International arbitration panel awards Sudan government disputed oil field

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — An international arbitration panel on Wednesday awarded the Sudanese government control over almost all major oil reserves in a disputed region of Sudan that erupted into violence last year between state forces and former rebels in the south.

International arbitration panel sets new boundaries for disputed oil-rich region of Sudan

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — An international arbitration panel has set new boundaries for a disputed oil-rich region of Sudan.

Bingo magnate central character in US spat with Israel over east Jerusalem construction

JERUSALEM — A Jewish-American bingo mogul with a penchant for buying up land in politically explosive areas of Jerusalem is the key figure in the latest dispute between Israel and the United States.

Arbitration panel to rule on disputed oil rich Abyei region between north and south Sudan

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — An international arbitration tribunal is ruling Wednesday on the boundaries of a disputed oil rich region on the border between northern and southern Sudan.

Brazil ruling party official reportedly calls Israel’s foreign minister a ‘fascist’

SAO PAULO — Israel’s foreign minister ran into controversy on the first day of a Latin American trip Tuesday when an official of Brazil’s ruling party reportedly called him a “fascist.”

US envoy for Mideast peace heads to region after new settlement spat with Israel

WASHINGTON — The special U.S. envoy for Middle East peace departs for the region this week amid new signs of tension between the Obama administration and the Israeli government over settlement construction.

On South America tour, Israel’s foreign minister hopes to offset Iranian influence

JERUSALEM — Israel’s foreign minister is heading to South America on a mission partly aimed at stemming Iranian “infiltration” on the continent, a senior diplomat said Monday.

Israeli settlers stone cars and set fire to Palestinian fields during rampage in West Bank

NABLUS, West Bank — More than 30 Israeli settlers, some of them on horseback, set fire to fields and olive trees and stoned Palestinian cars during a rampage in the West Bank on Monday, a Palestinian official said. Two Palestinians were lightly injured.

Netanyahu’s ‘economic peace’ yields first fruits for Palestinians, but still has a way to go

NABLUS, West Bank — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he wants to make “economic peace” with the Palestinians, and the first fruits are already being seen in eased Israeli restrictions that are stoking a retail and entertainment boom in the West Bank.

Israeli security chief says foreign jihadist fighters sneaked into the Gaza Strip

JERUSALEM — The head of Israel’s Shin Bet internal security service says foreign nationals linked to the global jihadist movement have infiltrated the Gaza Strip.

Israel rejects US call to halt housing project planned in disputed area of Jerusalem

JERUSALEM — Israel on Sunday rejected a U.S. demand to suspend a planned housing project in east Jerusalem, threatening to further complicate an unusually tense standoff with its strongest ally over settlement construction.

Netanyahu deflects US pressure, says Israel can build anywhere in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel can build anywhere in Jerusalem — a position likely to complicate an unusually tense standoff with the U.S. over settlement construction.

Radio reports: US tells Israel to halt east Jerusalem housing project

JERUSALEM — The U.S. has demanded that Israel suspend a planned housing project in east Jerusalem, senior Israeli officials said Sunday — the latest sign of a deepening conflict between the two allies over Israeli settlements.

It’s Hamaswood! Militant Muslim group premiers feature film about slain militant in Gaza

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Gaza movie premiere drew an exclusive crowd with local celebrities posing for jostling photographers — and that’s pretty much where the similarities end between Hollywood and the fledgling film industry of Gaza’s Hamas rulers.

Bruno crashes the Holy Land spectacularly, but movie’s subjects aren’t in on the joke

JERUSALEM — Bruno’s flamboyant sashay across the Middle East has succeeded in one thing — uniting Sacha Baron Cohen’s unwitting Israeli and Palestinian victims in their joint disdain for his latest comedic creation.

Anti-Zionist ultra-Orthodox Jews visit Hamas leaders in Gaza in show of solidarity

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Representatives of an anti-Zionist, ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect paid a brief visit to the Gaza Strip on Thursday on a solidarity mission with the area’s militantly anti-Israel Hamas leaders.

Former Israeli soldiers say there were ‘no clear red lines’ in Gaza war, reckless force used

JERUSALEM — Israeli soldiers who fought in last winter’s Gaza War say the military used Palestinians as human shields, improperly fired incendiary white phosphorous shells over civilian areas and used overwhelming firepower that caused needless deaths and destruction, according to a report released Wednesday.

Former Israeli soldiers allege military used reckless force in Gaza war

JERUSALEM — More than two dozen Israeli soldiers who fought in the Gaza war say the military forced Palestinians to serve as human shields and used reckless firepower that caused needless deaths, according to a report released Wednesday.

West Bank economy can enjoy robust growth if Israel broadens efforts to ease restrictions: IMF

RAMALLAH, West Bank — The West Bank economy could post its strongest performance in years in 2009, but only if Israel broadens recent efforts to ease restrictions on Palestinian trade and movement, the International Monetary Fund said Wednesday, offering a rare upbeat assessment after years of downturn.

Israeli ad showing soldiers playing football by West Bank barrier stirs Palestinian anger

JERUSALEM — An Israeli cell phone commercial showing soldiers playing football near Israel’s West Bank separation barrier has angered Palestinians who say it is in poor taste and exploits their suffering.

Israel’s Netanyahu invites Abbas to talk peace; Palestinians say all issues must be tabled

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday invited the Palestinians to sit down immediately to talk peace, but the Palestinian leader rebuffed the call, saying that Israel must first halt all West Bank settlement construction.

Exhausted by conflict, Palestinians seek diversion in movies, concerts, shopping

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Middle-class matrons shop for imported furniture in a marble-and-glass emporium. A new movie house is screening “Transformers.” Teens bop to a Danish hip-hop band performing on their high school basketball court.

Obama nominee for top US commander in Pacific says NKorean threats could spark Asian arms race

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s choice to lead U.S. forces in the Pacific warned Thursday that North Korea’s missile and nuclear threats could spark an arms race in Asia.

Netanyahu adviser criticizes Palestinian leadership, raising questions about peace prospects

JERUSALEM — There is no Palestinian leadership, one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest advisers declared in a report published Thursday, raising new questions about how Israel intends to proceed with efforts to renew stalled peace talks.

Armed police, cheered by some locals, watch over China city after days of ethnic rioting

URUMQI, China — Security forces kept a firm grip on the tense Xinjiang capital Thursday after days of ethnic violence that killed 156 people, and alarmed Chinese leaders vowed to deal firmly with those behind the attacks.

Hamas says Egypt’s Mubarak has no information on Israeli soldier held in Gaza for 3 years

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Egypt’s president didn’t know what he was talking about when he said an Israeli soldier held by Palestinian militants was alive and well, a top Hamas official announced Wednesday, in rare public criticism of the Egyptian leader.

UN human rights official says Israel must tear down West Bank separation barrier

JERUSALEM — Israel must tear down its West Bank separation barrier, a senior U.N. official said Wednesday, marking five years since the International Court of Justice declared the barrier illegal and a violation of Palestinian rights.

Israel deports Gaza boat activists, including former US congresswoman, Nobel laureate

JERUSALEM — Israel on Monday deported a former U.S. congresswoman, a Nobel peace prize laureate and other activists who were arrested and jailed after trying to break the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Queen Noor calls on Russian, US presidents to take step forward on nuclear arms cuts

AMMAN, Jordan — Jordan’s Queen Noor, a founder of an international initiative to eliminate nuclear weapons, called on the presidents of the United States and Russia to advance the cause at their Monday summit by agreeing to significant cuts in their arsenals.

Israel’s Barak seeks ‘understanding’ with US at meeting with envoy

JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister said Sunday he hopes to reach a “wider understanding” on regional peace when he meets Washington’s Mideast envoy this week, but gave no indication the sides have resolved a dispute over settlement construction in the West Bank.