Trump plan exposes existential roots of conflict
Omar Karmi
The Electronic Intifada / February 13, 2020
There was much fury, plenty of support, but little end result.
Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to New York and the United Nations to convince the world’s countries to reject Donald Trump’s “vision” for Palestinian-Israeli peace” did not, as PA officials had hoped, result in...
PA does not want Israeli partner to develop gas field off Gaza coast
Middle East Monitor / February 12, 2020
The Chairman of the Palestinian Authority’s Investment Fund, Mohammed Mustafa, said on Tuesday that there is no plan to develop a gas field off the coast of Gaza in cooperation with an Israeli partner, Anadolu has reported.
Mustafa said that an Israeli partner had been proposed...
AIPAC is in a losing battle to preserve Israel’s bipartisan status in America
Nasim Ahmed
Middle East Monitor / February 12, 2020
The latest clash in the American civil war over Israel, which pits liberal progressives against right-wing reactionary nationalists, ended with an apology at the weekend by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Better known as AIPAC, the anti-Palestinian group issued a full...
US’ Trump will ensure coalition forms after next Israel election, Yisrael Beiteinu MK says
Middle East Monitor / February 12, 2020
Yisrael Beiteinu MK Eli Avidar suggested yesterday that US President Donald Trump would help enable the formation of a coalition government after Israel’s forthcoming election.
Speaking in an interview with “The Land of Israel Network”, Avidar declared that his party’s leader, Avigdor Lieberman, “wants a Zionist...
Ex-official says PA should be dissolved soon
Middle East Monitor / February 12, 2020
A former Palestinian Authority and PLO official said on Tuesday that the PA should be dissolved soon.
“If the deal of the century is implemented on the ground, there would be no justification for the existence of the PA,” explained Yasser Abed Rabbo, who...
UN releases report on companies active in occupied West Bank settlements
The National / February 12, 2020
The firms listed include travel companies Airbnb, Expedia and TripAdvisor, and tech giant Motorola.
The United Nations human rights office on Wednesday issued a report on companies it said have business ties to Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a long-delayed move likely to draw...
A Question of UN credibility: releasing the settlements database
Nada Awad & Maha Abdullah
Al-Shabaka / November 19, 2019
Hundreds of Palestinian, regional, and international organizations have called on the previous and current UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to release the UN database of companies engaged in activities with Israel’s illegal settlements. Though the 2016 Human Rights Council resolution called for the release...
The US deal polarises Palestine-Jordan-Saudi relations
Adnan Abu Amer
Middle East Monitor / February 11, 2020
With the announcement of the “deal of the century”, Jordanian circles spoke about reversing the the decision to disengage from the West Bank, in order to maintain Jordanian influence in it, which raised the PA’s concern for fear of annexing the...
EU’s Borrell warns of violence if Israel annexes Jordan Valley
Middle East Monitor / February 11, 2020
The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, urged Israel on Tuesday not to annex the Jordan Valley, a large swathe of the occupied West Bank, warning of Palestinian protests if it went ahead.
Israel captured the West Bank in a 1967 war. The Palestinian Authority wants...
Abbas at UN: US offers Palestinians ‘Swiss cheese’ state
Middle East Monitor / February 11, 2020
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, appearing before the United Nations Security Council, angrily rejected US President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace proposal on Tuesday as a gift to Israel and unacceptable to Palestinians.
Waving a copy of a map that the US plan envisions for...