The five-day Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza ended in a truce on May 13. In this war, the Israelis had carried out targeted assassinations of six commanders of the radical Palestinian group, Islamic Jihad. The latter had responded with several hundred rocket attacks, which led to 250 Israeli air strikes in which 33 Palestinians were killed and several more injured; one Israeli was killed and 45 people injured. There were skirmishes in the West Bank as well.
Editorial | Tactical retreat: On Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s judicial overhaul Bills
Over the last four months, Israel has been in the grip of demonstrations against the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that is seeking wide-ranging changes in the country’s judicial system. The need to restore Mr. Netanyahu’s authority and credibility is linked with the escalation of confrontations in the occupied territories.
