Protests From Europe to Asia Over Jerusalem Recognition
Demonstrators in Egypt, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Pakistan, and Turkey took to the streets over the weekend to denounce the United States’ recent decision to recognize the city of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital (Al Jazeera)
Hamas Calls for Uprising Over Jerusalem Recognition
Backlash over U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital intensified today, as clashes between Israeli soldiers and protesters broke out in the city of Ramallah and other areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Gaza-based militant group Hamas called for a new uprising and the Palestinian Authority backed a general strike in East Jerusalem and the West Bank (Washington Post)
U.S. to Recognize Jerusalem as Israeli Capital
U.S. President Donald J. Trump is expected today to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, going against seven decades of U.S. policy toward the region. The administration called the move a “recognition of reality” that the city is the seat of Israel’s government (New York Times)
Jordan Warns U.S. Against Tel Aviv Embassy Move
Jordan’s foreign minister said he has warned the United States that recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by moving the U.S. embassy there would “fuel tension” and jeopardize peace efforts in the region. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said such a move would be “unacceptable” (Guardian)
Israel Approves Major Settlement Expansion
Israel has approved 176 new homes for Jewish settlers in East Jerusalem. The additional housing would make the settlement, Nof Zion, the largest in the city. Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state (BBC)
Hamas, Fatah Announce Reconciliation Deal
The Gaza-based militant group Hamas and Western-backed ruling Fatah party have signed a reconciliation agreement in Cairo, a move that could end a decade of fissure between the Palestinian factions. The groups are expected to reveal more details at a news conference today, though the deal reportedly includes integrating Hamas officials into Palestinian Authority ministries, rebuilding Gaza’s police forces, and negotiating management of the strip’s crossings (BBC)
Palestinian Gunman Kills Three Israelis
A Palestinian gunman shot and killed three members of Israel’s security forces at a settlement northwest of Jerusalem (BBC)
Hamas Invites Palestinian Authority Back to Gaza Strip
The militant group Hamas invited West Bank-based Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday to send authorities to the Gaza Strip to resume control there as Hamas disbands the committee that has controlled the area in recent months (Associated Press)
Hamas Says Ready to Reconcile With Palestinian Authority
The Palestinian militant group Hamas announced that it is ready to accept conditions to reconcile with the West Bank-based ruling Fatah party after a decade of division. Hamas said it would dissolve its administrative commission ruling the Gaza Strip, hold elections, and begin direct talks with Fatah (Financial Times)
Chinese Ambassador Pushes for Two-State Solution
The Chinese ambassador to the United Nations urged member states to back a Chinese plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace that includes a two-state solution based on 1967 borders. Chinese President Xi Jinping met Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing in July to outline the plan (Voice of America)
Jerusalem Mosque Officials Lift Boycott
Religious authorities of Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque called on worshippers to return to the holy site for prayers after Israel removed gates and security cameras it installed in mid-July, measures that led to protests by Palestinians (CNN)
Israel Removes Al-Aqsa Metal Detectors
Israel said it will remove metal detectors it had placed at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque following days of protests against the new security measure. The mosque’s director said security cameras that were also installed following an attack at the holy site earlier this month remain in place (Al Jazeera)
Israel-Jordan Tensions Rise After Amman Attack
Two Jordanian men were killed and an Israeli wounded in a confrontation at the Israeli embassy in Amman. Israel said one of the men attacked an Israeli guard with a screwdriver, and that the guard shot the assailant and a bystander. Jordanian police demanded to interrogate the guard, whom Israel says is protected by diplomatic immunity (BBC)
Palestinians Angered by New Security Measure at Temple Mount
Violent protests have erupted in East Jerusalem after the Israeli government installed metal detectors at the Temple Mount. The government implemented the new security measures after an attack at the holy site on July 14 (Reuters)
UN: Conditions in Gaza Deteriorating
A new report by the United Nations says conditions in Gaza have become “more and more wretched” after a decade of Hamas rule and blockades by Israel and Egypt (Washington Post)
Kushner Meets With Israeli, Palestinian Leaders
U.S. presidential advisor Jared Kushner met first with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to discuss restarting peace negotiations, which halted in 2014 (Al Jazeera)
UN: Power Crisis in Gaza May Lead to Total Collapse of Services
The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank has refused to pay for electricity in the Gaza Strip. As a result, Israel now supplies Gaza with three hours of electricity, down from four, which may lead to a collapse in basic service, according to the UN humanitarian coordinator for the occupied territories (Al Jazeera)
Hamas Lawmakers’ Salaries Suspended in West Bank
Palestinian lawmakers from Hamas in the West Bank said they did not receive their June salaries in a move they suspect originates with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Former inmates in Israeli prisons from Hamas also said they did not receive their monthly stipends controlled by Abbas, who is under pressure from the United States and Israel to cut the payments (Associated Press)
Trump Says U.S. Embassy in Israel to Stay in Tel Aviv
President Trump will not move to relocate the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump has signed a waiver to defer action on an embassy relocation mandated by Congress in 1995 (Washington Post)
Israeli Finance Minister Meets Palestinian PM
Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon made a rare trip to the West Bank to meet Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah to present proposals as part of a U.S. push for peace in the region. The proposed measures include increasing building permits for Palestinians in the West Bank and developing industrial zones near the cities of Hebron and Jenin (Reuters)
Trump Meets Abbas in Bethlehem
U.S. President Donald J. Trump met Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem on the final day of his Middle East tour. A White House schedule referred to Tuesday’s event as a visit to “Palestine;” the United States does not recognize Palestinian statehood and has traditionally referred to the “Palestinian Authority” (Haaretz)
Dozens of Hunger-Strikers in Israel Under Medical Watch
Israel placed dozens of the eight hundred and forty-three Palestinian prisoners who have been on a hunger strike for a month under additional medical supervision. U.S. Ambassador David Friedman arrived in Israel on Tuesday to assume his post days before a visit by President Trump (Associate Press)
Israel’s Netanyahu Defense Relocating U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem
The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended possibly relocating its U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, saying such a move would support peace negotiations with Palestinians by correcting a historic injustice“ (Haaretz)
Israel Moves to Downgrade Arabic as an Official State Language
Israeli ministers approved a bill that would downgrade the Arabic language from an official state language to one of “special status” (Haaretz)
Abbas, Trump to Talk Israel-Palestine Peace Efforts
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will meet U.S. President Donald J. Trump in Washington following calls by the U.S. administration to restart peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine, which have been stalled since 2014 (Associated Press)