In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beita and Bayt Dajan, injuring 16 with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 8 with baton rounds. 1 Palestinian was arrested at the Qalandia checkpoint. (WAFA 7/8; WAFA 7/9; PCHR 7/21; UNOCHA 7/22)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke to Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid and Israeli president Isaac Herzog in phone calls. The phone calls come 1 day after defense minister Benny Gantz visited President Abbas in Ramallah and 1 week ahead of U.S. president Joe Biden’s visit to Palestine and Israel. It was the 1st direct call between Abbas and an Israeli prime minister since 2017. The PA said that Prime Minister Lapid extended his wishes for Eid al-Adha and that Abbas congratulated Lapid on becoming Israel’s new prime minister. (AP, AX, HA, MEE, REU, WAFA 7/8; ALM 7/11)
Middle East Eye reported that Israeli military officials have been traveling to the U.S. air base al-Udeid in Qatar as part of the U.S. defense department 2021 decision to transfer Israel to the Central Command. (MEE 7/8)
The Presbyterian Church in the U.S. voted 266-166 on a resolution declaring that Israel practices apartheid against the Palestinian people and voted to add May 15 as a day to commemorate the Nakba. (WP 7/15)