Israel said it hoped the United States would veto any moves at the United Nations to set a timeframe for its withdrawal from territory Palestinians seek for a state, but a senior US official said it was too early to say.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that Hamas and the Islamic State group (IS) are “branches of the same poisonous tree,” both bent on world domination through terror, just as the Nazis were.

Israel has broken off Middle East peace talks and brought the US-brokered process to the brink of collapse.

Israel’s prime minister has abruptly halted a plan to explore the potential construction of thousands of new homes in West Bank settlements.

President Barack Obama lent his weight to a fresh American initiative to hammer out a Middle East peace deal within nine months, meeting with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators.

The Palestinians are certain to win UN recognition as a state today but have been warned it could delay hopes of achieving an independent state through peace talks with Israel.

The Palestinians are certain to win UN recognition as a state today but success could exact a high price: delaying an independent state of Palestine because of Israel’s vehement opposition.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has cut short a trip to Europe to deal with the crisis surrounding Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has outraged Palestinian leaders after declaring that Israeli culture allowed it to be more economically successful.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has outraged Palestinian leaders after declaring that Israeli culture allowed it to be more economically successful.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has given his permission to exhume the remains of his predecessor Yasser Arafat, a top aide said.

A TOP Palestinian official said last night that President Mahmoud Abbas had no plans to agree to a delayed vote on his bid for membership of the UN, rejecting mounting pressure from the United States and France.

ISRAEL’S interior minister gave final authorisation to build 1,600 apartments in disputed east Jerusalem and will approve 2,700 more apartments in days, officials said yesterday, detailing a plan that could complicate diplomatic efforts to dissuade Palestinians from declaring statehood at the United Nations.

President Barack Obama is to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a day after challenging the Israeli leader to give up more territory than he wants to in pursuit of peace with the Palestinians.

ISRAEL will not negotiate with a new Palestinian unity government that includes the Hamas militant group, according to Israel’s foreign minister.

Palestinian negotiators denied offering a compromise over two of the toughest issues, Jerusalem and refugees, during peace talks with Israel in 2008.

ISRAEL would be allowed to finish hundreds of apartments already under construction in West Bank settlements, even if it agrees to a US-drafted deal to renew a freeze on new construction, a diplomat familiar with the details said yesterday.

The US has offered Israel an incentive package to reinstate a ban on West Bank settlement building, in an effort to revive stalled peace talks with the Palestinians, diplomatic sources said today.

WITH a midnight deadline looming, Israel’s prime minister yesterday called on West Bank settlers to “show restraint” following the end of a government-ordered construction slowdown.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today that the “time is ripe” for Middle East peace, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas prepared for a second round of talks.

US secretary of state Hillary Clinton warned the Middle East that the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks may be “the last chance for a very long time” to reach an agreement.

Israel’s prime minister has demanded that any future Palestinian state be demilitarised and recognise Israel as the Jewish homeland, as he set out his starting position for new Middle East peace talks this week.

Israel agreed today to ease its land blockade on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, hoping to quell growing international criticism after a deadly sea raid.

Israel said today it will press forward with construction of new housing for Jews in east Jerusalem, drawing Palestinian accusations that the plans could undermine newly relaunched peace talks.

David Grossman

Israel’s new plan to build 1,600 apartments for Jews in Palestinian-claimed east Jerusalem overshadowed US Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to the West Bank today.

A SCEPTICAL Palestinian leadership agreed yesterday to hold US-mediated peace talks with Israel for four months, effectively ending a 14-month breakdown in communications between the two sides.

ISRAEL said yesterday it plans to build nearly 700 new apartments in east Jerusalem, drawing tough criticism from both the Palestinians and the United States, which denounced it as an obstacle to peacemaking.

Israel said today that it planned to build nearly 700 new apartments in east Jerusalem, drawing tough criticism from both the Palestinians and the US, which denounced it as an obstacle to peacemaking.

PALESTINIAN officials said yesterday they were preparing to ask the United Nations to endorse an independent state without Israel’s consent, because they are losing hope they can achieve their aspirations through peace talks.

Palestinian officials said today they were preparing to ask the United Nations to endorse an independent state without Israel’s consent.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for an immediate resumption of peace talks with Palestinians and pledged more steps to improve economic conditions in Palestinian areas.

THOUSANDS of Palestinians turned out in the West Bank yesterday to urge Mahmoud Abbas to run again for the presidency following his announcement that he did not want a second term.

THE Palestinians yesterday accused US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of undermining progress toward Middle East peace talks after she praised Israel for offering to curb some Jewish settlement construction.

A SURPRISED world greeted the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to US President Barack Obama with a mixture of praise and scepticism.

THE Israeli and Palestinian leaders shook hands at the start of their first face- to-face meeting yesterday, hosted by President Barack Obama, but the small gesture was unlikely to translate into a quick resumption of peace talks.

Israel officially approved the construction of hundreds of new homes in the West Bank, the Defence Ministry said today, deepening an already unprecedented rift with the US over Israeli settlement expansion.

ISRAEL has rejected a US demand to suspend a planned housing project in east Jerusalem, threatening to complicate an unusually tense stand-off with its strongest ally over settlement construction.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is inviting the Palestinians to sit down immediately to talk peace.

PALESTINIAN officials sought US and European help to salvage foundering peacemaking yesterday after tough terms laid out by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but stopped short of refusing to resume negotiations.

Israel’s hawkish prime minister has backed a Palestinian state beside Israel for the first time amid US pressure.

An axe-wielding Palestinian went on the rampage in a West Bank settlement today killing a 13-year-old Israeli boy before fleeing.

Israel’s new leader Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to seek “full peace” with the Arab and Muslim world, but refused to utter the words everyone was waiting to hear: “Palestinian state.”

Israel’s incoming prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu today promised to resume peace talks with Palestinians after he takes office, saying his government will be a “partner for peace”.