Israel’s Netanyahu says he’ll deliver major policy speech next week

JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he’ll deliver a major policy address next week in the wake of repeated U.S. calls for a freeze in West Bank settlement construction.

Medics say Israeli troops killed Palestinian in violent West Bank demonstration

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Israeli security forces killed a Palestinian man Friday during a demonstration against the construction of the West Bank separation barrier, medics and witnesses said.

Israel, ahead of Obama’s Cairo speech, takes down key West Bank roadblock

JERUSALEM — Israel dismantled on Wednesday a military checkpoint that had significantly impeded Palestinian travel in the West Bank in an apparent goodwill gesture a day before President Barack Obama’s much-anticipated address to the Muslim and Arab world.

Israel approves hotel complex in east Jerusalem, drawing protests from US, advocacy group

JERUSALEM — Israel plans to build a 200-room hotel next to the Old City of Jerusalem, the Interior Ministry announced Tuesday, drawing a mild protest from the United States at a time when Israeli construction on land Palestinians claim for a state has become a contentious issue in U.S.-Israel relations.

Netanyahu rejects US calls for West Bank settlement freeze as ‘unreasonable’

HAVAT GILAD, West Bank — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday rejected President Barack Obama’s demand for a freeze on West Bank Jewish settlement construction, but his government’s move to dismantle some squatter camps set off a rampage by Jewish settlers against Palestinians.

Netanyahu dismisses US calls for West Bank settlement freeze as ‘unreasonable’

HAVAT GILAD, West Bank — Israel’s prime minister on Monday dismissed the U.S. demand for a settlement freeze as unreasonable, moving closer to a collision with the Obama administration, while mobs of Jewish settlers attacked Palestinian laborers and burned West Bank fields.

Israeli settlers attack Palestinian laborers and burn land in West Bank rampage, 6 hurt

NABLUS, West Bank — Mobs of Jewish settlers went on a rampage in the West Bank Monday, attacking Palestinian laborers and setting fire to agricultural land to protest against an Israeli government crackdown on unauthorized outposts in the territory.

Israeli military questions soldiers about looting during Gaza offensive in January

JERUSALEM — Israeli military police arrested two soldiers as part of an investigation of alleged looting during Israel’s invasion of Gaza in January, the military said in a statement Tuesday.

Group says plan to develop tourist sites in east Jerusalem will cement Israeli hold on city

JERUSALEM — An Israeli government plan to develop parks, hiking trails and tourist sites in east Jerusalem will permanently change the landscape of the contested city and cement Israel’s hold there, an Israeli group charged in a report released Sunday ahead of the pope’s visit to the city.

Aide: Palestinian president to form new government without Hamas after unity talks

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas plans to ask his prime minister within the coming week to form a new government without the Gaza Strip’s Hamas rulers, signaling a breakdown in unity talks with the Islamic militant group.

Israeli soldier killed in West Bank clash, military investigating source of fire

JERUSALEM — The military says an Israeli soldier has been shot to death in a clash in the West Bank.

Palestinians give cool reception to Netanyahu plan to build their economy

JERUSALEM — Palestinian officials on Thursday gave a cool reception to a new Israeli plan to develop the West Bank economy, saying the initiative “will make things worse” if it is not accompanied by negotiations aimed at reaching a final peace accord.

Blair: Obama administration, negotiators to unveil new Mideast peace strategy in 5-6 weeks

JERUSALEM — The Obama administration and international negotiators are drafting a new strategy for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and expect to unveil it within six weeks, international Mideast envoy Tony Blair said.

Blair: US-led group of Mideast mediators to unveil new Mideast strategy in 5-6 weeks

JERUSALEM — The U.S.-led Quartet of Mideast mediators is working on a new strategy for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and is expected to present it in five to six weeks, said Quartet envoy Tony Blair.

Israeli aircraft target smuggling tunnels on Gaza-Egypt border, killing 2

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — An Israeli airstrike against smuggling tunnels on the Gaza-Egypt border killed two people Saturday, a Palestinian medical official said.

Citing housing crisis, UN urges Israel to freeze demolition of Arab homes in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM — A U.N. agency urged Israel on Friday to freeze demolitions of Arab homes in east Jerusalem, citing a growing housing crisis in the part of the city the Palestinians claim as their future capital.

Israel’s defense minister says Netanyahu will agree to Palestinian statehood

JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister said in an interview published Tuesday that he expects Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to the principle of Palestinian statehood — something the Israeli leader has balked at doing since taking office a month ago.

Israeli president announces meeting with President Obama next week _ before Netanyahu trip

JERUSALEM — Israel’s ceremonial president, Shimon Peres, meets next week with President Barack Obama, before the American leader sees Israel’s new prime minister.

Israel’s defense minister says Netanyahu will agree to Palestinian statehood

JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister said in an interview published Tuesday that he expects Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to the principle of Palestinian statehood — something the Israeli leader has balked at doing since taking office a month ago.

Under Olmert, Israel built or planned some 9,000 homes on war-won land

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Israel’s previous government built or issued bids for some 9,000 homes for Israelis in Jerusalem and the West Bank, despite its promise to pursue a peace deal with the Palestinians, settlement monitors said Monday, summarizing Ehud Olmert’s three years as prime minister.

Abbas: Palestinians won’t be pressured into peace talks if Israel keeps building settlements

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinians won’t be pressured into resuming peace talks with Israel as long as construction in Jewish settlements continues, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday.

Palestinian president demands Israeli settlement freeze before he’ll resume peace talks

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has delivered a tough speech on peace-making with Israel, saying there’s no way he’ll resume negotiations without an Israeli settlement freeze.

Israel says it catches Palestinian who killed child in West Bank pickax rampage

JERUSALEM — Israeli forces have detained a Palestinian man suspected of killing an Israeli child and wounding another during a rampage in a West Bank settlement earlier this month, authorities said Sunday.

Israel says it catches Palestinian who killed child in West Bank pickax rampage

JERUSALEM — Israeli authorities said Sunday they have caught a Palestinian man who killed an Israeli child and wounded another during a rampage in a West Bank settlement early this month.

5 Palestinians hospitalized after West Bank clash with masked Jewish settlers, Israeli army

NABLUS, West Bank — Jewish settlers, Israeli troops and Palestinian villagers clashed with guns, rocks and tear gas, leaving five Palestinians hospitalized Saturday, hospital officials said.

Rights groups seek independent Gaza war crimes probe after Israel’s army clears itself

JERUSALEM — Human rights activists, some charging whitewash, demanded an independent war crimes probe after Israel’s military on Wednesday cleared itself of wrongdoing over civilian deaths in the Gaza war.

Israeli military says internal investigation finds no violations of international law in Gaza

TEL AVIV, Israel — An internal Israeli investigation into the Gaza war released Wednesday found no violations of international law, outraging human rights groups that allege war crimes were committed.

Israeli military says its probe shows it operated according to international law in Gaza

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says its internal investigations shows it did not violate international law during its recent war in Gaza.