"Eight years ago, a bill outlawing force-feeding geese was passed here. So it's illegal to force-feed geese, but human beings can be force-fed. Sure if they are Arab."

--Arab Meretz MK Issawi Freij declares his vehement opposition in Knesset to force-feeding hunger-striking Palestinian detainees.**

"I’m sick of being politically correct."
--Justice Minister Tzipi Livni calls the settlement enterprise "a security, economic and moral burden" aimed to prevent peace.**

"Netanyahu is convinced that if he isn't punishing the Palestinians, he must compensate the settlers' lobby. His survival depends on this balance."
--Yedioth's commentator Nahum Barnea on the fear that is motivating the Israeli Prime Minister.**

"The hunger strike of the (Palestinian) administrative detainees puts a spotlight on one of the most serious injustices of the military rule in the Occupied Territories - the routine use of administrative detention against Palestinians who are detained for many months, and sometimes years, without knowing the allegations against them or when they will be released."

--The Association for Civil Rights in Israel speaks against on Israel's policy of administrative detention and its prime minister's plan to have hunger-striking detainees force-fed.**

1500.
--The number of new settlement homes Israel plans to build in retaliation for the formation of the (widely accepted) Palestinian Hamas-Fatah unity government.**

"Netanyahu's opposition to the unity government is an excuse meant to thwart diplomatic negotiations..."
-Meretz Chairwoman MK Zahava Gal-On calls on Israeli Prime Minister to reach out to new Palestinian unity government.**

"The quality of the Palestinian government and its makeup are the Palestinians’ business. Just as Israel or any other country cannot dictate the composition of the Egyptian or Jordanian governments, so it must be with the Palestinian government."
--Haaretz Editorial calls on Israel to recognize the new Palestinian unity government.**

1500.
--Number of Palestinians in Israeli jails who will be joining the 240 prisoners already on hunger-strike. **

“What was supposed to have been a joyous week of triumph and bonding with Israel turned into a disgraceful exercise in mistreatment and humiliation for too many fledgling friends of Israel."
--Dr. Elihu Richter, an Israeli professor who tried to visit the six Christian Iranian-British and Iraqi-British delegates Israel incarcerated at Ben-Gurion airport in 'intolerable conditions.'**

"The middle finger that Israeli politicians are flipping at the world may score points with right-wing voters, but it is poking the eye of Israel’s most important and most loyal allies."
--Ori Nir, Spokesman of Americans for Peace Now, explains the dynamics behind Israel's loss of support from pro-Israel US opinion leaders, primarily progressive American Jews."**