Emergency bill fails; Judea, Samaria communities in crisis

In an emergency vote Monday evening, the Knesset voted against a bill that would extend Israeli law to Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria for another five years.

Fifty-eight MKs voted against the bill, including coalition MKs Mazen Ganaim of the Islamist Ra’am party and Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi of the extreme-left Meretz, versus 52 who voted in favor.

Ever since the 1967 Six Day War — when Israel liberated Judea and Samaria, which had been under Jordanian rule for 19 years — successive Israeli governments have renewed the law every five years. The law enables Israeli citizens living in Judea...