Palestinians face mounting barriers to peaceful protest

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Abdullah Abu Rahma has been arrested by Israeli soldiers eight times in the last 15 years, spending weeks or months in prison and paying tens of thousands of dollars in fines for organizing protests. He's among a growing number of Palestinians who have embraced non-violent means...

Israel to withhold $43 million of Palestinian tax funds

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli Security Cabinet on Sunday voted to withhold $43 million of tax funds from the Palestinians, saying the money has been used to promote violence, Israeli media reported. The sum represents funds that Israel says the Palestinians have used to pay the families of Palestinians who...

UN resolution condemns Russia's occupation of Crimea

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly approved a resolution Monday condemning Russia’s occupation of Crimea and the city of Sebastapol and urging the withdrawal of its military forces “without delay.” The vote in the 193-member assembly was 63-19 in favor of the measure, with...

Palestinians in Bethlehem look beyond religious tourism

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — For decades, the people of Bethlehem have watched tour buses drive up to the Church of the Nativity, disgorge their passengers for a few hours at the traditional birthplace of Jesus, and then return to Israel. But in recent years a new form of tourism has taken root, focused on...