31 mar 2017
Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, said on Wednesday that Israel would “keep fighting” until it “eliminates BDS completely.”
“There is a new approach [to fight BDS] and it is being heard in the halls of the UN Indeed,” Danon told 2,000 attendees at a pro-Israel UN event, according to Days of Palestine.
“We have seen a lot of legislation since the first conference; 17 states have enacted anti-BDS legislation and we are seeing more groups fighting back against BDS,” he added.
Danon’s remarks echoed stronger remarks about the issue by US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley.
Haley said at the same event: “The effort to delegitimize the state of Israel being waged on college campuses and the anti-Israel obsession at the UN are one in the same. They both seek to deny Israel’s right to exist.”
She continued: “They are both efforts to intimidate US friends and embolden her enemies. They are both extensions of an ancient hatred”.
The ambassador added: “And how tragic is it that of all countries in the world to condemn for human rights violations, these voices choose to single out Israel.
“We should boycott North Korea. We should sanction Iran. We should divest from Syria. Not Israel. It makes absolutely no sense. And it has no connection to any reasonable definition of justice. You can let the BDS know that the United States has Israel’s back.”
“There is a new approach [to fight BDS] and it is being heard in the halls of the UN Indeed,” Danon told 2,000 attendees at a pro-Israel UN event, according to Days of Palestine.
“We have seen a lot of legislation since the first conference; 17 states have enacted anti-BDS legislation and we are seeing more groups fighting back against BDS,” he added.
Danon’s remarks echoed stronger remarks about the issue by US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley.
Haley said at the same event: “The effort to delegitimize the state of Israel being waged on college campuses and the anti-Israel obsession at the UN are one in the same. They both seek to deny Israel’s right to exist.”
She continued: “They are both efforts to intimidate US friends and embolden her enemies. They are both extensions of an ancient hatred”.
The ambassador added: “And how tragic is it that of all countries in the world to condemn for human rights violations, these voices choose to single out Israel.
“We should boycott North Korea. We should sanction Iran. We should divest from Syria. Not Israel. It makes absolutely no sense. And it has no connection to any reasonable definition of justice. You can let the BDS know that the United States has Israel’s back.”
26 mar 2017
A US-Israel agreement gave a green light for the construction of an alternative settlement outpost to the evacuated Amona outpost, Israel’s Channel 2 reported Saturday evening.
According to the Channel 2 report, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be able to build a new settlement outpost for Amona evacuees, but then restrain settlement construction elsewhere and focus on construction in the large settlement blocs according to the terms of an agreement being hammered out with Washington.
The report added that the Trump Administration will also give Israel a green light to find a solution for other outposts where there are questions regarding illegal land ownership.
The report comes following two weeks of high-level talks between Israeli and US officials looking for a formula that would govern illegal settlement construction on Palestinian land beyond the Green Line.
A week of talks in Washington ended last Thursday night with a joint statement saying that the discussions were “serious and constructive, and they are ongoing.”
According to the Channel 2 report, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be able to build a new settlement outpost for Amona evacuees, but then restrain settlement construction elsewhere and focus on construction in the large settlement blocs according to the terms of an agreement being hammered out with Washington.
The report added that the Trump Administration will also give Israel a green light to find a solution for other outposts where there are questions regarding illegal land ownership.
The report comes following two weeks of high-level talks between Israeli and US officials looking for a formula that would govern illegal settlement construction on Palestinian land beyond the Green Line.
A week of talks in Washington ended last Thursday night with a joint statement saying that the discussions were “serious and constructive, and they are ongoing.”
24 mar 2017
David Friedman, a longtime friend and bankruptcy lawyer of US President Donald Trump, was approved by the Senate on Thursday to serve as ambassador to Israel.
Two of the chamber's 52 Republicans did not vote and two of the 48 Democrats voted against their camp to approve Friedman.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Twitter that Friedman "will be warmly welcomed as President Trump's representative and as a close friend of Israel".
The vote saw an unprecedented partisan split over an Israel envoy: Only two Democrats, Senators Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, joined a united Republican caucus in favor of Friedman’s nomination.
Friedman faced heavy criticism from the political Left and American Jewish organizations for his rhetoric during the 2016 presidential campaign, in which he suggested former president Barack Obama was anti-Semitic and called J Street, a left-wing Jewish organization which advocates for a two-state solution, “worse than kapos.” He apologized for those remarks in his Senate testimony.
J Street put out a statement after the vote saying it was “heartened” by the level of opposition Friedman faced. “Almost half of the Senate voted to oppose this deeply unqualified and inappropriate nominee, whose predecessors had all been confirmed without a single vote cast against them,” the lobby said.
An Orthodox Jew and the son of a New York rabbi, Friedman is a bankruptcy lawyer who has worked on Trump's behalf for the past 15 years. He joined the presidential election campaign last year as Trump's adviser on Israel.
Before becoming the ambassadorial nominee, Friedman was known as a vocal supporter of Israeli causes, including the building of illegal settlements on Palestinian land in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.
Israeli daily Haaretz revealed recently that he was a donor to the American branch of Ateret Cohanim, a far-right Israeli group that settles Jews in key locations in East Jerusalem, and especially around al-Aqsa, the most sensitive Islamic site in the region.
He is also the president of American Friends of Beit El Institutions, which raises millions of dollars each year for a settlement outpost close to the Palestinian city of Ramallah.
Two of the chamber's 52 Republicans did not vote and two of the 48 Democrats voted against their camp to approve Friedman.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Twitter that Friedman "will be warmly welcomed as President Trump's representative and as a close friend of Israel".
The vote saw an unprecedented partisan split over an Israel envoy: Only two Democrats, Senators Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, joined a united Republican caucus in favor of Friedman’s nomination.
Friedman faced heavy criticism from the political Left and American Jewish organizations for his rhetoric during the 2016 presidential campaign, in which he suggested former president Barack Obama was anti-Semitic and called J Street, a left-wing Jewish organization which advocates for a two-state solution, “worse than kapos.” He apologized for those remarks in his Senate testimony.
J Street put out a statement after the vote saying it was “heartened” by the level of opposition Friedman faced. “Almost half of the Senate voted to oppose this deeply unqualified and inappropriate nominee, whose predecessors had all been confirmed without a single vote cast against them,” the lobby said.
An Orthodox Jew and the son of a New York rabbi, Friedman is a bankruptcy lawyer who has worked on Trump's behalf for the past 15 years. He joined the presidential election campaign last year as Trump's adviser on Israel.
Before becoming the ambassadorial nominee, Friedman was known as a vocal supporter of Israeli causes, including the building of illegal settlements on Palestinian land in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.
Israeli daily Haaretz revealed recently that he was a donor to the American branch of Ateret Cohanim, a far-right Israeli group that settles Jews in key locations in East Jerusalem, and especially around al-Aqsa, the most sensitive Islamic site in the region.
He is also the president of American Friends of Beit El Institutions, which raises millions of dollars each year for a settlement outpost close to the Palestinian city of Ramallah.
23 mar 2017
U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East reportedly asked, during last week’s meeting, for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to freeze settlement construction in Jerusalem and outside the large settlement blocs. According to Al Ray, Netanyahu expressed reservations at an official freeze.
Channel 2 News reported, on Wednesday, that Jason Greenblatt, who visited Israel last week, asked Netanyahu to freeze construction in isolated settlements and restrict it to East Jerusalem and outside the large settlement blocs.
In addition, Washington also reportedly asked to set a fixed number of houses that can be built each year.
The Israeli security cabinet has rejected these requests, demanding that Israel has the right to build in any part of the West Bank.
Channel 2 News reported, on Wednesday, that Jason Greenblatt, who visited Israel last week, asked Netanyahu to freeze construction in isolated settlements and restrict it to East Jerusalem and outside the large settlement blocs.
In addition, Washington also reportedly asked to set a fixed number of houses that can be built each year.
The Israeli security cabinet has rejected these requests, demanding that Israel has the right to build in any part of the West Bank.
9 mar 2017
Israeli Security Minister Avigdor Lieberman asked Wednesday the US administration to pull out of the UN Human Rights Council and to stop its support of UNRWA’s activities.
Lieberman’s statements came during his meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson which took place on Wednesday in Washington.
Haaretz Hebrew newspaper said that Lieberman asked the US secretary of state to instruct the State Department to review its policy toward the UNHRC and UNRWA.
According to Lieberman, these organizations "are not filling their intended goals but rather the Human Rights Council is busy slandering Israel and attempting to harm it by distorting reality."
During the meeting, the two also discussed Israeli settlement expansion where Lieberman told Tillerson that Israeli settlements are not an impediment to peace.
"Even the uprooting of 21 settlements in Gaza did not lead to peace but rather to rocket fire at Israel," he claimed.
Lieberman is on a two-day working trip in Washington and has been meeting with senior officials in the American security establishment.
Lieberman’s statements came during his meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson which took place on Wednesday in Washington.
Haaretz Hebrew newspaper said that Lieberman asked the US secretary of state to instruct the State Department to review its policy toward the UNHRC and UNRWA.
According to Lieberman, these organizations "are not filling their intended goals but rather the Human Rights Council is busy slandering Israel and attempting to harm it by distorting reality."
During the meeting, the two also discussed Israeli settlement expansion where Lieberman told Tillerson that Israeli settlements are not an impediment to peace.
"Even the uprooting of 21 settlements in Gaza did not lead to peace but rather to rocket fire at Israel," he claimed.
Lieberman is on a two-day working trip in Washington and has been meeting with senior officials in the American security establishment.
4 mar 2017
A US Congressional delegation arrived on Friday in Tel Aviv to discuss moving the US Embassy to occupied Jerusalem, Radio Israel said.
For his part, Yehuda Glick, a Knesset member, posted on his Facebook page that the delegates will meet with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others during their 24-hour visit to discuss transferring the embassy from the practical and political perspectives.
The new US president Donald Trump, who is known for his pro-Israel stands, has declared many times that he intends to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv city to occupied Jerusalem "to emphasize that Jerusalem is the capital of the Israeli state" as he put it.
However, Trump told an Israeli newspaper in February about the issue, "I'm still considering it, and we will see what will happen. The decision is not easy and it has been discussed over years."
Trump's position is opposed by the international community and the UN resolutions which deal with East Jerusalem as an occupied territory and do not recognize the Israeli decisions considering Jerusalem as a capital of the Israeli state. These resolutions also reject the settlement activity in occupied Jerusalem and regard it contrary to the international law.
The majority of the embassies of foreign countries, including the European ones, which maintain diplomatic ties with Israel, are located in Tel Aviv since the international community refuses the annexation of Jerusalem to Israel and deems it illegal.
The Palestine Liberation organization threatened that it will abolish its recognition of Israel once the US embassy is moved to Jerusalem.
For his part, Yehuda Glick, a Knesset member, posted on his Facebook page that the delegates will meet with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others during their 24-hour visit to discuss transferring the embassy from the practical and political perspectives.
The new US president Donald Trump, who is known for his pro-Israel stands, has declared many times that he intends to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv city to occupied Jerusalem "to emphasize that Jerusalem is the capital of the Israeli state" as he put it.
However, Trump told an Israeli newspaper in February about the issue, "I'm still considering it, and we will see what will happen. The decision is not easy and it has been discussed over years."
Trump's position is opposed by the international community and the UN resolutions which deal with East Jerusalem as an occupied territory and do not recognize the Israeli decisions considering Jerusalem as a capital of the Israeli state. These resolutions also reject the settlement activity in occupied Jerusalem and regard it contrary to the international law.
The majority of the embassies of foreign countries, including the European ones, which maintain diplomatic ties with Israel, are located in Tel Aviv since the international community refuses the annexation of Jerusalem to Israel and deems it illegal.
The Palestine Liberation organization threatened that it will abolish its recognition of Israel once the US embassy is moved to Jerusalem.
3 mar 2017
United States senators re-introduced a bill which calls for cutting funds provided to the Palestinians Authority (PA) as it still supports “terrorism”.
The bill, according to Haaretz, was reintroduced by Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, in addition to two other senators, demanding a cut on US funding to the PA if it continues to provide monetary support to the families of those who commit acts of terror against Israelis and others.
“If a young Palestinian is convicted in a court in Israel of being a terrorist, the longer they’re in jail, the more their family receives from the Palestinian Authority,” Graham said.
He added that the aim of the new bill is not to destroy the PA rather than forcing it to change its policies.
He claimed that he supports peace between Israelis and Palestinians and to achieve peace PA must stop paying money for attackers who harm Israelis.
Al Ray further reports that the bill was named the “Taylor Force Act” after a US army veteran who was killed during an incident in Jaffa, last year.
According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the bill would necessitate that the PA follow certain conditions in order to receive funds from the US government, including taking “credible steps” to end violence by its citizens under its “jurisdictional control”, publicly condemning and punishing Palestinians who have committed acts of violence against Israelis, and “terminating payments” to individuals and their families who have been killed after carrying out attacks.
Rights groups have claimed that Israelis use prison and detention raids – which often erupt into violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces – as a tool to disrupt Palestinian life in the occupied territory, as many families suffer financially when Israeli forces kill, wound, or imprison Palestinians.
The bill, according to Haaretz, was reintroduced by Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, in addition to two other senators, demanding a cut on US funding to the PA if it continues to provide monetary support to the families of those who commit acts of terror against Israelis and others.
“If a young Palestinian is convicted in a court in Israel of being a terrorist, the longer they’re in jail, the more their family receives from the Palestinian Authority,” Graham said.
He added that the aim of the new bill is not to destroy the PA rather than forcing it to change its policies.
He claimed that he supports peace between Israelis and Palestinians and to achieve peace PA must stop paying money for attackers who harm Israelis.
Al Ray further reports that the bill was named the “Taylor Force Act” after a US army veteran who was killed during an incident in Jaffa, last year.
According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the bill would necessitate that the PA follow certain conditions in order to receive funds from the US government, including taking “credible steps” to end violence by its citizens under its “jurisdictional control”, publicly condemning and punishing Palestinians who have committed acts of violence against Israelis, and “terminating payments” to individuals and their families who have been killed after carrying out attacks.
Rights groups have claimed that Israelis use prison and detention raids – which often erupt into violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces – as a tool to disrupt Palestinian life in the occupied territory, as many families suffer financially when Israeli forces kill, wound, or imprison Palestinians.
2 mar 2017
The U.S. presidential administration of Donald Trump is reviewing its participation in the top United Nations human rights body, with an eye to reform a balanced agenda that ends the forum’s “obsession with Israel”, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday, according to Haaretz.
“In order for this Council to have any credibility, let alone success, it must move away from its unbalanced and unproductive positions,” Erin Barclay, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state, told the UN Human Rights Council.
“As we consider our future engagements, my government will be considering the Council’s actions with an eye toward reform to more fully achieve the Council’s mission to protect and promote human rights.”
Two days ago. PNN further reports, PA president Mahmoud Abbas gave a speech in front of the council in Geneva, where he called on states to defend a two-state solution for the future of a Palestinian state.
Abbas asserted that Israel is moving towards the creation of an apartheid state with the passing of the new Israeli law legalizing dozens of Jewish outposts built on private Palestinian land.
In addition, he warned from moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The United States is currently an elected member of the 47-state Geneva forum where its three-year term ends in 2019.
“In order for this Council to have any credibility, let alone success, it must move away from its unbalanced and unproductive positions,” Erin Barclay, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state, told the UN Human Rights Council.
“As we consider our future engagements, my government will be considering the Council’s actions with an eye toward reform to more fully achieve the Council’s mission to protect and promote human rights.”
Two days ago. PNN further reports, PA president Mahmoud Abbas gave a speech in front of the council in Geneva, where he called on states to defend a two-state solution for the future of a Palestinian state.
Abbas asserted that Israel is moving towards the creation of an apartheid state with the passing of the new Israeli law legalizing dozens of Jewish outposts built on private Palestinian land.
In addition, he warned from moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The United States is currently an elected member of the 47-state Geneva forum where its three-year term ends in 2019.
