Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: How Viganò merged with MAGA; religious recession in post-coronavirus; the inequities between Black and white Americans; a cornerstone of classic liberalism

Already blocked by an Israeli checkpoint at the entrance to the village, they said they worried that with the tacit permission for land annexation by what they said was a one-sided proposal, more checkpoints and more settlements would be built around Aboud, making daily life even more of a struggle.

President Donald Trump's new executive order directing the government to consider race and national origin when investigating anti-Semitism has been met with mixed reviews from American Jews, mostly along liberal and conservative lines.

The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land condemned vandalism attacks in two Arab villages and called on Israeli authorities to "investigate seriously" what they termed hate crimes.

President Donald Trump is working on a plan for peace in the Middle East. And if Trump unveils a plan evangelicals hate, they could turn on him — or at least not turn out as enthusiastically for his re-election next year. So it's important to him to hear the concerns, hopes and input of evangelical leaders now.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Franklin Graham defends Trump; New Age guru considers presidency run; Paul Ryan's legacy; the world's worst boss.

A popular meme on social media here shows an illustration of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. "Why did Mary and Joseph stay in a stable?" asks one version. "Because Airbnb blocked all listings for Jews in Judea," the Hebrew term for the West Bank.

Last week, many  on both sides of the Gaza-Israel border relied heavily on their faith to cope with the most recent violent escalation, as a clash between an undercover Israel Defense Forces unit and Hamas fighters in Gaza left seven Palestinian fighters and one IDF officer dead.