Despite the global coronavirus pandemic, Israel has stepped its arrest of Palestinian children in the occupied territory, a new report from Defense for Children International – Palestine says.
The news that Israel’s new government plans to begin annexing the West Bank in July has been greeted with outrage– and resignation. Even some peace processors seem to accept that the two-state moment is passed. Former White House aide Dennis Ross says, “1 state for 2 peoples is more likely.”
On this year’s anniversary of the Qana massacre, Israel violated Lebanese sovereignty again. But every day in Lebanon bears memories, traumata, or threats of Israeli aggression.
Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has a long foreign policy track record and very little of it is impressive.
The first case of coronavirus was reported in a Bethlehem refugee camp, sparking concerns over the potentially devastating effects an outbreak could have an overcrowded and underserved camp.
Palestinian lawmakers decry the political deal in Israel. Aida Touma-Sliman calls new Netanyahu-Gantz government “dangerous” and vows to fight its plan too annex portions of the occupied West Bank.
Allison Deger talks with Safwan Fayyad, a 30-year-old senior resident and internist at the Ramallah Medical Complex, about being on the front lines against the coronavirus in the West Bank. “Until now we are keeping pace with the patient load,” Fayyad says, “but if we face a serious outbreak where a majority of people would get sick that would be a disaster here.”
At a time when Palestinians would usually be flooding the markets doing Ramadan shopping and hanging festive lights outside their homes, the streets are empty, and the usual excitement and anticipation has been replaced with an air of sadness.
Everywhere, COVID-19 has revealed the disproportionate effect of the disease on communities that are already disenfranchised by state-sanctioned violence, including the incarcerated. April 17, Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, brings new urgency to calls to free all prisoners in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.