Palestinian Territories

Backchannels
Egypt gas pipeline attack raises questions about Sinai security

The latest attack on an Egyptian gas pipeline is a relatively minor event. But it's another reminder of the public anger that is likely to cause Egypt to draw further away from Israel.
Palestinian statehood bid wins broad support in Gaza, West Bank (video)

Everyone from Hamas supporters to shopkeepers in Ramallah have backed the Palestinian statehood bid at the UN, but some warn that failure could lead to a third intifada.
Tensions over Palestinian UN bid spur new patrols in West Bank

Palestinian, Israeli, and foreign activists have launched a neighborhood patrol project to protect Palestinians from Israeli settler violence, rising amid tensions related to the Palestinian UN bid for statehood.
Palestinian statehood bid: Why Hamas has stayed on sidelines

Hamas has yet to officially declare its stance on the Palestinian statehood bid, to be launched at the UN this week. If the bid fails, the Islamist movement could expand its power in the West Bank.
Backchannels
Amid Palestinian statehood push, a grim World Bank report on the West Bank, Gaza

The World Bank report underscores the extreme dependence of the Palestinian Authority on foreign aid. It is now facing a fiscal crisis due to unmet aid promises.
Palestinians forge ahead with UN statehood push. Are they ready?

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas yesterday confirmed a push to seek full membership at the UN as a sovereign state. But despite support for recent Palestinian Authority reforms, the UN move could backfire.
Can green energy help Palestinians unplug from Israel?

Green energy proponents hope to convince Palestinians that renewables can give them greater autonomy from Israel and is more affordable in the long run.
Intense Israeli lobbying stalls Gaza flotilla

A US contingent is bringing Arabic translations of a book about Martin Luther King Jr., saying they want to show Palestinians that nonviolent resistance can work. But they're stuck in Athens.
Global News Blog
In the West Bank, passport stamps come before statehood

A Palestinian man has taken it upon himself to design a passport stamp for the 'State of Palestine' that he offers to people entering the West Bank.
Terrorism & Security
Fatah-Hamas leadership dispute could jeopardize Palestinian statehood campaign

Fatah and Hamas are meeting in Cairo today to choose the leader of the Palestinian unity government. But strong disagreements could derail their reconciliation pact.
Feeling winds of Arab Spring, Israel douses sparks of Palestinian uprising

The trial of Palestinian protest leader Bassem Tamimi underscores Israel's eagerness to prevent small-scale demonstrations from turning into a broader movement.
Golan Heights: Five keys to understanding the dispute

Weekend clashes along the Israeli-Syrian border between Israeli forces and pro-Palestinian protesters put the spotlight on the Golan Heights, a Syrian territory that Israel has controversially occupied for more than four decades. Here are five keys to understanding the dispute.
Golan protests: Is Syria's Assad stirring up trouble with Israel?

While the Golan Heights returned to a tense calm today, yesterday's clashes signaled increased turmoil ahead – perhaps spurred by Syria's Assad as he battles revolt at home.
Jerusalem Day: Why the Holy City is at the crux of the peace process

Israel insists Jerusalem is its ‘undivided and eternal’ capital while Palestinians insist on securing a capital in East Jerusalem. Here are three reasons why Jerusalem is so important to both sides.
Global News Blog
Israel's navy trains for second major Gaza flotilla

Another Gaza flotilla will set sail next month with the Mavi Marmara flagship, which Israeli navy commandos raided last year, killing nine activists in violent clashes.
Netanyahu brings starkly different vision to Obama's White House

While President Obama has voiced support for pro-democracy uprisings across the Middle East, the instability has made Israel's Netanyahu wary of making concessions for peace.
Terrorism & Security
Israel's Netanyahu primed for a 'collision' with Obama today

President Obama is hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has sharply criticized Obama's call for a return to 1967 borders, calling them 'indefensible.'
'Nakba Day' protests: What regional leaders said

Protests erupted on Israel’s borders and throughout East Jerusalem and the West Bank on Sunday as Palestinians marked the 63rd anniversary of Israel’s independence, which they refer to as the “nakba,” or catastrophe. Here is a roundup of notable statements:
Terrorism & Security
Nakba protests bring Arab spring to Israel's doorstep

The unprecedented Arab protests on Israel's borders, pegged to the 63rd anniversary of Israel's declaration of statehood, resulted in at least 10 dead and hundreds wounded.
Palestinians optimistic on Hamas-Fatah unity deal

Palestinians see the Hamas-Fatah unity deal to be signed in Cairo today as strengthening their push for statehood. But they say that reconciliation will be a year-long project at least.
Global News Blog
In the alleys of a refugee camp, a commitment to fitness

The United Nations has sponsored a fitness center in a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan. The $7 membership fee is steep, but residents are paying up.
Palestinian unity deal gives Netanyahu new line of attack

In upcoming visits to the US and Europe, Israel's prime minister is likely to argue against UN recognition of Palestinian statehood now that Hamas is joining Fatah at the helm.
Arab spring pushes Palestinian rivals Hamas and Fatah to reconcile

But many are skeptical that the accord will hold, given that huge differences remain between Fatah and Hamas, and Israel is strongly opposed to Palestinian unity.
Israel's wall cements psychological divide between Arab, Jew

Many Jews and Arabs miss the daily interactions they had, whether at farm stands or in antique shops, before Israel's security barrier was erected.
Palestinians build support for statehood at Brussels meeting

The Palestinian Authority has gained a crucial boost from the IMF and World Bank ahead of a possible UN vote on statehood in September, as Arab unrest adds urgency to their cause.