"Block streets, damage property. Only this way will they hear our message."--Bedouin protester tells Maariv that the nationwide demonstrations against the Prawer-Begin plan to dislocate tens of thousands of Arabs won't change anything.
- The Abraham Fund on the new version of the Donors' Law: The marginalization continues - The organization that works for equality between Jews and Arabs in Israel said that the bill to restrict foreign funding of organizations critical of Israel is a "continuation of the trend to marginalize the Arab minority, and it will hurt the efforts to integrate Arabs in higher education and the work environment." (NRG Hebrew)
- Israel's AG urges Eliyahu to drop 'inappropriate' bid for chief rabbi in light of anti-Arab remarks - AG Weinstein says comments made by Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, currently Safed's chief rabbi, over the years bring legal difficulties to his candidacy; Weinstein's recommendation is not binding however, as chief rabbi is not a government position. (Haaretz+)
- Abbas to decide on Palestinian gov't by mid-August - After newly appointed Palestinian Prime Minister Hamdallah resigned Abbas forced to makes tough calls. PLO party member says Abbas will find someone to from government by mid-August or 'form it himself.' (Agencies, Ynet)
- Poll: Israel's Jews abandoning Temple - Survey conducted ahead of Tisha B'Av shows 66% of Israeli public see Western Wall as Jewish people's holiest site, while only 29% give title to Temple Mount. About half of public believes Mount is under Waqf's sovereignty, nearly 60% want site divided between Jews and Muslims. (Ynet)
- Arabs ready anti-Israeli resolution over nukes - Resolution suggests Jewish state threatening Middle East peace by its refusal to acknowledge that it has nuclear arms. (Ynet)
- Gaza: Hamas boosts rocket production - Egypt cracks down on smuggling tunnels, so Hamas cannot import and is pushed to produce own medium-long range rockets; Palestinian source says Gaza residents now used to sounds of test launches. (Ynet)
- Journalists union says Egypt media inciting against Palestinians - The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate warned of an ongoing "crackdown" against Palestinians by some Egyptian media outlets, saying Egyptian journalists were inciting against the Palestinians as a people, and not just those who live in Egypt. (Maan)
- Iranian filmmaker in Israel: Don't attack - Speaking during visit to Jewish state to promote his new film, exiled director Mohsen Makhmalbaf says attacking Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities 'will only aggravate the situation.' It's better to help Iranian democratic forces, he adds. (Ynet)
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