Sunday, January 23, 2022

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized 7 Palestinian-owned vehicles in Qira, puncturing tires and spray-painting the Star of David. Israeli forces seized 1 garbage truck near Salfit. Israeli forces also started razing 50 dunams (12.5 acres) of agricultural lands near Dura for settlement expansion. 6 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in ‘Azzun and Tulkarm. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/23; PCHR 1/27)

An Israeli district court rejected a petition by the Salhiya family to have their house rebuilt after it was demolished by Israeli forces on 1/19. The family’s lawyer said they would appeal the case to the High Court of Justice. (WAFA 1/23)

A leaked summary of an investigation by the Israeli military into the death of an 80-year-old Palestinian man who died after being detained by Israeli forces on 1/12 found that his gag, which was left on for more than 1 hour during the detention, could have impeded his breathing, and the exposure to cold weather where he was left could have caused hypothermia, leading to his death. Israeli soldiers testified that they left him after removing his cuffs without providing medical attention or checking on his health. The man was pronounced dead at a Ramallah hospital after being found by Palestinian residents of Jiljilyya. (HA, TOI, WP 1/23; JP 1/24)

PA civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh met with Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid to discuss the Palestinian economy. (HA, JP, TOI 1/23; AN 1/24)

Hamas distanced itself from an Islamic Jihad arranged demonstration in solidarity with the people in Yemen on 1/22, where criticism of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries were on display. Hamas said, “[t]he shouts against Arab and Gulf states from our Palestinian arena do not represent our position and policy.” The statement from Hamas coincided with Dubai’s deputy police chief, tweeting that Mahmoud Zahar of Hamas was on the UAE most wanted list after he voiced support of Houthi attacks on the UAE. (JP 1/22; AP, HA, TOI 1/23; MEMO, MEMO 1/24)

Data released by Action Group for Palestinians in Syria reported that 653 Palestinians have been tortured to death by the Syrian government since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011. (MEMO 1/23)

+972 Magazine reported that he Israeli cabinet had approved $30 million to revive its “Solomon’s Sling” program to fund propaganda efforts in the U.S. and Europe. The program, which sees money funneled by the Israeli government to pro-Israel activists and organizations through a public benefit corporation, was originally steered by the ministry of strategic affairs. The ministry was folded into the foreign ministry by the current Israeli government and the program will continue under the foreign ministry. (+972 1/25)