Israel releases 19 Palestinian women in exchange for video of captured soldier

JERUSALEM — Hamas militants handed over a two-minute video showing a healthy-looking Israeli soldier held captive since 2006, and in exchange Israel freed 19 Palestinian women prisoners on Friday — the first tangible step toward defusing a key flashpoint in Israeli-Palestinian hostilities.

Israel releases Palestinian prisoners after seeing videotape of captured Israeli soldier

JERUSALEM — Israel has freed 19 Palestinian women prisoners, after seeing a videotape offering a first glimpse of an Israeli soldier held by Gaza Strip militants for more than three years.

Palestinians: Goldstone report on Gaza war crimes ‘remains alive’

Palestinians say Goldstone report ‘remains alive’

GENEVA — Palestinian diplomats said Friday they will ensure a United Nations report on war crimes in Gaza “remains alive,” despite agreeing to delay a vote in the U.N. Human Rights Council on passing the document to the General Assembly for further action.

Israel, Palestinians taking step to swap captive Israeli soldier for Palestinian prisoners

JERUSALEM — Israeli prison vans began moving 19 Palestinian women on Friday toward border crossings with the West Bank and Gaza Strip, where they will be freed if Hamas militants release a promised videotape offering a first glimpse of a long-held Israeli soldier.

Diplomats: Palestinians drop support for UN resolution on Gaza ‘war crimes’ after US pressure

GENEVA — The Palestinian Authority, under heavy pressure from the United States, has withdrawn its support for a U.N. Human Rights Council resolution on alleged war crimes in Gaza, diplomats said Thursday.

Diplomats say Palestinians want UN rights council resolution on Gaza ‘war crimes’ postponed

GENEVA — Diplomats in Geneva say the Palestinian Authority has withdrawn its support for a U.N. resolution endorsing a report on alleged war crimes by Israel and Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel taking extraordinary steps to block prosecution of military, political leaders

JERUSALEM — Stung by a damning U.N. report alleging war crimes in Gaza, Israel is taking extraordinary steps to fend off potential international prosecution of its political and military leaders, hiring high-powered attorneys, lobbying Western governments and launching a public relations blitz.

20 Palestinian women prisoners, to be freed in swap with Israel, returning to changed worlds

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Women make up only a tiny minority of more than 7,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, but they often pay a high personal price for what has largely been a supporting role in the Palestinian uprising.

Lebanese allege they were deported from UAE because they refused to spy on Hezbollah

BEIRUT — A Lebanese businessman alleged Thursday that he and several hundred other Lebanese were expelled from the United Arab Emirates country because they refused to spy on the Shiite militant group Hezbollah and other fellow citizens.

UN: number of Gazans classified as ‘abject poor’ triples this year

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The number of Gazans living in “abject” poverty has tripled this year to 300,000, or one in five residents, the Gaza head of the U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees said Thursday.

Israel hires lawyers to try to block attempts to prosecute it abroad over war crimes claims

JERUSALEM — The Israeli government and military have retained high-powered international lawyers and set up a joint task force to fend off attempts by Palestinians and their supporters to try Israeli officials on war crimes charges abroad.

Hamas, Israel to swap video of captured soldier for freedom for 20 women prisoners

JERUSALEM — In a surprise deal announced Wednesday, Hamas will give Israel a videotape providing a first glimpse of a captured Israeli soldier to prove he is alive in return for the release of 20 Palestinian women held in Israeli prisons.

Fatah movement tells Abbas: no return to peace talks without Israeli settlement freeze

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been told by his Fatah movement that he must not resume peace talks unless Israel freezes its settlement construction, a senior Fatah member said Wednesday.

Israel and Hamas agree to trade Palestinian prisoners for proof a captive soldier is alive

JERUSALEM — Israel will release 20 Palestinian women from prison this week in exchange for a videotape proving that an Israeli soldier held in the Gaza Strip is still alive, Israel and Hamas announced Wednesday, in the first tangible sign of movement in more than three years of talks over the captive soldier’s fate.

Palestinian group seeks arrest of Israeli defense chief Ehud Barak in UK

LONDON — Lawyers have asked a British court to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli defense chief Ehud Barak, who is in the country to meet with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other officials.

Israel to free Palestinian prisoners in possible step toward bringing captive soldier home

JERUSALEM — Israel and Hamas militants announced a deal Wednesday that will see Israel release 20 Palestinian women from prison this week in exchange for a videotape proving that a captive Israeli soldier held in the Gaza Strip is still alive.

UN investigator defends report accusing Israel, Palestinians of war crimes in Gaza conflict

GENEVA — A U.N. investigator defended a report Tuesday that accuses Israel and Palestinian militants of war crimes during their conflict in Gaza, an allegation Israel condemns and claims is the result of bias against the Jewish state.

Swedish journalist stopped at Cairo airport and to be ejected from country

CAIRO — A Swedish journalist and blogger specializing in Egyptian labor issues was stopped by security at Cairo airport early Tuesday and was set to be deported from the country, his girlfriend and the Swedish embassy said.

Palestinian protesters, Israeli police clash at volatile Jerusalem holy site

JERUSALEM — Israeli police used stun grenades Sunday to disperse Palestinian rioters at a volatile Jerusalem site holy to Jews and Muslims, police said.

Al-Qaida’s Zawahri calls Obama a ‘fraud’ for failing to stop Israel’s settlements

CAIRO — Al-Qaida’s deputy leader on Monday seized upon President Barack Obama failure to bring about a freeze in Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank and called him a “fraud” in a new audio message.

Israel shuts down for Yom Kippur, amid fears of perceived Iranian nuclear threat

JERUSALEM — The start of the Jewish Day of Atonement at sundown Sunday marked the beginning of a day like no other in Israel, on which even Israelis with no connection to religion tend to put their normal lives on hold.

Palestinians seek arrest of Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Britain over Gaza assault

LONDON — Palestinian rights groups have asked a British court to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli defense chief Ehud Barak, who is in the country to meet with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other officials.

Israeli envoys head to US in bid to renew peace talks with Palestinians

JERUSALEM — The chief Palestinian negotiator on Tuesday played down expectations for President Barack Obama’s latest attempt to restart peace talks, saying key differences with Israel make it difficult for negotiations to resume.

Ahead of Gaza debate, US officials say membership of UN rights body is an ‘experiment’

GENEVA — The United States hopes to use the U.N. Human Rights Council to engage other countries in a dialogue on universal values, senior U.S. State Department officials said Monday.

Judge rejects Palestinian bid to arrest Israeli defense chief Ehud Barak during UK visit

LONDON — A Palestinian bid to have Israeli defense chief Ehud Barak arrested for alleged war crimes during a visit to Britain has failed, a lawyer for the groups involved said Tuesday.

Hillary Clinton presses Arabs for goodwill gestures toward Israel, support for Palestinians

NEW YORK — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday urged Arab nations to take steps toward normalizing relations with Israel and supporting the Palestinians in an effort to help restart stalled Mideast peace talks.

Arabs and Israeli hike the land retracing their dueling histories

RAMOT MENASHE PARK, Israel — Israeli and Palestinian hikers are taking to the hills in the footsteps of their ancestors — deploying maps, holy texts and walking boots in the long-running battle for control of the Holy Land.

Egyptian minister urges Israel to release 1,000 Palestinians in return for Israeli soldiers

UNITED NATIONS — Egypt’s foreign minister urged Israel on Friday to release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for an Israeli soldier captured in 2006.

Arab leaders urge Obama to present an outline of Mideast peace deal, to break logjam

UNITED NATIONS — The head of the Arab League and the Egyptian foreign minister on Friday urged President Barack Obama to present his own outline of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, in order to break the current logjam and spur negotiations.

Israel’s former PM Olmert in court in first trial of current or past Israeli leader

JERUSALEM — Ehud Olmert became the first current or past Israeli prime minister ever to go on trial Friday, insisting in a Jerusalem courtroom that he is innocent of corruption allegations that drove him from office.