The Times of Israel is liveblogging Tuesday’s events as they happen.
NY high school student sues district for painting over her watermelon keffiyeh parking spot design
NEW YORK — A New York student is suing after high school officials painted over a parking spot that she had decorated with a watermelon slice — a symbol of support for Palestinians.
The lawsuit was filed this month in Brooklyn federal court and argues that the Half Hollow Hills Central School District violated the student’s free speech rights and inflicted emotional trauma on her when it painted over her design in September, just days into the new school year.
The student, who is identified in the suit by the pseudonym Jane Khan, had joined other classmates in decorating her parking spot — an annual tradition at Half Hollow Hills High School West — located on Long Island.
The senior painted a watermelon slice featuring a keffiyeh scarf-like pattern, followed by the phrase “Peace Be Upon You” and her name written in Arabic. The student is described as a Muslim American of Pakistani descent.
“Ms. Khan’s inclusion of the watermelon with a keffiyeh design was an expression of her solidarity with Palestinians — something she feels arises in part from her Muslim identity and Pakistani heritage,” the suit explains.
Houthis claim responsibility for ballistic missile attack
The Houthis put out a statement claiming Monday evening’s ballistic missile attack, which the Yemeni rebel group says targeted Ben Gurion Airport.
2 other Palestinians arrested alongside Oscar-winning activist for alleged rock-throwing
After arresting Oscar-winning activist Hamdan Ballal during a reported settler attack on Susya, the military says the violence began “after a number of terrorists threw rocks toward Israeli citizens and struck their cars” near the southern West Bank village.
“Afterwards, a violent confrontation developed that included mutual stone-throwing between Palestinians and Israelis,” the Israel Defense Forces says in a statement.
According to the IDF, when troops arrived at the scene “to disperse the conflict, a number of terrorists began throwing stones toward the security forces.” Soldiers then arrested three Palestinians, inclufing Ballal, on suspicion of throwing stones at soldiers, as well as an Israeli suspected of taking part in the violence.
The statement adds that an Israeli citizen who was wounded has been taken for medical treatment, while denying any of the Palestinians were arrested in an ambulance.
Lebanon reports 1 killed by Israeli drone strike in southern village
Lebanon’s health ministry says an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon has killed one person.
State-run Lebanon News Agency quotes a health ministry statement as saying that the Monday night drone strike took place in the village of Qaaqaaiyet el-Jisr. It is not immediately clear who the target was.
Israel has killed several Hezbollah members over the past weeks in drones strike on southern Lebanon