This sample of photos, selected from hundreds viewed by JPS, aims to convey a sense of Palestinian life during the quarter from 16 May–15 August 2017. In this issue, Palestinians initiate a boycott of Haram al-Sharif after Israeli authorities change Jerusalem's delicate status quo; electricity shortages wrack Gaza as Israel's ten-year blockade of the Strip continues; and Muslims celebrate Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

Significant developments this quarter: As 2016 draws to an end, new data from Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics and the group Peace Now reveals that settlement construction activity quadrupled in the calendar year. In an attempt to subvert the High Court's decision to evacuate the illegal Amona settler outpost by 25 December 2016, the Israeli government's Higher Planning Committee promotes plans to allocate the evicted Amona settlers at least 98 new settlement units in the Palestinian village of Jalud. The Knesset's Ministerial Committee for Legislation approves the so-called Regulation Bill, which would retroactively legalize illegal settler outposts built on Palestinian land. If passed, the legislation will avert future cases similar to that of Amona. Additionally, a military compound used by the Israeli army is readied for civilian residence in Hebron, the first time in over a decade that the Israeli government moves to expand Jewish settlement in the city.

This sample of photos, selected from hundreds viewed by JPS , aims to convey a sense of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories during this quarter (16 February–15 May 2016).