Today’s Top Stories
1. In the last hours of the Obama administration, the US transferred $221 million to the PA. The Associated Press explains:
Congress had initially approved the Palestinian funding in budget years 2015 and 2016, but at least two GOP lawmakers — Ed Royce of California, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Kay Granger of Texas, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee — had placed holds on it over moves the Palestinian Authority had taken to seek membership in international organizations. Congressional holds are generally respected by the executive branch but are not legally binding after funds have been allocated.
The revelation didn’t play well on Twitter.
As PA gives 7.5% of budget to terrorists & their families, this means approx $16.5M in US tax dollars 4 new terror https://t.co/8JjE8yeUU2
— Kenneth Weinstein (@KenWeinstein) January 24, 2017
2. An anti-BDS conference at the European Parliament building in Brussels took place on Monday. The Jerusalem Post was on hand. At the same time, in the same building, a pro-BDS conference was also being held — Israeli journalists trying to cover that were violently kicked out.
Meanwhile, ex-foreign minister Tzipi Livni said she cancelled her appearance at the conference because of scheduling problems, denying reports that she backed out because of a Belgian arrest warrant.
3. University of Cork College put on hold a planned conference debating Israel’s right to exist, with. UCC administrators said they couldn’t handle the expected protests. According to the JTA, “The university said it would be willing to hold the conference at a later date if organizers came up with a security plan and paid for the additional security necessary.”
A responding Irish Examiner staff-ed blasted the decision, spinning the issue in terms of free speech.
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4. Globe and Mail: No Jewish History in Eastern Jerusalem: Ignoring history, the Globe and Mail paints Jewish people as strangers in their own land.
5. Video: The Western Wall is an Illegal Settlement: Israeli activity at the holy site is a “flagrant violation of international law.”
Israel and the Palestinians
• Israel announced plans to build 2,500 housing units in the West Bank. According to Israeli media reports, the Defense Ministry will also present the cabinet with plans for a Palestinian industrial zone in the Tarqumiya, a West Bank village near Hebron. More at the Jerusalem Post.
• EU Foreign Minister: Europe will stay in Tel Aviv.
• An IDF Skylark drone that crashed in the Nablus area on Sunday was recovered by Israeli soldiers. It’s the second time in about a week the unmanned aerial vehicle has gone down. On Monday, a Skylark went down over the Lebanese border and was recovered by Hezbollah.
• Stone thrower gets harshest ever sentence in Israel’s history for 2015 attack which killed Israeli motorist Alexander Levlovich. YNet coverage.
• Israel nuclear whistle-blower Mordechai Vanunu convicted of violating release terms.
Around the World
• Reuters: An Iranian court sentenced a British-Iranian aid worker to jail for ‘cooperation with BBC.’
• Belgian authorities now believe that the Islamic State suicide bombers who attacked Brussels Airport last year specifically tried to target Jews and US nationals. AFP reports:
Sources close to the investigation added that camera footage never released to the public showed that Laachraoui had been standing among some 60 high school students before deciding to pursue two Orthodox Jews . . .
An airport source who asked not to be named said the bomb that did not explode was left near the United and El Al counters, which were facing each other.
• Administrative detention isn’t pleasant, but AP took an unexpectedly balanced look at Israel’s policy, which allows security services to hold people without charges.
Commentary/Analysis
• Here’s what else I’m reading today . . .
– Jonathan Schanzer: US should first broker peace among the Palestinians
– Nahum Barnea: Which Jerusalem will Trump recognize?
– Raphael Ahren: Why the US-Israel reset may take longer than some might have hoped
– Dr. Reuven Berko: The Palestinian reflex
– The Australian (staff-ed): Trump bolsters Israel support
– William Maclean: Glad to see Obama go, Gulf Arabs expect Trump to counter Iran
Featured image: Yossi Zamir/Flash 90; European parliament CC BY-NC-ND Juan Rubiano;
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