Lag B’omer is coming – the 33rd day between Pesach and Shavuot, a day traditionally for throwing off mourning and instead celebrating with music, weddings and bonfires. Lag B’omer is a minor holiday that not many American Jews are aware of. Paradoxically, Palestinians in the West Bank town of Hebron have it circled on their calendars.

It has become a Lag B'omer custom of some Jewish settlers in Hebron to vandalize and loot Palestinian property for wood with which to build bonfires. And unlike the Israeli military authority, which regularly shuts down the West Bank during Jewish holidays to minimize the possibility of a terrorist attack, the Palestinians don’t have the means to protect their communities come Lag B'omer.

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As Jews and friends of Israel, we recognize the dread of an approaching holiday. Those closures during Passover and other holidays are Israel’s response to horrific terrorist attacks like the suicide bombing by Hamas of a seder at a Netanya hotel in 2002. The attack killed 30 Jews and wounded 140. A similar attack was perpetrated in 2006, killing 11 and wounding 60 at another Passover seder. A number of years have passed since an attack like this has occurred, but the threat remains.

Still, we can’t leave unremarked this twisted Lag B'omer practice of terrorizing Palestinians on a day dedicated to joy and relief. Preying on Palestinians has become so routine that it is no longer newsworthy. But this can’t be the way of Jewish “celebration”: breaking into Palestinian shops and homes, damaging and looting them. And these can’t be the actions of God-fearing Jews – terrorizing Palestinian and Israel Arab towns by torching cars, slashing tires, and spray painting Stars of David and racist slogans, as was done as recently as a week ago.

This episode features Swiss-American photo journalist Saskia Keeley, who through the lenses of cameras that she gives to women -- West Bank Israeli settlers and Palestinian women who live in adjacent towns and villages -- helps these women explore the humanity of the other, open to the other, and discover the many commonalities of Palestinian and Israeli women. 

Also featured is Father Josh Thomas, the executive director of Kids for Peace, a youth movement based in Jerusalem, which brings together Israeli and Palestinian teens, West Jerusalemites and East Jerusalemites and their families.

APN's Ori Nir met Father Josh and Saskia Keeley at a conference at Yale University, organized by Yale’s chapter of One Voice, an organization that works to bring together Israelis and Palestinians under a joint agenda of a two-state solution.

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• The secular convent // Zvi Barel
• Let’s see you go there // Noa Osterreicher
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• The public will judge // Chen Artzi-Sror
• He got off light - Resounding acquittal and conviction of indecent act: This is how the case of (former police commander) Niso Shacham collapsed
• The rumors were too soon - (Singer) Tzvika Pik is alive and hospitalized in Vienna
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• The left-wing minority rules // May Golan
• It’s all political // Ron Kaufman
• The lie was exposed // Shula Keshet
• A healthy dispute // Nadav Haetzni
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• “The mountain gave birth to a mouse” - That’s how former police commander Niso Shacham reacted after being acquitted of seven indictments…but was convicted of an indecent act against a policewoman
• in contradiction to the rumors: “Tzvika Pik’s situation is improving, he will return to Israel soon”

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• Niso Shacham acquitted of majority of accusations, convicted of indecent act; “The mountain gave birth to a mouse”
• Israelis collected money - “Mama Kate” will come to Israel
• Tvika Pik’s friends: “We hope he will return soon”

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• The Labor Party conference confirmed its commitment to the two-state solution - Members of the party approved the announcement by Chairman Avi Gabbay, who said: "We are committed to a Jewish and democratic state while maintaining a Jewish majority." He also declared: "We will come to a demonstration in support of the High Court of Justice in Tel Aviv on Saturday night.” (Maariv)
• Egypt allows body of Hamas scientist killed in Malaysia back to Gaza - Family of fallen soldier Hadar Goldin, whose remains held by Hamas, calls decision "resounding failure" for Israel • Malaysian police release photo of a suspect in the murder of Fadi al-Batsh, say foreign agents believed behind "very professional" hit. (Ynet and Israel Hayom)
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• IDF soldier lightly wounded during demolition of terrorist's home - 19-year-old Border Policewoman evacuated to hospital after being shot in the leg during riots that broke out between IDF soldiers and Palestinians in Jenin as combat engineers demolished home of Ahmed Konba, a member of the terror cell that killed Rabbi Raziel Shevah in January. (Ynet)
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• Israeli forces destroy tent structure in Susiya - Israeli forces demolished and confiscated a tent structure belonging to Khader al-Nawajaa, in the Palestinian village of Susiya, located in the South Hebron Hills. (Maan)
• Israeli minister pledges to clamp down on crime within Bedouin communities - In a visit to south, Gilad Erdan promised to increase law enforcement in Arab communities after footage of Bedouin shooting during celebrations goes viral. (Haaretz+)
• Israeli forces detain Dean of Student Affairs of Bethlehem University - Dean of Student Affairs at Bethlehem University, Mahmoud Hammad, was detained. Also detained was Muhammad Samer Sirhan, 14, from occupied East Jerusalem. (Maan)
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• German Jewish leader advises against wearing kippot in public - Wearing traditional skullcap is right in principle, but individuals should not be "showing themselves openly with a kippah in a big-city setting in Germany," says head of Germany's Central Council of Jews after assault on two kippah-wearing men in Berlin. (Israel Hayom)
• Israel's chief rabbi orders German Jews to keep skullcaps - Despite potential danger of falling victim to hate crime, Chief Rabbi Lau says kippah is 'Jewish symbol,' orders Jews to 'keep wearing it proudly'; 'Hiding Jewish identity not the solution,' agrees Berlin's rabbi; MFA official: 'Sad testament to Jewish communities' grim lot in Europe.' (Ynet)
• Palestine files complaint to UN over Israel's breach of anti-racism treaty - Palestinian diplomats have filed an official complaint against Israel, alleging breaches of Israel’s obligations of the United Nations’ anti-racism treaty. (Maan)
• Hezbollah operative killed in mysterious blast in Lebanon - Terrorist group confirms Bilal Hassan Abdo was a member, but unlike in past cases does not blame Israel. Local authorities say faulty gas balloon likely the cause, but are also investigating possibility of assassination or accident while assembling bomb. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
• Anger in the Palestinian street: "Syria murders Palestinians, why is Hamas silent?" - The Yarmuk Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus is again under attack by the regime, which claims to be trying to oust ISIS. The fighting took the lives of 20 people in a place that has become a symbol of atrocities. (Maariv)
• US Embassy opening in Jerusalem to include rare mezuzah ceremony - Extraordinary gesture comes at behest of U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, Channel 20 reports • Works to prepare U.S. consulate site for embassy move, including paving of roads, construction of wall around site's perimeter, are currently underway. (Israel Hayom)
• Nuclear watchdog sees hope of Iran joining nuclear test ban - Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization: Iran could ratify total ban on nuclear explosions if U.S. rescinds threats to withdraw from 2015 nuclear agreement. U.S. nuclear nonproliferation envoy skeptical of prospects Iran will ratify treaty. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
• Algeria sentences 'spies for Israel' to death, prison - Interior minister for North African country announces capture of 'international spy ring' comprised of 7 Africans, proving Mossad attempts to undermine state security; head of group sentences to death, remaining defendants to prison terms. (Ynet)

Washington, DC – Americans for Peace Now is deeply disappointed in the decision of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to recommend favorably Mike Pompeo to become Secretary of State in a narrow party-line vote.

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.

This week, Alpher discusses the main challenges Israel faces on its seventieth birthday: war, Gaza, peace, and the nature of the state.