In the West Bank, the Israel Electric Corporation cut power for 10s of thousands of Palestinians in Ramallah for 3 hours between 2pm and 5pm for the 2d day in a row. Israeli forces demolished a Palestinian-owned home in al-Khadir near Bethlehem and razed the flooring of a car repair shop in Dayr Razih near Hebron; during the latter event, several Palestinian-owned vehicles were damaged. Israeli forces arrested 20 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Tulkarm, Nablus, and Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were arrested during a late-night raid in Issawiyya. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/16; PCHR 12/19)
A Palestinian journalist arrested last week was placed on administrative detention. (WAFA 12/16; AJ 12/17)
U.S. congress rejected a request by the Trump administration for $175 million for a special fund in support of the Middle East peace plan. According to Haaretz reporting, the request was rejected due to lack of confidence among the congressional members that the Trump administration would be able to make any tangible progress in its peace plan, which has still not been revealed. (HA 12/17)