News Roundup for September 22, 2022

September 22, 2022
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J Street News Roundup

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

Israeli Prime Minister Lapid To Back Two-State Solution in UN Speech, Axios
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid in his speech at the UN General Assembly on Thursday will express his support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, senior Israeli officials said. It will be the first time Lapid as prime minister has publicly backed a two-state solution. The Israeli officials stressed Lapid will make clear that the establishment of a Palestinian state must have security arrangements for Israel. It will also be the first time since 2017 that an Israeli prime minister has publicly expressed support for a two-state solution.

Hamas Threatens Violence Over Contested Jerusalem Holy Site, AP
The Palestinian militant group Hamas on Thursday threatened hostile actions against Israel over what it called “violations against Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque” ahead of the upcoming Jewish High Holidays. Hamas’s threats came just ahead of Sunday’s Jewish new year, and a day after a group of Jewish religious extremists visited a contested holy site revered by both Jews and Muslims and blew the shofar — a ram’s horn that’s trumpeted in the run-up to and during the Jewish High Holidays.

News

Some Israeli Officials Worry War Hurt Israel’s Image in Ukraine, Axios
The Israeli Foreign Ministry wants to conduct a public opinion poll in Ukraine in order to assess whether Israel’s image in the country has been damaged in the months since Russia launched its invasion, Israeli officials say.

Iran Says It’s Ready for New Nuclear Deal but Asks if US Is, AP
Iran’s president insisted Wednesday that his country is serious about reviving a deal meant to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear bomb but questioned whether Tehran could trust America’s commitment to any eventual accord. The U.S. had already “trampled” on a previous deal, President Ebrahim Raisi told the U.N. General Assembly, referring to America’s decision to pull out of the accord in 2018.

Saudis Invite PA but Not Israel to UN Ministerial Meeting on Arab Peace Initiative, The Times of Israel
Saudi Arabia hosted a closed ministerial meeting at the United Nations on Tuesday marking the 20th anniversary of the proposal of the Arab Peace Initiative, two Arab diplomats confirmed to The Times of Israel.

Liz Truss Tells Israel: UK Could Move Embassy to Jerusalem, Politico
British Prime Minister Liz Truss is considering relocating the U.K. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Truss told her Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid “about her review of the current location” of the building, a Downing Street spokeswoman said.

Israel Vows ‘Diplomatic War’ Over Booking.com Plan To Add Safety Warnings to West Bank Listings, JTA
Israel’s tourism minister has threatened a “diplomatic war” with travel site Booking.com over the company’s decision this week to display a safety warning on any listings in Israeli-controlled territories in the West Bank.

Opinion and Analysis

Facebook Report Concludes Company Censorship Violated Palestinian Human Rights, The Intercept
Sam Biddle reports, “Facebook and Instagram’s speech policies harmed fundamental human rights of Palestinian users during a conflagration that saw heavy Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip last May, according to a study commissioned by the social media sites’ parent company Meta.”

With the Uprising in Nablus, the Palestinian Authority’s Fall Becomes a Palpable Threat, Haaretz
Jack Khoury writes, “The clashes showed that bolstering the PA isn’t merely an Israeli security interest, but above all a Palestinian interest. Palestinians don’t want a vacuum of governance; they want a functioning PA that will protect them and tend to civil affairs.”

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