In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians with baton rounds and arrested 2 others during a late-night raid in Askar refugee camp. Israeli forces also seized 1 bulldozer in Beit Ta‘mar near Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/18; PCHR, UNOCHA 12/22)
Israel deported Salah Hamouri to France. The deportation led to condemnation from France, calling it illegal. The French statement said that France has taken all measures to ensure that Hamouri could “lead a normal life in Jerusalem, the city where he was born, lives and wishes to stay.” Hamouri called his deportation to France a part of Israel’s “policy of ethnic cleansing.” The PA condemned the deportation, calling it outrageous and setting a dangerous precedent. The U.S. state department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters that the U.S. defers to Israel explanation of security concerns related to the decision to deport Hamouri but said “regarding any broader implications of this beyond this discrete situation, we of course have serious concerns about any broader practice of revocation of residency and deportation from East Jerusalem. But I would hasten to add that does not appear to be what is happening here.” (MEE 12/15; AJ, AP, BBC, HA, JP, MEE, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/18; ALM, HA, MDW, MEMO, MEMO 12/19; AN, HA, PCHR 12/20; WAFA 12/22)
In an interview in Haaretz, U.S. ambassador to Israel Tom Nides said that the U.S. still intends to reopen the consulate to Palestinians in Jerusalem but that the Israeli government has made it clear that it does not want the consulate to reopen. Ambassador Nides insinuated that the same work that would be carried out at the consulate is being done by staff under the name of the Office of Palestinian Affairs at the U.S. embassy. (HA 12/18)