Monday, August 10, 2020

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolished 1 house and 1 water well, displacing 5 Palestinians west of Jenin; and demolished 1 house in Bayt Iksa. Elsewhere, Israeli forces seized 3 water pumps from Bayt Umar. 7 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Hizma, Nablus, Jenin, Jericho, and Yatta. In East Jerusalem, 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Shu‘fat refugee camp and Issawiyya. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian agricultural lands east of Khuza‘a; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/10; PCHR 8/13)

The Israeli high court of justice blocked a punitive demolition of the family home of an alleged Palestinian attacker who is accused of killing an Israeli soldier on 5/12 during a raid in Ya‘bad. The majority opinion cited “serious damage to a number of basic rights, including property rights and human dignity.” Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the decision a “miserable ruling.” (HA 8/10)

Prime Minister Netanyahu said in an interview that Israel had not annexed parts of the West Bank yet because the U.S. had not given him their final approval. Netanyahu said that U.S. president Donald Trump had been preoccupied by other issues and had put Israeli annexation on hold. (JP 8/11)

After daily protests since the massive explosion in the Beirut port on 8/4, Lebanese prime minister Hassan Diab and his cabinet resigned. Lebanese president Michal Aoun asked the prime minister to stay in a capacity as caretaker until a new government is formed. (AJ, REU 8/10; HA, REU 8/11)