Donald Trump’s announcement recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and getting architects busy on designing the new U.S. embassy represents a special new challenge for supporters of the two-state solution. While Trump gave lip service to such an outcome, his moves are such a rebuke to Palestinians and their Arab neighbors that they have destroyed any credibility the U.S. claimed to have as a broker and made it impossible for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to negotiate with the United States– even mainstream analysts said on the cable news networks today.

Cycling fans around the world were shocked by the news in September that the first of the three great annual bike races– the Giro d’Italia, which kicks off in May — would start in occupied Jerusalem. A coalition of 120 groups, joined by Noam Chomsky and Richard Falk, are calling on the Giro to move the start, saying that it is an effort to mask Israel’s human rights record and clean up its international image on its 70th birthday.

The residents of Jabal Al-Baba Bedouin community, east of Occupied Jerusalem held a rally a week after receiving an eviction notice from the Israeli authorities. The protest, in cooperation with the Avazz organisation and international activists aimed to send the message they are refusing Israeli orders and are determined to remain on their land.

Brisbane musicians rework Nick Cave’s classic ballad “The Ship Song” to call on him to cancel his upcoming shows in Israel and respect the Palestinian picket line. #BDS

Israeli settlers celebrating the life of Sarah in the Torah turned threatening toward Palestinians in Hebron last week. Badia Dwaik of Human Rights Defenders says, “Israel is the only state in which there are two armies, namely the organized official army and the army of settlers armed with weapons. Where Jewish settler festivals have become a hell for Palestinian families.”

Israeli musicians write Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds to ask them to cancel their upcoming show in Israel: “Israel prides itself for being tolerant and culturally open, but in fact uses culture to limit divergent narratives and voices, and to whitewash its crimes. When performing in Israel one should always remember that they play in a country that discriminates huge populations of invisible people that have no citizenship and no freedom of movement, and are subject to a separate (military) court system. When performing in Israel one should always remember that they play only in front of the privileged. By choosing not to perform you can send them a strong message.”

Former Israeli PM Ehud Barak hooked Harvey Weinstein up with a firm composed of former Israeli spies that he used over the last year to try and suppress publication of accusations of sexual assault and harassment, the New Yorker reports. The firm’s work on “reputational management and political persecution” is a far cry from the derring-do associated with Israeli spies.

After long negotiations, Palestinian movements Fatah and Hamas have reached a reconciliation agreement. Gazans rejoiced and entertained hopes for a better future. But a week after the agreement between the two movements was signed, Gazans now have mixed feelings about the reconciliation.

A viral video at Haaretz in Hebrew shows Israeli celebrities decrying kosher slaughter practices and declaring that they are vegans. Israelis can watch any number of videos documenting the killing and abuse of Palestinians but they haven’t become anti-Zionists or even vocal anti-Occupation activists. Veganism is a way for Israelis to sacrifice something while avoiding the Palestinian issue.

Israeli PM Netanyahu was seen nodding during Donald Trump’s speech to the UN, and he later praised it to the skies. “I’ve listened to countless speeches in this hall, but I can say this: none were bolder, none more courageous and forthright than the one delivered by President Trump.” Netanyahu went on to offer red meat rhetoric of his own on Iran. He referred to the country by name 37 times and likened it to North Korea, saying it was conducting a campaign of conquest across the Middle East and threatens the world with ballistic weapons.