GP

🔺 NEW: An Israeli court has denied Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya an independent medical examination despite a specialist’s warning that starvation, beatings and inadequate treatment in Israeli custody could kill him, The Guardian reports. Israel has held the Kamal Adwan Hospital director without charge for nearly 23 months. A review of his medical records found a 14kg weight loss, inadequately investigated chest pain and a fall in haemoglobin that raised concerns about potentially life-threatening blood loss. “These urgent problems were not addressed and could endanger his life,” said Prof. Amit Tirosh, who reviewed the records obtained by Physicians for Human Rights Israel.

💢 An Israeli soldier is suspected of burning a handcuffed, blindfolded Palestinian with cigarettes and smearing feces on his face at a military post near Jenin, Israel’s Channel 12 reports. The Palestinian was detained at the Gilboa crossing on October 22 after soldiers found a knife in his car. He was held at a guard post at Jalama to await Shin Bet questioning. Military police suspect the soldier kicked him, beat him with his rifle, urinated on him and urged him to eat feces. Other soldiers reported the abuse to commanders. The Palestinian was released without any suspicion against him. The soldier admits hitting him but denies the other allegations. He has been held for two weeks, and an indictment is expected in the coming days. Such prosecutions are rare. In March, the military dropped charges against five soldiers accused of sexually abusing a Palestinian detainee at Sde Teiman. Between 2017 and 2021, fewer than 1% of complaints against soldiers led to indictments, according to Yesh Din.

🇺🇸 BREAKING: Eleven Democratic senators led by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) are urging congressional leaders to strip three provisions from the annual defense bill that would lock in deeper US military and intelligence ties with Israel, citing Israel's conduct in Gaza, the West Bank and the region. The three provisions they want cut: 🔸 Section 1217 (Senate defense bill): creates a "United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative" for joint weapons production and research in AI, quantum computing, biotechnology and cyberwarfare 
🔸 Section 219 (House defense bill): creates the same initiative 
🔸 Section 618 (Senate intelligence bill): requires the US to "expand and enhance intelligence sharing" with Israel and bars it from being "suspended, reduced, or otherwise materially limited" The senators warn the plan would hand Israel leverage over US weapons, noting Israel already used a missile defense deal to keep US Iron Dome batteries from Ukraine. They quote Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling the initiative "my plan," and cite reports that the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency has raised Israel's counterintelligence threat to its highest level. 🔗 Signers include Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Patty Murray, Brian Schatz, Andy Kim, Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, Peter Welch, Tina Smith and Ron Wyden. The letter is addressed in part to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) calls on Israel to immediately allow building materials and winter supplies into Gaza after devastating floods left five Palestinians dead and tens of thousands displaced. “More than half a million children lack safe shelter as winter begins,” Schatz warned, as Israel continues to block desperately needed shelter materials from entering Gaza.