Tuesday, May 16, 2023

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to 1 Palestinian-owned car and wrote racist graffiti in Beit Iksa. Israeli forces shot and injured 4 Palestinians during a raid in Jenin. Israeli forces also demolished 3 agricultural structures in al-Khader. Elsewhere, Israeli forces raided Khadouri Technical University in al-Arroub refugee camp, injuring 1 Palestinian with live ammunition and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also raided Hebron University, causing tear-gas related injuries. 21 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, Jenin, Qabatiya, Bethlehem, and Ramallah; 1 Palestinian was injured by live ammunition during the raid in Aqabat Jaber refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, 4 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids. (HA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/16; PCHR 5/18; UNOCHA 6/2)

The Hamas-affiliated Islamic Wafa bloc won 40 of 81 seats on the An-Najah National University student council, marking the first time since 2008 that the list has won at the university. (QDS 5/16; MEE 5/17)  

Hadash-Ta’al coalition leader Ayman Odeh announced that he will not seek reelection. (QDS 5/16; ALM 5/17)

Zohran Mamdani of the New York State Assembly and Jabari Brisport of the New York State Senate introduced the Not on our dime!: Ending New York funding of Israeli settler violence act to block New York charities from funding Israeli settlements in the West Bank. (MDW 5/17; MEE 5/18)

The European Commission’s trade department issued new guidelines, forcing importers to declare if products are made in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, or the Golan Heights. The guidelines were made to ensure that settlement products are not tariff exempt in the EU the same way that Israeli products are. (HA 6/19)