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‘The clear line between supporting Palestinians and becoming anti-Israeli is a thin one and unfortunately, one that is being crossed all too often,’ writes Israeli Ambassador, Ophir Kariv.
Former Israeli ambassador Ilan Baruch writes that only through a two state solution will freedom, security and equality for both Israelis and Palestinians come to pass.
A refusal to admit EU delegates to Gaza brings fresh opportunity for scrutinising policies, actions and facts on the ground that adversely affect the people living there, writes Gary Spedding.
Palestinian woman Hana Shalabi was on hunger strike for 43 days to protest against Israel’s policy of “administrative detention”. She must remain in the Gaza Strip for three years.
Syrian police are today stopping pro-Palestinian protesters from reaching the border a day after Israeli troops opened fire on protesters, reportedly killing 20.
Local doctors confirmed the death toll as Israeli soldiers opened fire on protesters who stormed the border into the Golan Heights which Israeli seized from Syria in 1967.
Having begun the week looking at ways in which to move things forward in the Middle East, Barack Obama appears to have done little to appease either Israel or Palestine.
Clashes along three border posts came as Palestinians marked the “nakba,” or “catastrophe,” the term they use to describe the uprooting they suffered at the time of Israel’s founding on May 15, 1948.
The teenager died after street clashes in troubled east Jerusalem – raising fears of more bloodshed this weekend when Palestinians take part in an annual day of mourning to mark the anniversary of the founding of Israel.
France has dealt a blow to Israel’s hopes to isolate incoming Palestinian unity government by threatening to support a unilateral declaration of Palestinian independence if peace talks do not begin by September.
Fifteen Palestinian factions have agreed to a reconciliation deal, which aims to end a four-year rift between the two major Palestinian political movements, Hamas and Fatah. Israel has called the deal a “hard blow to the peace process.”
Israeli leaders have today rejected a unity deal between Hamas and Fatah – insisting they will not enter any negotiations with a Palestinian government that includes the Islamic militant group.
Newly approved Jewish settlement expansion in bitterly contested east Jerusalem has raised further fears for the deadlocked peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
A GUNMAN HAS SHOT four Israelis dead in a drive-by shooting outside a Jewish settlement town in the West Bank. The Israeli Defence Forces says that two men and two women, one of whom was pregnant, were killed in “one of the worst terror attacks” in many years. Israeli officials said Palestinian gunmen were responsible. Direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian officials are due to re-commence tomorrow in Washington.
DIRECT TALKS between Israel and Palestine are marked to resume next month, on 2 September.
Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, have agreed to place a one-year deadline on the talks.
Who will be present?
Barack Obama will reportedly be present at the talks, which are reportedly going to be held in Washington.
Envoy to the Middle East, and former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair is also invited to attend.
The Egyptian and Jordanian premiers have been invited to attend the talks.
Hopes for the talks
The Arab League has agreed to endorse the talks provided that particular “measures and conditions” are met. Netanyahu has said that he is happy to attend talks without preconditions.
According to the Guardian, issues that will be discussed during the talks will include:
The possible borders of a Palestinian state
The division of Jerusalem
Israeli demands for a demilitarised Palestine
The right of return for refugees
However, there are doubts about how much the talks will achieve.
Daniel Levy, a former Israeli negotiator, told Al Jazeera:
I don’t think there’s any common Israeli and Palestinian ground as yet. There will be deep scepticism pretty much everywhere … I think we’re going to hear something rather vague, something open to more than one interpretation.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniya has said that “nothing has been achieved” to warrant direct talks with Israel, and that Palestinians should focus on repairing the relationship between national movements Hamas and Fatah.
Settlements
Israeli settlements in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank could prove to be a sticking point for Netanyahu. The Israeli prime minister imposed a 10 month construction freeze in in West Bank last month, however these did not include East Jerusalem.
The Israeli liberal group Peace Now have reported that building on at least 600 housing units have started during the freeze, and at least 492 theses are in direct violation of the law of the freeze.
Netanyahu may find himself under pressure to extend the construction freeze past the 26 September deadline by Obama. However, by doing so he would risk the collapse of his coalition government.
Indirect talk had been considered last March, but Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas pulled out over the issue of settlements.
The last direct talks between Israel and Palestine ended a year and a half ago, after Israel launched a three week strike on the Gaza Strip.
ISRAELI SECURITY FORCES surrounded the Turkish embassy in Tel Aviv last night where a man was believed to be holding hostages.
Authorities in Israel confirmed there was a hostage situation, however later it emerged that the would-be hostage had been shot by embassy security and detained.
The Palestinian man, thought to be mentally ill, was armed with a knife and a toy gun:
A statement released by the Turkish foreign ministry said:
[He] began shouting about wanting an asylum and attempted to take the deputy consul hostage before being overpowered by the embassy’s staff.
Israeli forces said great confusion surrounded the shooting at the embassy, and reported that a man had been killed near the embassy but it was unclear if this was the same man who was detained by the Turks.
News reports in Israel have identified the man as Palestinian Nadim Injaz, and suggest he is the same as was involved in an incident at the British embassy in August 2006.
The man entered the embassy and threatened to kill himself if he was not offered asylum, but was overpowered by special forces after hours of negotiations.
He claimed to be in danger from Israeli and Palestinian authorities.
Tensions
Relations between Israel and Turkey have been tense since nine Turkish men were killed during the aid flotilla raid on 31 May.
The ship was among a group attempting to breach Israel’s barricade of Gaza to provide aid.
Turkish officials insisted on accompanying Nadim Injaz to hospital in Tel Aviv today.
FIANNA FÁIL AGREED to extend their support for Fine Gael’s minority government last year, citing the uncertainty around Brexit as the reason.
Despite the extension of the Confidence and Supply Agreement, Fianna Fáil have been putting pressure on the government over the National Children’s Hospital costs, the CervicalCheck backlog, and the nurses’ and midwives’ pay dispute.
Today, the Irish Times reports that a number of Fianna Fáil TDs say the party will collapse the government if there is a Brexit deal. If the Withdrawal Agreement passes, there will be a transition period until 31 December 2020 to give people time to prepare for Brexit.
So we’re asking: should Fianna Fáil withdraw their support for Fine Gael’s minority government if there’s a Brexit deal?
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