Hamas leader Khaled Meshal tells the New York Times that his fighters have temporarily halted rocket fire into Israel and calls for a 10 year truce with Israel as opposed to a permanent peace agreement (1). The American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference convenes in Washington (15), and is addressed via satellite by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2) (6) (14). Israeli President Shimon Peres also addresses the conference, but makes no mention of a Palestinian state (4), despite AIPAC's recent endorsement of peace based on two states (9). Russia invites ministers of the UN Security Council to meet next week in an effort to give "new impetus" to the Middle East peace process (5). Israel continues demolitions of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem (7). The Palestinian Authority establishes a counter-intelligence squad to root out Hamas and Hezbollah agents in the West Bank (13).