much more uncertain ally — more like Turkey and less like the Israel of old.”
A Spit in the Face: Anti-Christian Incidents in Jerusalem Spread Epidemic of Jewish Supremacy, Haaretz
The Haaretz Editorial Board writes, “This practice is yet another symptom of the epidemic of Jewish supremacy. Israel’s current leadership continues to fuel this attitude, which is why we have an obligation to do everything we can to replace the government.”
Israeli Settlers Enter Burqah Village. During Clashes with Residents, Settler Shoots and Kills Villager, B’Tselem
In its latest report, B’Tselem shares, “The village of Burqah has long suffered from settler violence and abusive practices by the Israeli authorities, including severe restrictions on movement, which have isolated the village from its surroundings, massive landgrab for the benefit of the settlement of Kochav Ya’akov and the outposts of Migron and Giv’at Hayekev, and stifling restrictions on planning and building.”