Five Israeli cops hurt in arrest raid on Jerusalem refugee camp

Gaza. There should be no refugee camps in Israel. Put these with their own in Gaza where they belong. This will take care of this problem.

if the u.n. is providing all the services, except for the roadblocks and checkpoints, why exactly are the residents being taxed by the city; to pay for those roadblocks and checkpoints?

It should be obvious by now that the Jews are living up to the stereotype. Jewish criminals are too clever to be caught by the vaunted Israeli security forces, while the Palestinians, inheritors of the Arabic culture that gave us Algebra, most of early astronomy and knoledge of medicine are even smart enough to pull a simple tax evasion. Of course if Claire is correct in her depiction then, "oh Israel, Chutzpa is thy name".

As your name suggest I would expect your analysis to be more fact based then some myths and theology. Go check some facts MR "Realist" and the facts are that israili claim on occupied terrotories is NOT recognised by international bodies and general International public as well. So much of a 'Realist'. You should change your blogging name from realist to theologist.

Its very simple and theres no need to politicize this. Tax evasion is a crime. People are not exempt from payig taxes, obeying laws etc just because they arrogantly claim more extensive rights than all other peoples as "Palestinians", no matter what naive leftists seem to believe. These people have rejected the offer of Israeli citizenship, are draft exempt, recive access to full Israeli welfare,and yet have a pattern of not paying for municipal services or paying taxes. Being of Arab heritage does not grant one a license to blithley ignore all laws.

Whoever has been to the Shuafat refugee camp (and most of these Pal people of Shuafat have been expelled from their homes in J'lem per se, including from their ancestral homes in the Old City -- that's why they have become "refugees" in their own homeland!) knows that the Israli municipality provides them with NO services at all... Only an occupation power such as Israel can steal the land, then claim the money from the victims: how utterly shameful!

Palestinians for the non-payment of taxes but it can't find and arrest settlers who destroy olive groves and burn mosques??????????

it has UN refugee status and also Jerusalem residency (most work in Jerusalem areas too) refusing to pay taxes or especially municipal taxes, and even paying bills (water, electricity) is not uncommon. With their refugee status these get a whole lot of services free from the UN. It is a prosperous refugee Town. A town because everyone lives in stone houses, with plumping, electricity, solar heaters on the roofs, satellite tv antennas seen a plenty, water piped to the house, and gas services. No tents. Some nice villas too. Cars a plenty as well.

"Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem is based on International Law" Why isn't this recognised internationally, then?

I like to remember that Israel has withhold million dollars of taxes to the Palestinianians in Gaza during and after the intifada and the last war. The real tax criminals are within the Israeli administration. The same administation is supporting the permanent land and water theft, not speaking about the continous support of the settlers in the occupied territories.

Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem is based on International Law and not just on the Bible (and the Qur'an, though hardly anyone talks about that). Jerusalem was the capital of the Jewish National Home under the British Mandate. Israel is the legal successor of the Jewish National Home.