“Israel has announced a controversial plan to construct a new settlement in the heart of the West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron) that will purportedly accommodate as many settlers as are currently housed in the city. Israel’s Minister for Military Affairs Naftali Bennett announced the decision on Sunday, saying he had ordered officials to notify the al-Khalil municipality of the decision to build the new Israeli settlement, which is planned to be constructed in a wholesale market complex.”

“Israeli forces have killed a top Islamic Jihad commander in an air raid on his home in Gaza City, unleashing a new spiral of violence. Shortly after the attack on Tuesday morning that killed Bahaa Abu al-Ata and his wife, salvos of rockets were launched from Palestinian groups in the besieged Gaza Strip into Israel. In response to the rocket barrage, Israel launched dozens of air raids on Gaza. So far, 32 Palestinians have been killed in the bombardment, according to health officials and medics.”

“Canada, traditionally an ally of Israel, has shocked Israel and its supporters by voting for a United Nations resolution calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state, an “end to the Israeli occupation.” The unexpected departure from its usually reliable support for Israel on such measures called into question Canada’s Mideast policy. There was no official reaction from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, but an Israeli diplomatic official was quoted by The Times of Israel as saying, “We are very disappointed by Canada’s vote. Israel and Canada are friends and our relations are close and strong. We hope it will continue this way,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.”

“The recent escalation of violence between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip demonstrates the urgent need for political progress on the Middle East peace process, which, in turn, calls for maintaining the international consensus on basic principles, the Special Coordinator of that process told the Security Council today. “Upholding the international consensus on resolving the conflict and all final-status issues on the basis of the two-State solution, as per relevant resolutions, international law and mutual agreements is critical,” Nickolay Mladenov said during his regular monthly briefing, cautioning that unilateral actions fuel anger and disillusionment while undermining the prospects for peace.”

“The US has declared that Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land are not necessarily illegal, in a dramatic break with decades of international law, US policy and the established position of most US allies. “Calling the establishment of civilian settlements inconsistent with international law has not advanced the cause of peace,” said Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state. “The hard truth is that there will never be a judicial resolution to the conflict, and arguments about who is right and who is wrong as a matter of international law will not bring peace.””