Israel/ Palestine

Washington (AFP) – The United States plans to cut $25 million in aid to six hospitals primarily serving Palestinians in Jerusalem, a State Department official confirmed Saturday. The official said the decision followed a President Donald Trump-directed review of assistance to the Palestinian Authority and in the West Bank and Gaza “to ensure these funds […]

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A wave of cancellations followed Lana Del Rey’s announcement about cancelling her performance at the Meteor Music Festival in northern Israel this weekend. Following efforts by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) and worldwide criticism, more than 15 music artists have cancelled their performances at the Meteor Festival in Israel, according […]

JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Head of the Palestinian Authority (PA) Committee against the Wall and Settlements, Walid Assaf, declared on Wednesday the beggining of an open sit-in at the Khan al-Ahmar village east of the Jerusalem district in the central West Bank protesting the Israeli decision to demolish it.Assaf’s decision came after the Israeli High Court […]

Amman (AFP) – Jordan’s King Abdullah II firmly rejects the idea of a confederation with the Palestinians in the place of a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict, the royal court said Wednesday. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas told activists Sunday that White House aides Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt had proposed the idea of […]

Jerusalem (AFP) – Israel’s defence minister said Monday that negotiations with Palestinians on the situation in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank were pointless and that the country should act unilaterally. Avigdor Lieberman’s remarks came as Egypt and the United Nations were working to forge a lasting ceasefire between Gaza rulers Hamas and Israel […]

Venice (AFP) – Israeli director Amos Gitai lashed his country’s government Monday for trying to “turn culture into propaganda” and cosying up to the “worst anti-Semites in Europe”. He warned that Israel’s “open society” has been put at risk by Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government as he premiered two new documentaries at the Venice film festival. […]

Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – US President Donald Trump’s swingeing cuts to aid for Palestinians will advance Israel’s interests but risk compromising a US-led peace push and raise tensions in the Middle East, analysts and diplomats said Saturday. The US administration announced Friday it would no longer provide any funding to the United Nations agency […]

Washington (AFP) – The United States announced it was halting funding for the United Nations’ agency for Palestinian refugees Friday after declaring the organization was “irredeemably flawed. Washington has long been the UN Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) largest donor but is “no longer willing to shoulder the very disproportionate share of the burden,” State […]

Jerusalem (AFP) – American singer Lana Del Rey said Friday she was postponing a performance in Israel after failing to set up a show “in Palestine.” The surprise cancellation came after a campaign by pro-Palestinian groups calling for a cultural boycott of Israel over its occupation of the West Bank. “It’s important to me to […]