Pres. Abbas demands a complete halt to settlements, including in Jerusalem. Dan Kurtzer says the settlement freeze deal will be rewarding Israel's bad behavior. The West Bank settlement of Ariel could be a sticking point in the deal. South African performances in Israel stir controversy. Gazans are shocked at how many Palestinians are being arrested by Hamas for spying for Israel. Palestinians say Israel shoots to kill in Gaza. Settlers begin expanding a settlement near Nablus. The Palestinian price index continues to rise. There is little chance of a Palestinian unity deal. Palestinians object to Israel's planned renovation of the Western Wall. Israeli soldiers are sentenced for using Palestinian children as human shields in Gaza, but Palestinians say the punishments are too light. PM Netanyahu says there will be no settlement deal without US guarantees in writing. Israeli military officials say Tel Aviv may be a target in another war. Gideon Levy decries Israeli military censorship. According to a new survey, most Palestinians see two states as a precursor to one. The Israel Project releases a new poll of Palestinians. Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed says Abbas has erred by focusing on settlements. Hussein Shobokshi says Israel is being led by a right wing that's not interested in peace. Shlomo Ben-Ami says citizen diplomacy is a key to peace.

Gazans from across the political divide come together to reopen sports clubs. Palestinians say they won't be a pretext for US arms sales to Israel. Nablus' governor tours the city after a foiled Hamas assassination plot. The US blocks Palestinian moves for greater recognition in the UN. The US and Israel are struggling over terms of a settlement freeze deal. Israel condemns a web posting about Israeli soldiers. An Israeli airstrike kills two Palestinians in Gaza. Militants fire rockets into Israel from Gaza. A fired AIPAC staffer says he had no choice but to sue the organization, which hits back with more accusations. Doron Rosenblum says Zionism is becoming a childish religion. David Horovitz laments US-Israel tensions. Safed is becoming a hotbed of anti-Arab sentiment. The Jerusalem Post looks at the F-35 fighters the US may sell to Israel. Israel says the US has agreed it can build in occupied East Jerusalem, but no US document has been presented. Kieron Monks says aid to Palestine is life-support not development. Accusations grow against Steven Emerson. Israeli education students boycott the settlement of Ariel. Abdul Rahman Al-Rashid says Pres. Arafat is badly missed.

Israel approves a plan to withdraw from Ghajar, a village on Lebanon Border and Edmund Sanders of the LA Times discusses it with Ghajar leader, Najib Khatib. The Christian Science Monitor profiles a Gazan businessman who is surviving the blockade. Northern West Bank cities see an influx of Palestinian-Israelis for Eid. Israel’s attorney general requests the eviction of settlers in East Jerusalem as the Israeli Supreme Court approves more Israeli building in Jaffa. A U.S. official says East Jerusalem must be included in a new settlement freeze and PM Netanyahu says the US and Israel are close to reaching an agreement. An Al Qaeda-linked group issues threats. An IDF officer is suspected of blocking a probe into Gaza civilian deaths.

The New York Times looks at David Grossman's new novel. Israeli officials say time is running out for peace. The Washington Post says the US needs a comprehensive peace plan. The PA says it foiled a Hamas plot to assassinate a Palestinian official. US officials will brief Palestinian leaders. Israeli authorities in occupied East Jerusalem unveil a new zoning plan. Israel demands US settlement freeze incentives in writing, and officials say they are confused by PM Netanyahu's accounts of the offer. More Israelis call for the release of convicted spy Jonathan Pollard. Israel unveils its latest antimissile system. AIPAC accuses a former staffer of misconduct in a defamation lawsuit. US taxpayer funds have been used in occupation-related projects. A settler is convicted of kidnapping and abusing a Palestinian youth. David Newman says both Israel and the Palestinians must educate their people for peace. The JTA asks what the administration will do in the next 90 days. Jonathan Cook says Washington's inducement offer is the last hope for peace.

Roger Cohen says Sec. Clinton has taken charge of US peace efforts. The US is still pressing for a 90 day settlement freeze, but it's unclear if this would advance the process and the Arab League may not accept it. A former Israeli soldier exposes abuse of Palestinians in Hebron. Hanan Ashrawi says Israeli settlement activity threatens a two-state solution. Palestinians and settlers clash over olive groves. Aaron David Miller says to achieve peace, Pres. Obama will have to use all his political capital. The US admits its peace deadline may be slipping. Israel puts a controversial settlement plan in occupied East Jerusalem on hold. Avi Issacharoff says Netanyahu may be pushing the Palestinians to declare independence. Israeli and Dubai police officials meet. UNRWA employees in the West Bank go on strike. Israeli intelligence officials say without peace, there will be chaos. The BBC looks at Israel's rightward political shift. Chris Guinness says development is essential for peace. Ali Ibrahim says Israel is extracting a huge price for the freeze extension. Mahmoud Jaraba says Hamas should be encouraged to moderate its policies.

A US proposal for a 90-day settlement freeze extension is expected to be adopted by the Israeli cabinet. It may anticipate that the outlines of borders can be set in the next three months. Defense analysts say Israel could not turn down so many advanced fighter jets. The New York Times says PM Netanyahu should stop playing games and get serious about peace, and Tom Friedman says he seems to think he can fly. A new book looks at graffiti art in Gaza. PM Fayyad says Palestinians need political, but not security, pluralism. Israel claims Hamas missiles can reach Tel Aviv. Fatah and Hamas blame each other for failed unity talks. Zvi Bar'el says it might make sense for Palestinians to seek UN recognition. Aluf Benn says Pres. Obama really wants Netanyahu to change his cabinet. The Independent profiles an Israeli holocaust survivor who is harassed for renting rooms to Palestinian students. The National says the US is an enabler, not a friend, of Israel. Hussein Shobokshi accuses Israel of racism. Ghanem Nuseibeh says Arab states must be part of a peace arrangement.

In lengthy meetings with PM Netanyahu, Sec. Clinton is attempting to restart peace negotiations and may be offering security inducements. Former PM Sharon, still in a coma, is being moved home. Pres. Abbas tells Israelis peace is more important settlements. The Fatah official who has been conducting them says talks with Hamas are pointless. Palestinians commemorate the death of Pres. Arafat. A Palestinian man had been arrested in the West Bank for blasphemy. Ha'aretz says Netanyahu used his US trip to embarrass Pres. Obama, and that a split within Fatah further threatens Palestinian unity. Israeli bureaucracy causes chaos at checkpoints. Kadima leader Livni calls the Netanyahu Cabinet “schizophrenic.” A senior Republican expresses concern about aid to the Palestinians. David Horovitz says the settlement issue has trapped all parties. George Hishmeh says Obama can still achieve peace. Ezzedine Choukri Fishere says the Arab Peace Initiative is still important, Marwan Muasher calls it not only relevant but desirable, Amre Moussa says the Arab League is still committed to it and Nabeel Shaath looks at its genesis, development and present status.

The US continues to work on resuming peace negotiations and extends $150 million in new aid to the PA. The LA Times says Israeli settlement construction must stop. The CSM looks at why PM Netanyahu has restarted the settlement controversy. Time Magazine says Egyptian intelligence helped Israel assassinate a Palestinian extremist. Senator Kerry says Israel may extend the settlement freeze, but FM Lieberman says it won't. Palestinians in the West Bank commemorate the late Pres. Arafat, but Hamas bans and breaks up commemorations in Gaza. Despite a PA ban, Palestinians continue to work on building settlements. Sec. Clinton warns against unilateral steps. Fatah-Hamas dialogue ends without progress. Lieberman says there is no point in negotiating with Syria. Larry Derfner says Israel is wrong about religious sites in the West Bank. The UN says the easing of the blockade has not improved conditions in Gaza. With diplomatic deadlock, Palestinian citizens of Israel become more significant players. The Forward critiques PM Netanyahu's rhetoric on Jerusalem. The National says it's time for the US to show it's an honest broker. Elias Harfoush says Arab states that didn't respond to Pres. Obama's initiatives helped strengthen Netanyahu. The Arab News says Muslims want action on Palestine, not find words, from Obama.

The US and Israel spar over settlement expansion plans, which PM Netanyahu says are completely unrelated to peace, but Ha'aretz calls a pointless provocation. Robert Danin says Israel needs a vision for peace. Israel's easing of the blockade hurts some Gaza businesses. Occupation forces raid a Palestinian town. Palestinians say it's time to recognize their state. Artifacts keep the narrative of Pres. Arafat alive. Israel arrests a Hamas official in the West Bank. The Knesset is set to deny former MK Azmi Bishara's pension. An Israeli paper claims the PA has de facto control in Palestinian areas of occupied East Jerusalem. Kadima leader Tzipi Livni says a two-state solution is the only way to keep Israel Jewish and democratic. Another imam is arrested in Israel for incitement. Desperate Gazans seek work in the dangerous ³buffer zone.² Jonathan Cook says Israel's tactics are uniting Palestinians. Hussein Shobokshi decries the international double standard on Israel's nuclear weapons. Osama Al Sharif says Pres. Obama's midterm defeat is bad news for peace.

Israel plans 1,300 new settlement units in sensitive areas of occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, prompting US and Palestinian protests. Daniel Seidemann and Lara Friendman say PM Netanyahu must have approved the plans. Doyle McManus and Yossi Alpher both think Pres. Obama might now emphasize foreign policy goals. UNSG Ban calls for renewed peace efforts. The PA says Shin Bet officers met with Hamas officials. Israel continues to quarrel with the UN over religious sites in the occupied territories. Hamas bans a commemoration of the late Pres. Arafat in Gaza. Jesse Rosenfeld says extremist settlers are now targeting Israeli citizens. Linda Heard says Israel¹s intransigence is suicidal. Ghassan Khatib says Obama will continue to dictate US policy and Akiva Eldar says he should unveil bold new American peace proposals.