The Higher Planning Committee of the Civil Administration approved today (August 22, 2018) plans for 1,004 housing units in the settlements, 96% of which are in isolated settlements that Israel will likely need to evacuate within the framework of a two-state agreement (according to the Geneva Initiative model). In addition to the approval of the plans, and according to media reports, the government intends to promote hundreds more housing units by issuing tenders, as well as promoting a future plan for some 300 units in Beit El.

Two plans for the legalization of illegal outposts, which were supposed to be discussed today, were removed from the agenda following the instruction of the Ministry of Defense. One of them, "Haro'e Ha'ivri (Nofei Prat South)," which was established illegally in 2015, is located just 1.5 km away from the Bedouin community of Khan Al-Ahmar that the Israeli government plans to demolish.

Since President Trump was elected the government promoted plans for 10,536 units and tenders for 5,679 units in West Bank settlements.

Professional investor and policy analyst Daniel J. Arbess is a financial expert focusing on macroeconomic, geopolitical and major industrial developments. He seems to be quite successful at that.

But last week he delved into a field that does not seem to be his forte. He wrote an article for the Wall Street Journal that presumes to give advice to young Palestinians. What’s Arbess’ advice? In his words, “Breaking free from their elders’ calcified thinking,” to “find the courage to move on” and integrate “into Israel’s thriving economy and culture of innovation.”

Israeli journalist and activist Anat Saragusti helps us remember and pay tribute to Uri Avnery, an icon of Israeli public life and of Israel’s peace movement.

Saragusti is a leading Israeli journalist and publicist. She was the CEO of Agenda, the Israeli Center for Strategic Communications. She was a news editor, reporter and photo journalist for several Israeli news outlets, as well as a peace activist, an active feminist, and a human rights advocate. She is a founding member of Ta Ha'Itonayot (a group of leading Israeli women in the media) and of Merkaz Media Nashim (the Gender Media Center).

Saragusti was a protege and long-time friend of Avnery.

Israeli journalist and activist Anat Saragusti helps us remember and pay tribute to Uri Avnery, an icon of Israeli public life and of Israel’s peace movement.

Saragusti is a leading Israeli journalist and publicist. She was the CEO of Agenda, the Israeli Center for Strategic Communications. She was a news editor, reporter and photo journalist for several Israeli news outlets, as well as a peace activist, an active feminist, and a human rights advocate. She is a founding member of Ta Ha'Itonayot (a group of leading Israeli women in the media) and of Merkaz Media Nashim (the Gender Media Center).

Saragusti was a protege and long-time friend of Avnery.

Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

Watch clips of APN Policy and Government Relations Director Debra Shushan from Israel i24 News "The Spin Room" from August 15, 2018. The discussion topic was the recent questioning and detaining of prominent Americans at Israeli ports of entry on political grounds.

"Alarm Bells"

"Gut-Wrenching"