Palm Beach Veteran Rebuked Over Israel Bonds Protest as UN Flags West Bank Crisis
September 18, 2026. A US veteran was rebuked at a Florida council meeting for opposing a $1 billion Israel Bonds investment, while new UN figures showed West Bank settler attacks at near-record levels. Here's each story in brief, with links to the original reporting.
Veteran Rebuked Over Israel Bonds Protest
A US military veteran was told he was "embarrassing" his uniform after protesting Palm Beach County's record $1 billion investment in Israel Bonds at a heated council meeting, where residents voiced strong opposition.
Sources: Al Jazeera
West Bank Settler Attacks Near a Record
Settler attacks have hit 275 Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank so far this year, nearly matching 2025's record of 279, according to the UN. More than 1,100 Palestinian structures have been demolished in 2026, displacing over 1,500 people.
Sources: OCHA
Disease Spreads Among Gaza's Children
Gaza recorded 45,190 cases of impetigo, a contagious skin infection that mostly affects young children, between August 2 and September 12, the UN reports, along with another case of acute flaccid paralysis. Fuel and equipment shortages are slowing winter preparations.
Sources: OCHA
Families Isolated in Qusra
Three Palestinian families in Qusra, in the occupied West Bank, have been almost completely cut off for more than five weeks since a settler outpost was set up next to them, according to the UN.
Sources: OCHA
AI Is Speeding Up Demolitions
Researchers say Israel is using AI to map Palestinian land in the West Bank and fast-track demolitions and evictions.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Ireland Skips Eurovision Over Gaza
RTÉ said Ireland will again sit out Eurovision, citing the loss of life in Gaza and the barring of journalists.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Keeping Gaza's Cameras Running
Repairman Mohammed Radwan fixes journalists' damaged cameras in Gaza despite shortages of parts and power.
Sources: Al Jazeera
The Bigger Picture
Nearly a year after the ceasefire announced in October 2025, civilians in Gaza still face daily danger amid widespread destruction, continuing strikes and limits on the supplies and equipment needed to rebuild. The recorded death toll in Gaza has passed 73,900, with more than 174,000 injured, according to the health ministry. Over 1,300 of those deaths have come since the truce began.
Sources: Al Jazeera, OCHA
Settler violence in the occupied West Bank is near record levels, with the UN counting 275 Palestinian communities affected in 2026, almost matching the total for all of last year. Permit demolitions have destroyed more than 1,100 Palestinian structures in 2026 and displaced over 1,500 people, a third of everyone forced from their homes in the West Bank this year. With 98 percent of Gaza's schools damaged or destroyed and over 90 percent of the territory in ruins, thousands of families are living in structures already declared unsafe.
Sources: OCHA
Medical services remain near collapse. Hospitals are rationing power because of fuel shortages, oxygen is limited, and agencies report that specialist medicines, including cancer drugs, have repeatedly run out. Most UN member states now recognize Palestinian statehood, but recognition has not changed conditions on the ground, and Palestinian officials argue that without enforcement the occupation continues unchanged.
Sources: OCHA
Palestine News is published every day on Free Palestine Store. Each item recaps reporting from the named outlets in our own words; follow the source links for full coverage.
