In Israel and the Occupied Territories, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators began formal talks Wednesday to launch the US-brokered process initiated in Annapolis last month. The meeting came amidst violence in Gaza and Israeli plans to expand a Jewish-only settlement in Arab East Jerusalem. More than two dozen Palestinians have been killed in recent Israeli military attacks on Gaza amidst Palestinian rocket fire on nearby Israeli towns. Israeli bulldozers have also uprooted at least seventy acres of Palestinian farming land in Gaza this week. Senior Palestinian aide Nabil Abu Rudeineh said he would urge Israel to stop settlement expansion and incursions in the territories.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh: “The situation is very delicate. The Palestinian delegation is meeting with Israelis today, and we will urge them and will ask them to stop their settlement activities and to stop their incursions and assassinations.”