An Israeli planning committee approved a huge shopping center for settlers near Maccabim checkpoint, in occupied Palestinian territory. The Civil Administration seeks to build two additional shopping malls in the Al-Khalil (Hebron) area.
The implications of Donald Trump’s shocking victory in the U.S. presidential race have not taken long to emerge in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as the Israeli officials seem to be seizing the chance to create facts on the ground before Trump’s four-year term even begins. Hussam el-Dajani, a political commentator based in Gaza, says the incoming administration’s policy is unclear, but if the U.S. gives Israel a green light to expand settlements in the West Bank, “Palestinians will detonate in the face of Israel.”
Nada Elia on the challenge ahead for activists: “This is not the ‘apocalypse,’ as some are describing Trump’s ascent to power. Even with escalating attacks on our human and civil rights, this is not the seismic change that will knock us off our feet. It’s the same evil we have been fighting against, racism, environmental devastation, profit before people, except that this time, the mask is off.”
Bill Fletcher Jr. offers some initial takeaways from the U.S. presidential election. He says it was a referendum on globalization and demographics and represents the consolidation of a misogynistic white united front in U.S. politics and society. Still, he sees reasons for hope including the fact that the results were incredibly close even without the ideal candidate to represent the new majority emerging in the country.
A collection of tweets that show the immediate surge in racist attacks on Muslims and people of color in the U.S. since Donald Trump was elected president.
Vice President Joe Biden claims to speak for Donald Trump in assuring “anxious” Jews that US support for Israel won’t change an iota in next administration. Meantime, Benjamin Netanyahu issues repeated congratulations to the president-elect, in apparent sign of anxiety.
Donald Trump will be ‘most pro-Israel’ president, says David Friedman, bankruptcy expert. The other chair of Trump’s Israel Advisory Committee is Jason Greenblatt, a real estate attorney who once lived in a settlement.
Israeli rightwingers are enthused by Donald Trump’s victory, predicting that he will move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and abandon the peace process too.
Abir Kopty writes about how Donald Trump’s election victory is being viewed from the Middle East: “They see Trump as representing the true face of America: white supremacy. He does not try to beautify racism, elitism, xenophobia behind rhetorics, he says it as it is. They think for what America has done in the world, this is what suits it best. Others are wary his deeds as a president, internally and towards the outside. However, both camps agree on one thing: He is a very bad choice. And he is no different than the leaders we are fighting to overthrow here.”
Clinton campaign emails reveal often craven pandering to big Jewish donors. But they also show that Jews are not monolithic in supporting Israel. Many care about progressive causes. It’s time for the media to frankly address this outsize Jewish influence so that Jews will express greater diversity on foreign policy.