Kerry presses Netanyahu on Jerusalem building

Published on June 3, 2013

Secretary of State John Kerry in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised U.S. unhappiness with Israel’s announcement of new building in eastern Jerusalem.

Palestinian vehicles vandalized as Borovsky mourning period ends

Published on May 29, 2013

Palestinian-owned vehicles were torched and vandalized in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem, apparently in recognition of the end of the 30-day mourning period for slain Israeli settler Eviatar Borovsky.

Oberlin College Student Senate endorses divestment resolution

Published on May 7, 2013

The Oberlin College Student Senate endorsed a resolution that calls for the college to divest from six companies that do business in the West Bank, eastern Jerusalem and Gaza.

Scottish church says Jews have no scriptural claim to Holy Land

Published on May 3, 2013

The Church of Scotland published a paper denying that "scripture" provides a basis for Jewish claims to Israel.

Netanyahu says he would put peace deal to referendum

Published on May 2, 2013

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he would put any peace deal with the Palestinians to a referendum, raising expectations that direct negotiations might soon resume following a two-year stalemate.

Nobel Peace Laureate David Trimble speaks in support of Israel at UN Human Rights council debate on Israeli settlements

Published on March 18, 2013

Nobel Peace Laureate David Trimble, member of the British House of Lords, will be taking the floor shortly in this morning's UN Human Rights Council debate on a new report by a fact-finding mission on Israeli settlements, to deliver the following statement on behalf of the Geneva non-governmental organization UN Watch.

New Israel housing minister pledges more settlement building

Published on March 18, 2013

Israel's new housing minister said on Sunday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's incoming cabinet would keep expanding Jewish settlements to the same extent as his previous government.

Israel-Palestinian peace talks: A ‘peace frame of mind’ is needed

Published on February 13, 2013

For Israel to reach peace with the Palestinians, a fundamental adjustment of attitudes will be required — on both sides.

Netanyahu: Israel will build in Jerusalem despite criticism

Published on December 19, 2012

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday his government would press ahead with expanding Jewish settlements around Jerusalem despite Western criticism of its plan to build 6,000 more homes in territory Palestinians seek for a state.

E. Jerusalem Arabs arrested for attacking Jewish man

Published on December 13, 2012

Three Arab teenagers from eastern Jerusalem were arrested on suspicion that they attacked a haredi Orthodox Jewish man.

Palestinians warn Israel must be held accountable over settlements

Published on December 4, 2012

The Palestinians accused Israel in a letter to the United Nations of planning to commit further "war crimes" by expanding Jewish settlements after the Palestinians won de facto U.N. recognition of statehood and warned that Jerusalem must be held accountable.

U.S. repeats opposition to new Israeli settlements

Published on December 3, 2012

The United States on Monday reiterated its opposition to new Israeli settlement activity on West Bank land including in the site known as "E1", which it said could be especially damaging to efforts to achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel faces European backlash over settlement plan

Published on December 3, 2012

Israel faced concerted criticism from Europe on Monday over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to expand settlement building after the United Nations' de facto recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Israel to expand settlements after U.N.‘s Palestine vote

Published on November 30, 2012

Israel plans to build thousands of new homes for its settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, an Israeli official said on Friday, defying a U.N. vote that implicitly recognized Palestinian statehood there.

European NGOs call for Settlement boycott

Published on November 1, 2012

A new report by 22 aid, development and church groups from nine European Union (EU) countries calls for the EU to stop buying goods from Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Jewish businesses in East Jerusalem.

Report: Israeli police filmed beating cuffed Palestinian

Published on October 10, 2012

Authorities in Israel are reportedly investigating the alleged beating by police of a Palestinian man in cuffs in Jerusalem.

Everyone knows Israel’s true capital

Published on August 22, 2012

In international relations there is sometimes a situation of political make-believe whereby states conduct themselves in a manner that actively and consciously ignores reality.

Construction to resume on West Bank security fence

Published on July 5, 2012

Construction will resume on Israel's West Bank security fence, five years after it was halted due to budget shortfalls.

45 years too many

Published on June 7, 2012

This week, we are marking 45 years since Israel took control over East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Some will celebrate this date simply as the anniversary of a brilliant victory.

Palestinian leaders reject Netanyahu letter to Abbas

Published on May 14, 2012

Palestinian leaders reportedly have rejected the contents of a letter delivered by Benjamin Netanyahu's personal envoy Isaac Molho to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

March 27, 2012

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on March 27, 2012

U.N. Security Council states condemn Israel over housing

Published on December 21, 2011

Members of the U.N. Security Council criticized Israel's decision to construct additional housing in the settlements and the United States for blocking a vote to condemn the action.

Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister: We won’t accept less than full U.N. seat

Published on November 3, 2011

The Palestinians will not accept anything less than full U.N. membership and do not want an upgrade to an observer state in the world body, their foreign minister said on Thursday.

Israel to speed up settlement building in West Bank

Published on November 1, 2011

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for the accelerated construction of some 2,000 housing units in areas in the West Bank and around Jerusalem, an official statement said on Tuesday.

Peace Now: Israel planning new East Jerusalem settlement

Published on October 14, 2011

Israel plans to build more than 2,600 housing units in a new urban settlement in East Jerusalem, an anti-settlement group said on Friday, angering Palestinians who want a halt to all such projects before they return to peace talks.

Netanyahu rejects widespread criticism of homes plan

Published on September 28, 2011

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday rejected Western and Arab complaints that the planned construction of 1,100 new homes in Gilo on annexed land close to Jerusalem would complicate Middle East peace efforts.

Israel police arrest Hamas lawmaker in East Jerusalem

Published on September 26, 2011

Israeli police arrested a Hamas lawmaker on Monday who had been sheltering for more than a year in the International Red Cross (ICRC) offices in East Jerusalem, a police spokesman said.

State Department criticizes Israel over E. Jerusalem housing approval

Published on August 10, 2011

The Obama administration criticized Israel over the approval of a new housing project in eastern Jerusalem.

Israeli lawmakers dedicate eastern Jerusalem Jewish homes

Published on May 26, 2011

Israeli lawmakers attended the dedication of a Jewish apartment complex in a Palestinian neighborhood of eastern Jerusalem.

PM’s pressure reportedly tables talks on E. Jerusalem construction

Published on April 11, 2011

Discussions on new construction in eastern Jerusalem have been postponed reportedly due to pressure from the Prime Minister's Office. The Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee tabled its talks scheduled for this week on projects to build nearly 1,000 apartments in Har Homa and 600 in Pisgat Ze'ev until May 5, Haaretz reported.

Jewish housing approved for E. Jerusalem

Published on February 7, 2011

A Jerusalem committee approved construction plans for 13 new apartments for Jewish residents in the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. The city's municipal planning and construction committee approved private plans for two apartment buildings to be constructed near the tomb of Shimon HaTzadik, a Jewish high priest during the time of the Second Temple. The Interior Ministry gives the final go-ahead to the project.

Leaked documents show Palestinian peace concessions

Published on January 24, 2011

Palestinian peace negotiators were willing to turn over nearly all of the Jewish neighborhoods in eastern Jerusalem and accept a shared authority of the Temple Mount, leaked Palestinian documents reveal.

E. Jerusalem apartments staying in Jewish hands

Published on January 13, 2011

An Israeli supermarket magnate will develop a Jewish apartment complex in an Arab neighborhood of eastern Jerusalem after its contractor ran into debt problems. About one-quarter of 400 planned Jewish-only apartments had been built in the Nof Zion complex in the Jebl Mukaber neighborhood of eastern Jerusalem when the contractor, Digal Investments, was forced to put the rest of the project up for sale. Israeli businessman Rami Levy and his Australian Jewish partner Kevin Bermeister made a surprise offer Sunday to buy the rest of project.

E. Jerusalem Arabs arrested for planning major attack

Published on January 2, 2011

Two Arabs from eastern Jerusalem were arrested for planning a terror attack on a soccer stadium in Jerusalem.

E. Jerusalem apartment construction begins

Published on December 15, 2010

Construction began on apartment buildings in eastern Jerusalem for married students attending a nearby yeshiva.

U.S. quits effort on settlement freeze

Published on December 7, 2010

The Obama administration reportedly has abandoned efforts to have Israel freeze its settlements.

Poll: Most Palestinians support direct negotiations with Israel

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on November 19, 2010

A poll of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza conducted last month by a research firm for the Israel Project, a nonprofit education organization, found that a majority of Palestinians support direct peace negotiations with Israel and a two-state solution to the conflict.

Israeli attorney general orders E. Jerusalem building sealed

Published on November 17, 2010

Israel's attorney general has ordered Jerusalem officials to seal off a seven-story Jewish building in eastern Jerusalem.

Netanyahu’s office: Clinton talks did not include E. Jerusalem

Published on November 17, 2010

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's discussions with the Obama administration for a new freeze on settlement building did not include extending the freeze to eastern Jerusalem, his office said.

Carter Center calls for end to Jerusalem deportations

Published on July 23, 2010

The Carter Center called for an end to what it called “East Jerusalem deportations” by the Israeli government.

Construction begins on E. Jerusalem Jewish homes

Published on June 29, 2010

Construction began on a Jewish housing project in an eastern Jerusalem neighborhood.

iPhone weather app divides Jerusalem

By Adam Wills
Published on June 3, 2010

Report: Israel has frozen E. Jerusalem construction

Published on April 26, 2010

Israel has frozen new Jewish construction in eastern Jerusalem despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claims that building would not stop, according to municipal officials.

Netanyahu: Israeli construction in East Jerusalem is justified

Published on April 19, 2010

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Monday that Israel would not accept Palestinian demands that it stop building settlements in East Jerusalem.

Appearing in an interview broadcast Monday on ABC's Good Morning America, Netanyahu called the Palestinian demand that Israel stop building in settlements "unacceptable" and said this long-standing Israeli government position is not his alone, but rather dates to governments led by Golda Meir, Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin.

Next year in occupied East Jerusalem!

Published on March 31, 2010

Over the weekend I was a victim of a hoax. An internet scenario played out a scene in which Barack Obama tells a visiting Israeli delegation to the White House, headed by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that he believes the cause of peace would be advanced if the words "Next Year in Jerusalem" were excised from the Passover Haggadah.

‘Everybody Knows’ Real Jerusalem Fallacy

Published on March 24, 2010

Throughout this month, the world has heard Israeli government officials and their allies in the United States — particularly among the pro-settler crowd —
defending construction in East Jerusalem settlements on the grounds that “everybody knows” these areas will always be part of Israel.

Quartet condemns east Jerusalem building

Published on March 19, 2010

The "Quartet" guiding the Middle East peace process condemned Israeli building in eastern Jerusalem but called for a resumption of talks without preconditions.

The statement issued Friday morning by the grouping, which comprises the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations, suggested frustration with both Israel and the Palestinians.

What’s the Status of Jerusalem Under International Law?

By Rob Eshman
Published on March 17, 2010

David Myers v. Gary Ratner

By Rob Eshman
Published on September 1, 2009

Diverse trio running for mayor in troubled Jerusalem

By Dina Kraft
Published on October 23, 2008

It sounds like the beginning of a joke: A rabbi, a Russian oligarch and a high-tech millionaire are running for mayor of Jerusalem. Except there's no punch line, just each of them offering up himself as salvation for the hallowed capital's many troubles.

VIDEO: Arabic-speaking Israeli prof tells Al-Jazeera: ‘Jerusalem is ours for 3000 years!’

Published on June 16, 2008

On Al-Jazeera TV, Dr. Mordechai Kedar of Bar-Ilan University asserts -- in Arabic -- that Jerusalem has been the Jewish capital for over 3000 years. Available here for the first time with English subtitles.

Israel faces grim intelligence estimate

By Leslie Susser
Published on March 13, 2008

Last week's terrorist attack at a Jerusalem yeshiva and the new Israeli national intelligence assessment presented to the Cabinet on Sunday underscore the acute security problems Israel faces this year and beyond.

We have the right to an indivisible Jerusalem

By Rabbi Dov Fischer
Published on November 1, 2007

Rabbi Dov Fischer responds to Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky's invitation to have a conversation about Jerusalem.