Israeli troops shot dead four Palestinians on the Gaza-Israel border on Friday, bringing to 35 the death toll among Palestinians protesters demanding the right to return to their former homeland.

Gazans used catapults and sling-shots to launch stones at Israeli forces, and some Palestinians brought wire-cutters to cut through the border fence, ignoring leaflets dropped by the Israeli military warning residents not to approach the frontier.

The deaths included a 15-year-old boy shot dead in northern Gaza, Palestinian health officials said. At least 100 people were wounded by Israeli gunfire, the officials said.

The planned six-week protest campaign reached its half-way point on Friday, which saw smaller crowds than in recent weeks. As the numbers peaked during the afternoon Israeli soldiers called out warnings in Arabic over loudspeakers to anyone who approached the border fence.

Black plumes of smoke from piles of burning tyres billowed over the area, and stretcher-bearers rushed to carry the wounded to first aid posts.

The protest began on March 30, and has seen tent encampments spring up near the Israeli-imposed restricted zone along the 40km (25-mile) border fence. The protesters have revived demands for Palestinian refugees to regain their ancestral homes in what is now Israel.&nbsp;

The protests are scheduled to culminate on May 15, when, according to Hamas leader Ismail Haniya, the Gaza scenes would be replicated elsewhere on Israel's frontiers.

"I say to our people everywhere, be prepared for a human deluge on all of the borders of Palestine, inside the occupied land and outside the occupied land," he said on a visit to one of the border camps. "I say to the (Israeli occupiers) your time is gone."

Israel's use of live fire has drawn international criticism but the Israeli government says it is protecting its borders and takes such action when protesters come too close to the border fence.

The Israeli military said that around 3,000 Palestinians were involved in the latest protest, and that its troops responded "with riot dispersal means and are firing in accordance with the rules of engagement."

Israel accuses Hamas, the Islamist militant group which rules Gaza, of staging riots and trying to carry out attacks. Hamas denies this. Although organisers say the main protest is intended to be peaceful, some protesters have advanced toward the border from the encampments to hurl stones and burning tyres near the fence.

On Friday they fitted kites with cans of flammable liquid, which they flew across the border to start fires in Israel.

"We aim to distract the soldiers from shooting and wounding or killing our people," said Mohammad Abu Mustafa, 17, who lost his right leg a few months ago after being shot by an Israeli soldier. Israel's Foreign Ministry tweeted a photograph of one kite daubed with a swastika flying through the sky trailing flames.

Packed in

More than 2 million Palestinians are packed into the narrow coastal enclave. Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005 but maintains tight control of its land and sea borders. Egypt also restricts movement in and out of Gaza on its border.

The protest campaign, dubbed The Great March of Return, is leading up to May 15, when Palestinians mark Nakba Day, or the Day of Catastrophe, commemorating their displacement around the time of Israel`s founding in 1948.

It takes place at a time of growing frustration over the prospects for an independent Palestinian state. Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been stalled for several years and Israeli settlements in the occupied territories have expanded.&nbsp;

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's decision last year to recognise disputed Jerusalem as Israel's capital further fueled Palestinian anger.&nbsp;

In an apparent sign of concern over the bloodshed on the border, the Israeli-American Hollywood actress Natalie Portman announced she was pulling out of a ceremony in Israel to accept a million-dollar prize because of "distressing" events in the country.

In a statement, the Genesis Prize Foundation quoted a representative for Portman as saying: "Recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her and she does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel."

It gave no further details of her reasons. But the foundation said it "admires her humanity, and respects her right to publicly disagree with the policies of the government of Israel".

Israel's culture minister, Miri Regev, suggested the actress was supporting the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement, which aims to isolate Israel economically over its treatment of Palestinians. Israel sees the BDS movement as an attempt to delegitimise it.

The Genesis Prize is awarded to individuals for excellence in their professional fields and "who inspire others through their dedication to the Jewish community and Jewish values"

Despite the warnings, two Palestinians were killed and 12 wounded by Israeli gunfire

Israeli troops shot dead four Palestinians on the Gaza-Israel border on Friday, bringing to 35 the death toll among Palestinians protesters demanding the right to return to their former homeland. Gazans used catapults and sling-shots to launch stones at Israeli forces, and some Palestinians brought wire-cutters to cut through the border fence, ignoring leaflets dropped by the Israeli military warning residents not to approach the frontier. The deaths included a 15-year-old boy shot dead in northern Gaza, Palestinian health officials said. At least 100 people were wounded by Israeli gunfire, the officials said. The planned six-week protest campaign reached its half-way point on Friday, which saw smaller crowds than in recent weeks. As the numbers peaked during the afternoon Israeli soldiers called out warnings in Arabic over loudspeakers to anyone who approached the border fence. Black plumes of smoke from piles of burning tyres billowed over the area, and stretcher-bearers rushed to carry the wounded to first aid posts. The protest began on March 30, and has seen tent encampments spring up near the Israeli-imposed restricted zone along the 40km (25-mile) border fence. The protesters have revived demands for Palestinian refugees to regain their ancestral homes in what is now Israel. The protests are scheduled to culminate on May 15, when, according to Hamas leader Ismail Haniya, the Gaza scenes would be replicated elsewhere on Israel's frontiers. "I say to our people everywhere, be prepared for a human deluge on all of the borders of Palestine, inside the occupied land and outside the occupied land," he said on a visit to one of the border camps. "I say to the (Israeli occupiers) your time is gone." Israel's use of live fire has drawn international criticism but the Israeli government says it is protecting its borders and takes such action when protesters come too close to the border fence. The Israeli military said that around 3,000 Palestinians were involved in the latest protest, and that its troops responded "with riot dispersal means and are firing in accordance with the rules of engagement." Israel accuses Hamas, the Islamist militant group which rules Gaza, of staging riots and trying to carry out attacks. Hamas denies this. Although organisers say the main protest is intended to be peaceful, some protesters have advanced toward the border from the encampments to hurl stones and burning tyres near the fence. On Friday they fitted kites with cans of flammable liquid, which they flew across the border to start fires in Israel. "We aim to distract the soldiers from shooting and wounding or killing our people," said Mohammad Abu Mustafa, 17, who lost his right leg a few months ago after being shot by an Israeli soldier. Israel's Foreign Ministry tweeted a photograph of one kite daubed with a swastika flying through the sky trailing flames. Packed in More than 2 million Palestinians are packed into the narrow coastal enclave. Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005 but maintains tight control of its land and sea borders. Egypt also restricts movement in and out of Gaza on its border. The protest campaign, dubbed The Great March of Return, is leading up to May 15, when Palestinians mark Nakba Day, or the Day of Catastrophe, commemorating their displacement around the time of Israel`s founding in 1948. It takes place at a time of growing frustration over the prospects for an independent Palestinian state. Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been stalled for several years and Israeli settlements in the occupied territories have expanded. US President Donald Trump's decision last year to recognise disputed Jerusalem as Israel's capital further fueled Palestinian anger. In an apparent sign of concern over the bloodshed on the border, the Israeli-American Hollywood actress Natalie Portman announced she was pulling out of a ceremony in Israel to accept a million-dollar prize because of "distressing" events in the country. In a statement, the Genesis Prize Foundation quoted a representative for Portman as saying: "Recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her and she does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel." It gave no further details of her reasons. But the foundation said it "admires her humanity, and respects her right to publicly disagree with the policies of the government of Israel". Israel's culture minister, Miri Regev, suggested the actress was supporting the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement, which aims to isolate Israel economically over its treatment of Palestinians. Israel sees the BDS movement as an attempt to delegitimise it. The Genesis Prize is awarded to individuals for excellence in their professional fields and "who inspire others through their dedication to the Jewish community and Jewish values"

Israeli troops kill four more Palestinians in border protest

Saudi Arabia's crown prince said Israelis are entitled to live peacefully on their own land in an interview published on Monday in U.S. magazine The Atlantic, another public sign of ties between Riyadh and Tel Aviv appearing to grow closer. 
 
Asked if he believes the Jewish people have a right to a nation-state in at least part of their ancestral homeland,&nbsp;Mohammed bin Salman&nbsp;was quoted as saying: "I believe the Palestinians and the Israelis have the right to have their own land. But we have to have a peace agreement to assure the stability for everyone and to have normal relations." 
 
Saudi Arabia - birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest shrines - does not recognise Israel. It has maintained for years that normalising relations hinges on Israeli withdrawal from Arab lands captured in the 1967 Middle East war, territory Palestinians seek for a future state. 
 
"We have religious concerns about the fate of the holy mosque in Jerusalem and about the rights of the Palestinian people. This is what we have. We don't have any objection against any other people,"&nbsp;Prince Mohammed&nbsp;said.

Increased tension between Tehran and Riyadh has fuelled speculation that shared interests may push Saudi Arabia and Israel to work together against what they see as a common Iranian threat.

Saudi Arabia&nbsp;opened its airspace for the first time to a commercial flight to Israel last month, which an Israeli official hailed as historic following two years of efforts. 
 
In November, an Israeli cabinet member disclosed covert contacts with Saudi Arabia, a rare acknowledgment of long-rumored secret dealings which Riyadh still denies.

Increased tension between Tehran and Riyadh has fuelled speculation that shared interests may push Saudi Arabia and Israel to work together against what they see as a common Iranian threat

Saudi Arabia's crown prince said Israelis are entitled to live peacefully on their own land in an interview published on Monday in U.S. magazine The Atlantic, another public sign of ties between Riyadh and Tel Aviv appearing to grow closer. Asked if he believes the Jewish people have a right to a nation-state in at least part of their ancestral homeland, Mohammed bin Salman was quoted as saying: "I believe the Palestinians and the Israelis have the right to have their own land. But we have to have a peace agreement to assure the stability for everyone and to have normal relations." Saudi Arabia - birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest shrines - does not recognise Israel. It has maintained for years that normalising relations hinges on Israeli withdrawal from Arab lands captured in the 1967 Middle East war, territory Palestinians seek for a future state. "We have religious concerns about the fate of the holy mosque in Jerusalem and about the rights of the Palestinian people. This is what we have. We don't have any objection against any other people," Prince Mohammed said. Increased tension between Tehran and Riyadh has fuelled speculation that shared interests may push Saudi Arabia and Israel to work together against what they see as a common Iranian threat. Saudi Arabia opened its airspace for the first time to a commercial flight to Israel last month, which an Israeli official hailed as historic following two years of efforts. In November, an Israeli cabinet member disclosed covert contacts with Saudi Arabia, a rare acknowledgment of long-rumored secret dealings which Riyadh still denies.

Palestinians 'have the right to their own land', says Saudi Crown Prince

An explosion went off as Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah&#39;s convoy entered the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, wounding seven people, a security source and witnesses said.

The explosive device was detonated after Hamdallah and his convoy passed through the Beit Hanoun checkpoint with Israel in northern Gaza, reports said.&nbsp;

Hamdallah was not injured in the explosion, which occurred shortly after his convoy entered for a rare visit to the territory run by Islamist movement Hamas, a security source in the convoy said.

According to initial reports, several people were lightly wounded in the incident.

A statement on official Palestinian media said president Mahmud Abbas considered it a &quot;cowardly targeting&quot; of Hamdallah&#39;s convoy and held Hamas responsible.

The cause of the blast was not immediately known. Hamadallah, who is based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, travelled to Gaza for the inauguration of a waste treatment plant.

Explosive device detonated after PM Rami Hamdallah and his convoy passed through the Beit Hanoun crossing

An explosion went off as Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah's convoy entered the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, wounding seven people, a security source and witnesses said. The explosive device was detonated after Hamdallah and his convoy passed through the Beit Hanoun checkpoint with Israel in northern Gaza, reports said. Hamdallah was not injured in the explosion, which occurred shortly after his convoy entered for a rare visit to the territory run by Islamist movement Hamas, a security source in the convoy said. According to initial reports, several people were lightly wounded in the incident. A statement on official Palestinian media said president Mahmud Abbas considered it a "cowardly targeting" of Hamdallah's convoy and held Hamas responsible. The cause of the blast was not immediately known. Hamadallah, who is based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, travelled to Gaza for the inauguration of a waste treatment plant.

Palestinian PM unhurt in Gaza explosion, several lightly injured

US&nbsp;Vice President Mike Pence met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks on Monday, the second day of a visit to Israel that has been boycotted by the Palestinians.

The two men made no comment as Netanyahu welcomed Pence to his office in Jerusalem, where the US&nbsp;vice president reviewed an Israeli honour guard.

It is the highest-level US&nbsp;visit to the region since President Donald Trump on December&nbsp;6 recognised Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital and promised to begin the process of moving the American embassy to the city, whose status is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Outraged at Trump&#39;s Jerusalem declaration, a move that reversed decades of US&nbsp;policy on the city&#39;s status, the Palestinians are snubbing Pence. President Mahmoud Abbas left for an overseas visit before the vice president&#39;s arrival.

Nor is Pence, an evangelical Christian who has been vocal on the subject of protecting Christians in the Middle East, scheduled to make any private trips to Palestinian areas such as Bethlehem, a city whose Christian significance usually draws Western dignitaries.

US&nbsp;officials have said an embassy move from Tel Aviv could take up to three years. But there has been speculation that Pence could announce a stop-gap arrangement, such as the conversion of one of the US&nbsp;consulate buildings in Jerusalem to a de facto embassy.

Netanyahu has said he expected at least an interim arrangement to go into effect very soon, perhaps within a year.

Trump has made no firm public commitment on timing, saying: &quot;By the end of the year? We&#39;re talking about different scenarios - I mean, obviously, that would be on a temporary basis.&quot;

Palestinians want East Jerusalem, including the walled Old City with its holy sites, as the capital of their own future state. Israel regards all of the city as its &quot;eternal and indivisible capital&quot;.

With the Palestinians boycotting Pence, the visit provides a little obvious opportunity to build bridges towards peace.

But it gave Pence and Netanyahu, a right-winger who has hailed U.S. evangelicals for their support of Israel, an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the visit and their own warm relationship for a conservative American Christian community that serves as a power base for Trump and his vice president.

Later on Monday, Pence will address the Israeli parliament, whose Arab members said they would boycott the event. On Tuesday, he will attend Judaism&#39;s Western Wall in Jerusalem and lay a wreath at the Yad Vashem Holocaust remembrance centre in the city.

It is the highest-level US visit to the region since President Donald Trump on December 6 recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital

US Vice President Mike Pence met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks on Monday, the second day of a visit to Israel that has been boycotted by the Palestinians. The two men made no comment as Netanyahu welcomed Pence to his office in Jerusalem, where the US vice president reviewed an Israeli honour guard. It is the highest-level US visit to the region since President Donald Trump on December 6 recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital and promised to begin the process of moving the American embassy to the city, whose status is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Outraged at Trump's Jerusalem declaration, a move that reversed decades of US policy on the city's status, the Palestinians are snubbing Pence. President Mahmoud Abbas left for an overseas visit before the vice president's arrival. Nor is Pence, an evangelical Christian who has been vocal on the subject of protecting Christians in the Middle East, scheduled to make any private trips to Palestinian areas such as Bethlehem, a city whose Christian significance usually draws Western dignitaries. US officials have said an embassy move from Tel Aviv could take up to three years. But there has been speculation that Pence could announce a stop-gap arrangement, such as the conversion of one of the US consulate buildings in Jerusalem to a de facto embassy. Netanyahu has said he expected at least an interim arrangement to go into effect very soon, perhaps within a year. Trump has made no firm public commitment on timing, saying: "By the end of the year? We're talking about different scenarios - I mean, obviously, that would be on a temporary basis." Palestinians want East Jerusalem, including the walled Old City with its holy sites, as the capital of their own future state. Israel regards all of the city as its "eternal and indivisible capital". With the Palestinians boycotting Pence, the visit provides a little obvious opportunity to build bridges towards peace. But it gave Pence and Netanyahu, a right-winger who has hailed U.S. evangelicals for their support of Israel, an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the visit and their own warm relationship for a conservative American Christian community that serves as a power base for Trump and his vice president. Later on Monday, Pence will address the Israeli parliament, whose Arab members said they would boycott the event. On Tuesday, he will attend Judaism's Western Wall in Jerusalem and lay a wreath at the Yad Vashem Holocaust remembrance centre in the city.

US Vice President Mike Pence, on Israel visit, meets Israeli PM Netanyahu

US President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to withhold aid to the Palestinians if they did not pursue peace with Israel, saying they had snubbed the United States by not meeting Vice President Mike Pence during a recent visit.

Trump, speaking after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the World Economic Forum, said he wanted peace. However, his remarks could further frustrate the aim of reviving long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian talks.

Palestinians shunned Pence&#39;s visit to the region this month after Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital and vowed to begin moving the U.S. embassy to the city, whose status is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Trump&#39;s endorsement in December of Israel&#39;s claim to Jerusalem as its capital drew universal condemnation from Arab leaders and criticism around the world. It also broke with decades of U.S. policy that the city&#39;s status must be decided in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

&quot;When they disrespected us a week ago by not allowing our great vice president to see them, and we give them hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and support, tremendous numbers, numbers that nobody understands -- that money is on the table and that money is not going to them unless they sit down and negotiate peace,&quot; Trump said.

The United States said this month it would withhold $65 million of $125 million it had planned to send to the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees. The UNRWA agency is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from U.N. states and the United states is the largest contributor.

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the United States had taken itself &quot;off the table&quot; as a peace mediator since it recognised Jerusalem as Israel&rsquo;s capital.

&quot;Palestinian rights are not up to any bargain and Jerusalem is not for sale. The United States can&#39;t have any role unless it retreats its decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital,&quot; spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah told Reuters by phone from Jordan.

Abbas has called Trump&#39;s Jerusalem declaration a &quot;slap in the face&quot; and has rejected Washington as an honest broker in any future talks with Israel. Abbas left for an overseas visit before Pence arrived.

Abbas has said he would only accept a broad, internationally backed panel to broker any peace talks with Israel. The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley also criticized Abbas.

Israel&#39;s government regards Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of the country, although that is not recognised internationally. Palestinians see East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Speaking in Davos, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said only the United States could broker a peace deal.

&quot;I think there&#39;s no substitute for the United States. As the honest broker, as a facilitator, there&#39;s no other international body that would do it,&quot; Netanyahu said.

Trump said Palestinians had to come to the negotiating table.

&quot;Because I can tell you that Israel does want to make peace and they&#39;re going to have to want to make peace too or we&#39;re going to have nothing to do with them any longer,&quot; Trump said.

Trump said his administration had a peace proposal in the works that was a &quot;great proposal for Palestinians&quot; which covers &quot;a lot of the things that were over the years discussed or agreed on&quot;, without providing specifics.

Trump said his declaration on Jerusalem took it off the negotiating table &quot;and Israel will pay for that&quot;, adding &quot;they&#39;ll do something that will be a very good thing&quot; without elaborating.

Earlier at the World Economic Forum, Jordanian King Abdullah said Jerusalem had to be part of a comprehensive solution.

He said Trump&#39;s decision had created a backlash, frustrating Palestinians who felt there was no honest broker.

But he added: &quot;I&#39;d like to reserve judgement because we&#39;re still waiting for the Americans to come out with their plan.&quot;

King Abdullah&rsquo;s Hashemite dynasty is the custodian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, making Jordan particularly sensitive to any changes of status there.

The last talks collapsed in 2014, partly due to Israel&#39;s opposition to an attempted unity pact between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas, and because of Israeli settlement building on occupied land that Palestinians seek for a state, among other factors.

Palestinians want the West Bank for a future state, along with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Most countries consider as illegal the Israeli settlements built in the territory which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

Israel denies its settlements are illegal and says their future should be determined in peace talks.

The United States has said it would support a two-state solution if the Israelis and Palestinians agreed to it.

Trump added that the Palestinians had snubbed the United States by not meeting Vice-President Mike Pence during a recent visit

US President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to withhold aid to the Palestinians if they did not pursue peace with Israel, saying they had snubbed the United States by not meeting Vice President Mike Pence during a recent visit. Trump, speaking after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the World Economic Forum, said he wanted peace. However, his remarks could further frustrate the aim of reviving long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian talks. Palestinians shunned Pence's visit to the region this month after Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital and vowed to begin moving the U.S. embassy to the city, whose status is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Trump's endorsement in December of Israel's claim to Jerusalem as its capital drew universal condemnation from Arab leaders and criticism around the world. It also broke with decades of U.S. policy that the city's status must be decided in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. "When they disrespected us a week ago by not allowing our great vice president to see them, and we give them hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and support, tremendous numbers, numbers that nobody understands -- that money is on the table and that money is not going to them unless they sit down and negotiate peace," Trump said. The United States said this month it would withhold $65 million of $125 million it had planned to send to the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees. The UNRWA agency is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from U.N. states and the United states is the largest contributor. A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the United States had taken itself "off the table" as a peace mediator since it recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. "Palestinian rights are not up to any bargain and Jerusalem is not for sale. The United States can't have any role unless it retreats its decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital," spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah told Reuters by phone from Jordan. Abbas has called Trump's Jerusalem declaration a "slap in the face" and has rejected Washington as an honest broker in any future talks with Israel. Abbas left for an overseas visit before Pence arrived. Abbas has said he would only accept a broad, internationally backed panel to broker any peace talks with Israel. The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley also criticized Abbas. Israel's government regards Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of the country, although that is not recognised internationally. Palestinians see East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Speaking in Davos, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said only the United States could broker a peace deal. "I think there's no substitute for the United States. As the honest broker, as a facilitator, there's no other international body that would do it," Netanyahu said. Trump said Palestinians had to come to the negotiating table. "Because I can tell you that Israel does want to make peace and they're going to have to want to make peace too or we're going to have nothing to do with them any longer," Trump said. Trump said his administration had a peace proposal in the works that was a "great proposal for Palestinians" which covers "a lot of the things that were over the years discussed or agreed on", without providing specifics. Trump said his declaration on Jerusalem took it off the negotiating table "and Israel will pay for that", adding "they'll do something that will be a very good thing" without elaborating. Earlier at the World Economic Forum, Jordanian King Abdullah said Jerusalem had to be part of a comprehensive solution. He said Trump's decision had created a backlash, frustrating Palestinians who felt there was no honest broker. But he added: "I'd like to reserve judgement because we're still waiting for the Americans to come out with their plan." King Abdullah’s Hashemite dynasty is the custodian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, making Jordan particularly sensitive to any changes of status there. The last talks collapsed in 2014, partly due to Israel's opposition to an attempted unity pact between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas, and because of Israeli settlement building on occupied land that Palestinians seek for a state, among other factors. Palestinians want the West Bank for a future state, along with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Most countries consider as illegal the Israeli settlements built in the territory which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel denies its settlements are illegal and says their future should be determined in peace talks. The United States has said it would support a two-state solution if the Israelis and Palestinians agreed to it.

Make peace with Israel or lose aid, Trump tells Palestinians

US Vice President Mike Pence said on Tuesday the timing of a long-awaited US Middle East peace initiative depends on the return of Palestinians to negotiations.

President Donald Trump&#39;s advisers have been working on the outlines of a plan for some time. But Palestinians ruled out Washington as a peace broker after the US leader&#39;s December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

&quot;The White House has been working with our partners in the region to see if we can develop a framework for peace,&quot; Pence told Reuters in an interview in Jerusalem on the last leg of his three-day Middle East trip. &quot;It all just depends now on when the Palestinians are going to come back to the table.&quot;

Trump&#39;s Jerusalem move angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern among Western countries that it could further destabilize the region.

Pence said he and the president believed the decision, under which the United States also plans to move its embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, would improve peacemaking prospects.

Pence discussed the Jerusalem issue during talks with Egypt&#39;s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday and Jordan&#39;s King Abdullah on Sunday. He said the two leaders had agreed to convey to the Palestinians that the United States was eager to resume peace talks.

&quot;We want them (the Palestinians) to know the door is open. We understand they&#39;re unhappy with that decision but the president wanted me to convey our willingness and desire to be a part of the peace process going forward,&quot; Pence said.

Pence said the US State Department would spell out details in the coming weeks about a plan to move the US embassy to Jerusalem by the end of 2019.

Israeli media have speculated that a 2019 embassy move could help Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu win reelection in a vote scheduled for November of that year.

Asked if he hoped for Netanyahu&#39;s reelection, Pence said: &quot;I&#39;m a strong supporter of Benjamin Netanyahu, but I don&#39;t get a vote here.&quot;

US Vice President Mike Pence said on Tuesday the timing of a long-awaited US Middle East peace initiative depends on the return of Palestinians to negotiations

US Vice President Mike Pence said on Tuesday the timing of a long-awaited US Middle East peace initiative depends on the return of Palestinians to negotiations. President Donald Trump's advisers have been working on the outlines of a plan for some time. But Palestinians ruled out Washington as a peace broker after the US leader's December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. "The White House has been working with our partners in the region to see if we can develop a framework for peace," Pence told Reuters in an interview in Jerusalem on the last leg of his three-day Middle East trip. "It all just depends now on when the Palestinians are going to come back to the table." Trump's Jerusalem move angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern among Western countries that it could further destabilize the region. Pence said he and the president believed the decision, under which the United States also plans to move its embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, would improve peacemaking prospects. Pence discussed the Jerusalem issue during talks with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday and Jordan's King Abdullah on Sunday. He said the two leaders had agreed to convey to the Palestinians that the United States was eager to resume peace talks. "We want them (the Palestinians) to know the door is open. We understand they're unhappy with that decision but the president wanted me to convey our willingness and desire to be a part of the peace process going forward," Pence said. Pence said the US State Department would spell out details in the coming weeks about a plan to move the US embassy to Jerusalem by the end of 2019. Israeli media have speculated that a 2019 embassy move could help Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu win reelection in a vote scheduled for November of that year. Asked if he hoped for Netanyahu's reelection, Pence said: "I'm a strong supporter of Benjamin Netanyahu, but I don't get a vote here."

Timing of Trump peace plan depends on Palestinians: Pence

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Mumbai on Thursday to join a memorial event for the parents of an 11-year-old Israeli boy who was among the 166 people killed during an attack by Pakistan-based militants in 2008.&nbsp;

Ahead of that trip, a small group of people staged a protest in Mumbai holding placards denouncing Netanyahu and accusing him of atrocities against Palestinians.

Arabs and Muslims across the Middle East, the European Union and the United Nations have all opposed the U.S. President Donald Trump`s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel`s capital last month as an incendiary move in a volatile region and Palestinians said Washington was abandoning its leading role as a peace mediator.

Israel, by contrast, applauded Trump`s move. Netanyahu said it was &quot;an important step towards peace&quot; and it was &quot;our goal from Israel`s first day&quot;.&nbsp;

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday visited the home of Mahatma Gandhi on Wednesday, saying modern India`s founding father and promoter of peace was an inspiration for humanity.

Netanyahu is making the first visit by an Israeli prime minister in 15 years and the nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rolled out the red carpet, seeing Israel as an ally in the fight against terrorism.

Modi hosted the Israeli leader in his home state of Gujarat where hundreds of people waving Indian and Israeli flags lined up the streets as the motorcade passed.

The two men, accompanied by Netanyahu`s wife, Sara, went to Gandhi`s ashram on the banks of a river where Netanyahu tried his hand at a spinning wheel, a pastime Gandhi made popular while he was jailed during British colonial rule.

&quot;An inspiring visit to the hearth of one of humanity`s great prophets of inspiration - Mahatma Gandhi&quot;, Netanyahu and his wife wrote in the guestbook.

Netanyahu and Modi have pledged to deepen economic and security ties in a more open embrace of the relationship which New Delhi had long kept at a low profile, largely for fear of upsetting Arab nations on which it depends for oil.&nbsp;

Modi said India`s cooperation with Israel was diverse and benefited both countries. On Tuesday, Netanyahu said the two countries were discussing ways to strengthen cooperation to fight the menace of radical Islam that they both faced

&nbsp;

(With PTI inputs)&nbsp;

Ahead of that trip, a small group of people staged a protest in Mumbai holding placards denouncing Netanyahu and accusing him of atrocities against Palestinians.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Mumbai on Thursday to join a memorial event for the parents of an 11-year-old Israeli boy who was among the 166 people killed during an attack by Pakistan-based militants in 2008. Ahead of that trip, a small group of people staged a protest in Mumbai holding placards denouncing Netanyahu and accusing him of atrocities against Palestinians. Arabs and Muslims across the Middle East, the European Union and the United Nations have all opposed the U.S. President Donald Trump`s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel`s capital last month as an incendiary move in a volatile region and Palestinians said Washington was abandoning its leading role as a peace mediator. Israel, by contrast, applauded Trump`s move. Netanyahu said it was "an important step towards peace" and it was "our goal from Israel`s first day". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday visited the home of Mahatma Gandhi on Wednesday, saying modern India`s founding father and promoter of peace was an inspiration for humanity. Netanyahu is making the first visit by an Israeli prime minister in 15 years and the nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rolled out the red carpet, seeing Israel as an ally in the fight against terrorism. Modi hosted the Israeli leader in his home state of Gujarat where hundreds of people waving Indian and Israeli flags lined up the streets as the motorcade passed. The two men, accompanied by Netanyahu`s wife, Sara, went to Gandhi`s ashram on the banks of a river where Netanyahu tried his hand at a spinning wheel, a pastime Gandhi made popular while he was jailed during British colonial rule. "An inspiring visit to the hearth of one of humanity`s great prophets of inspiration - Mahatma Gandhi", Netanyahu and his wife wrote in the guestbook. Netanyahu and Modi have pledged to deepen economic and security ties in a more open embrace of the relationship which New Delhi had long kept at a low profile, largely for fear of upsetting Arab nations on which it depends for oil. Modi said India`s cooperation with Israel was diverse and benefited both countries. On Tuesday, Netanyahu said the two countries were discussing ways to strengthen cooperation to fight the menace of radical Islam that they both faced (With PTI inputs)

Israel's Netanyahu to visit Mumbai today

Palestinian leaders met Monday to plan a response to what they see as US President Donald Trump&#39;s attack on their long bid for statehood, after Mahmud Abbas denounced White House peace efforts as the &quot;slap of the century&quot;.

The rare meeting of the Palestinian Central Council -- a high-ranking arm of the Palestine Liberation Organisation -- was called after Trump&#39;s controversial December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

Palestinians want the annexed eastern sector of the city as the capital of their future state and president Abbas has said Trump&#39;s stance means the US can no longer be the mediator in peace talks with Israel.

The US president has sought to bring Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table, with talks stalled since 2014.

Speaking Sunday evening at the opening of the council, which brings together Palestinians from multiple political parties, Abbas told delegates: &quot;We said &#39;no&#39; to Trump, &#39;we will not accept your project.&#39;&quot;

&quot;The deal of the century is the slap of the century and we will not accept it,&quot; the 82-year-old leader added, referring to Trump&#39;s pledge to reach the &quot;ultimate deal&quot;.

He instead called for an internationally mediated&nbsp;peace process.

Israel is unlikely to accept any other mediator than the United States, accusing United Nations bodies of systematic bias against it.

The delegates began meeting Monday morning, with talks expected to end in the evening with a joint statement.

The last meeting of the PCC in 2015 called for the ending of security coordination with Israel, but its decisions were non-binding and it was never implemented.

&#39;Israel ended Oslo&#39; 
&nbsp;

The Palestinians&#39; relations with the US leadership have deteriorated rapidly since Trump&#39;s election.

He came to power promising to lead the most pro-Israel administration in history, but also to pursue a peace deal.

His envoys, including&nbsp;senior advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner, had been shuttling between the two sides in search of common ground.

But Trump also infuriated the Palestinians by refusing to commit to the idea of an independent Palestinian state and recently threatened to cut hundreds of millions of dollars of US aid.

The Jerusalem announcement prompted the Palestinians to freeze ties with the administration, and Abbas is expected to shun Vice President Mike Pence when he visits the region next week.

On Sunday night, Abbas attacked the US ambassadors to Israel and the United Nations, David Friedman and Nikki Haley, calling them a &quot;disgrace&quot;.

Both Trump appointees have been strong supporters of Israel, with Friedman having backed Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.

An indignant Abbas also said that Trump had accused them of&nbsp;refusing peace negotiations.

&quot;May God demolish your house. When did we refuse?&quot; he said, using a common Arabic curse.

Israeli media focused heavily on the phrase on Monday, while Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the statement showed Abbas was &quot;losing his wits and giving up negotiations.&quot;

In a speech during a state visit to India, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not mention Abbas&#39;s comments.

Abbas said all options were on the table for responding to Trump&#39;s Jerusalem declaration but did not specifically mention suspending recognition of Israel or ending security coordination with the Jewish state -- both policies mooted in the days before the council.

He did, however, say the Oslo accords that led to the creation of his Palestinian Authority and envisioned a final resolution to the conflict were in effect finished.

&quot;I am saying that Oslo, there is no Oslo. Israel ended Oslo,&quot; he said, referring to persistent Israeli settlement building and other issues seen as eroding the possibility of a two-state solution to the conflict.

Hamas, the Islamist party that rules Gaza, is not taking part in the council -- arguing it should have been held abroad to avoid Israeli pressure.

In a statement Monday the party said Abbas&#39;s speech &quot;did not meet the ambitions of our people.&quot;

&quot;The central council must end Oslo and stop security coordination and withdraw the recognition (of Israel).&quot;

Palestinians want the annexed eastern sector of the city as the capital of their future state and president Abbas has said Trump's stance means the US can no longer be the mediator in peace talks with Israel.

Palestinian leaders met Monday to plan a response to what they see as US President Donald Trump's attack on their long bid for statehood, after Mahmud Abbas denounced White House peace efforts as the "slap of the century". The rare meeting of the Palestinian Central Council -- a high-ranking arm of the Palestine Liberation Organisation -- was called after Trump's controversial December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Palestinians want the annexed eastern sector of the city as the capital of their future state and president Abbas has said Trump's stance means the US can no longer be the mediator in peace talks with Israel. The US president has sought to bring Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table, with talks stalled since 2014. Speaking Sunday evening at the opening of the council, which brings together Palestinians from multiple political parties, Abbas told delegates: "We said 'no' to Trump, 'we will not accept your project.'" "The deal of the century is the slap of the century and we will not accept it," the 82-year-old leader added, referring to Trump's pledge to reach the "ultimate deal". He instead called for an internationally mediated peace process. Israel is unlikely to accept any other mediator than the United States, accusing United Nations bodies of systematic bias against it. The delegates began meeting Monday morning, with talks expected to end in the evening with a joint statement. The last meeting of the PCC in 2015 called for the ending of security coordination with Israel, but its decisions were non-binding and it was never implemented. 'Israel ended Oslo' The Palestinians' relations with the US leadership have deteriorated rapidly since Trump's election. He came to power promising to lead the most pro-Israel administration in history, but also to pursue a peace deal. His envoys, including senior advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner, had been shuttling between the two sides in search of common ground. But Trump also infuriated the Palestinians by refusing to commit to the idea of an independent Palestinian state and recently threatened to cut hundreds of millions of dollars of US aid. The Jerusalem announcement prompted the Palestinians to freeze ties with the administration, and Abbas is expected to shun Vice President Mike Pence when he visits the region next week. On Sunday night, Abbas attacked the US ambassadors to Israel and the United Nations, David Friedman and Nikki Haley, calling them a "disgrace". Both Trump appointees have been strong supporters of Israel, with Friedman having backed Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. An indignant Abbas also said that Trump had accused them of refusing peace negotiations. "May God demolish your house. When did we refuse?" he said, using a common Arabic curse. Israeli media focused heavily on the phrase on Monday, while Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the statement showed Abbas was "losing his wits and giving up negotiations." In a speech during a state visit to India, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not mention Abbas's comments. Abbas said all options were on the table for responding to Trump's Jerusalem declaration but did not specifically mention suspending recognition of Israel or ending security coordination with the Jewish state -- both policies mooted in the days before the council. He did, however, say the Oslo accords that led to the creation of his Palestinian Authority and envisioned a final resolution to the conflict were in effect finished. "I am saying that Oslo, there is no Oslo. Israel ended Oslo," he said, referring to persistent Israeli settlement building and other issues seen as eroding the possibility of a two-state solution to the conflict. Hamas, the Islamist party that rules Gaza, is not taking part in the council -- arguing it should have been held abroad to avoid Israeli pressure. In a statement Monday the party said Abbas's speech "did not meet the ambitions of our people." "The central council must end Oslo and stop security coordination and withdraw the recognition (of Israel)."

Palestinians meet to respond to Trump's 'slap of the century'

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/sooner-palestinians-come-to-grips-with-reality-we-can-move-towards-peace-israeli-pm-netanyahu-26405" target="_blank">Sooner Palestinians come to grips with reality, we can move towards peace: Israeli PM Netanyahu</a>

Israeli&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-renews-call-for-wisdom-and-prudence-over-jerusalem-26389">PM Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit&nbsp;</a>to France said that &#39;&#39;Jerusalem is the capital of Israel&#39;&#39; and it has been the &quot;capital for 3,000 years&quot;.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-1-terrorist-killed-in-encounter-with-security-forces-search-operations-underway-in-baramulla-26406" target="_blank">J&amp;K: 1 terrorist killed in encounter with security forces, search operations underway in Baramulla</a>

One terrorist was gunned down and another captured after an encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in J&amp;K&#39;s Baramulla district. The encounter took place in Baramulla&#39;s&nbsp;Bomai area. Reports said firing had stopped and search operation was underway.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/earthquake-of-45-magnitude-hits-jammu-and-kashmir-26402" target="_blank">4.5-magnitude earthquake hits J&amp;K, no casualties</a>

A medium intensity earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale hit Jammu and Kashmir early today, the IMD said. According to the National Seismology Centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the earthquake occurred at 4:28 am(local time) at a depth of 33 km.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/actress-molestation-case-man-detained-by-police-in-mumbai-26393" target="_blank">Actress molestation case: Suspect arrested by Mumbai Police</a>

The man accused of molesting an actress on a Delhi-Mumbai flight has been arrested by police in Mumbai. The actress had on Sunday alleged that she had been molested by a middle-aged man sitting behind her on the flight.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/california-wildfire-rages-toward-scenic-coastal-communities-26401" target="_blank">California wildfire rages toward scenic coastal communities</a>

A raging wildfire pushed toward a string of California coastal cities on Sunday, December 10, prompting new evacuations as crews fought to save homes in the face of gusty winds that have fueled blazes across the state for nearly a week.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Sooner Palestinians come to grips with reality, we can move towards peace: Israeli PM Netanyahu Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to France said that ''Jerusalem is the capital of Israel'' and it has been the "capital for 3,000 years". J&K: 1 terrorist killed in encounter with security forces, search operations underway in Baramulla One terrorist was gunned down and another captured after an encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in J&K's Baramulla district. The encounter took place in Baramulla's Bomai area. Reports said firing had stopped and search operation was underway. 4.5-magnitude earthquake hits J&K, no casualties A medium intensity earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale hit Jammu and Kashmir early today, the IMD said. According to the National Seismology Centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the earthquake occurred at 4:28 am(local time) at a depth of 33 km. Actress molestation case: Suspect arrested by Mumbai Police The man accused of molesting an actress on a Delhi-Mumbai flight has been arrested by police in Mumbai. The actress had on Sunday alleged that she had been molested by a middle-aged man sitting behind her on the flight. California wildfire rages toward scenic coastal communities A raging wildfire pushed toward a string of California coastal cities on Sunday, December 10, prompting new evacuations as crews fought to save homes in the face of gusty winds that have fueled blazes across the state for nearly a week.

WION Morning News Brief, 11 December 2017

An Israeli air strike on a Gaza base of Hamas&#39;s military wing killed two people on Saturday, health officials of the territory&#39;s Palestinian Islamist rulers said.&nbsp;Hamas confirms both men as militants, clarifies the name of the first.&nbsp;

The strike on a base in Nusseirat in the central Gaza Strip, one of several in the early hours, came amid protests across the Palestinian territories against US President Donald Trump&#39;s deeply controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

The Hamas health ministry in Gaza named the men as Abdullah al-Atal, 28 and Mohammed al-Safdi, 30.

It said that their bodies &nbsp;were only recovered several hours after the pre-dawn strike on a base of Hamas&#39;s military wing in Nusseirat in the central Gaza Strip.

The militants did not say if the dead men were its members.

The strike followed three rocket attacks Friday night from Gaza into southern Israel.

&quot;Today... in response to the rockets fired at southern Israeli communities throughout yesterday, Israel air force aircraft targeted four facilities belonging to the Hamas terror organisation in the Gaza Strip,&quot; an English-language army statement said on Saturday.

It said the targets were &quot;two weapons manufacturing sites, a weapons warehouse and a military compound.&quot;

&quot;In each target, several components were hit,&quot; it added.

Israeli strikes on Hamas facilities on Friday night wounded 14 people, among them women and children, the Hamas medical services said.&nbsp;

They followed three rocket attacks during Friday&#39;s Palestinian &quot;day of rage&quot; over Trump&#39;s decision.

In one of them, a rocket hit the southern Israeli city of Sderot although Israeli public radio said it did not explode and did not cause any casualties.

The Israeli military said that its Iron Dome air defence system intercepted an earlier rocket fired from the Palestinian enclave.

It said it later detected a second missile launch, but had not found evidence that it had reached Israeli territory.

The military retaliated Friday with air strikes on what it said were two targets.

&quot;In response to the projectiles fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip earlier today, Israel air force aircraft targeted a Hamas training compound and an ammunition warehouse in the Gaza Strip,&quot; an English-language statement said.

Gaza security officials said that both targets were in the vicinity of Beit Lahiya, in the northern part of the strip, close to the border with Israel.

A previously unknown Salafist group calling itself the Salahedin Brigades claimed responsibility for one of the attacks.

But the Israeli army said it held Hamas responsible for all &quot;hostile activity&quot; originating from the territory under its control.

The strike followed three rocket attacks Friday night from Gaza into southern Israel

An Israeli air strike on a Gaza base of Hamas's military wing killed two people on Saturday, health officials of the territory's Palestinian Islamist rulers said. Hamas confirms both men as militants, clarifies the name of the first. The strike on a base in Nusseirat in the central Gaza Strip, one of several in the early hours, came amid protests across the Palestinian territories against US President Donald Trump's deeply controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The Hamas health ministry in Gaza named the men as Abdullah al-Atal, 28 and Mohammed al-Safdi, 30. It said that their bodies were only recovered several hours after the pre-dawn strike on a base of Hamas's military wing in Nusseirat in the central Gaza Strip. The militants did not say if the dead men were its members. The strike followed three rocket attacks Friday night from Gaza into southern Israel. "Today... in response to the rockets fired at southern Israeli communities throughout yesterday, Israel air force aircraft targeted four facilities belonging to the Hamas terror organisation in the Gaza Strip," an English-language army statement said on Saturday. It said the targets were "two weapons manufacturing sites, a weapons warehouse and a military compound." "In each target, several components were hit," it added. Israeli strikes on Hamas facilities on Friday night wounded 14 people, among them women and children, the Hamas medical services said. They followed three rocket attacks during Friday's Palestinian "day of rage" over Trump's decision. In one of them, a rocket hit the southern Israeli city of Sderot although Israeli public radio said it did not explode and did not cause any casualties. The Israeli military said that its Iron Dome air defence system intercepted an earlier rocket fired from the Palestinian enclave. It said it later detected a second missile launch, but had not found evidence that it had reached Israeli territory. The military retaliated Friday with air strikes on what it said were two targets. "In response to the projectiles fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip earlier today, Israel air force aircraft targeted a Hamas training compound and an ammunition warehouse in the Gaza Strip," an English-language statement said. Gaza security officials said that both targets were in the vicinity of Beit Lahiya, in the northern part of the strip, close to the border with Israel. A previously unknown Salafist group calling itself the Salahedin Brigades claimed responsibility for one of the attacks. But the Israeli army said it held Hamas responsible for all "hostile activity" originating from the territory under its control.

Israel air strikes kill 2 Palestinian militants

Israel hailed U.S. President Donald Trump&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as its capital on Wednesday, but the Palestinians condemned the move and said it diminished Washington&#39;s role as a peace mediator.

In a landmark speech in Washington, Trump reversed decades of U.S. policy in defiance of warnings from around the world that the gesture risked creating further unrest in the Middle East.

Past US&nbsp;presidents have insisted that the status of Jerusalem - home to sites holy to the Jewish, Muslim and Christian religions - must be decided in negotiations between the two sides.

Palestinian factions called a general strike on Thursday throughout the occupied West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Palestinian areas of Jerusalem and for rallies to be held at midday (1000 GMT) in protest at Trump&#39;s move, raising the chances of violent clashes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a pre-recorded video message that Trump&#39;s decision had made for a &quot;historic day&quot; and was &quot;an important step towards peace&quot;.

He added that any peace deal with the Palestinians would have to include Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital and he urged other countries to follow the U.S. lead by also moving their embassies to the city.

He said there would be no change to access to Jerusalem&#39;s holy sites. &quot;Israel will always ensure freedom of worship for Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike.&quot;

But Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Trump&#39;s move was &quot;tantamount to the United States abdicating its role as a peace mediator&quot; and declared Jerusalem as the &quot;eternal capital of the State of Palestine&quot;.

Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. It later annexed it, declaring the whole of the city as its capital, a move not recognised internationally.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state which they want to establish in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

&quot;With this announcement, the American administration has chosen to violate all international and bilateral agreements and resolutions and it has chosen to violate international consensus,&quot; Abbas said.

The move, he said, would serve &quot;the extremist groups which try to turn the conflict in our region into a religious war that will drag the region ... into international conflicts and endless wars.&quot;

Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have been frozen since 2014. Trump&#39;s adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is leading Trump&#39;s efforts to restart them but those efforts have shown little progress. Israel&#39;s West Bank settlement building has been one of the main obstacles.

Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which dominates the Gaza Strip, said Trump&#39;s move was &quot;flagrant aggression against the Palestinian people&quot; and urged Arabs and Muslims to &quot;undermine the U.S.&#39;s interests in the region&quot; and to &quot;shun Israel.&quot;

In a landmark speech in Washington, Trump reversed decades of U.S. policy in defiance of warnings from around the world that the gesture risked creating further unrest in the Middle East.

Israel hailed U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as its capital on Wednesday, but the Palestinians condemned the move and said it diminished Washington's role as a peace mediator. In a landmark speech in Washington, Trump reversed decades of U.S. policy in defiance of warnings from around the world that the gesture risked creating further unrest in the Middle East. Past US presidents have insisted that the status of Jerusalem - home to sites holy to the Jewish, Muslim and Christian religions - must be decided in negotiations between the two sides. Palestinian factions called a general strike on Thursday throughout the occupied West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Palestinian areas of Jerusalem and for rallies to be held at midday (1000 GMT) in protest at Trump's move, raising the chances of violent clashes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a pre-recorded video message that Trump's decision had made for a "historic day" and was "an important step towards peace". He added that any peace deal with the Palestinians would have to include Jerusalem as Israel's capital and he urged other countries to follow the U.S. lead by also moving their embassies to the city. He said there would be no change to access to Jerusalem's holy sites. "Israel will always ensure freedom of worship for Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike." But Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Trump's move was "tantamount to the United States abdicating its role as a peace mediator" and declared Jerusalem as the "eternal capital of the State of Palestine". Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. It later annexed it, declaring the whole of the city as its capital, a move not recognised internationally. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state which they want to establish in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip. "With this announcement, the American administration has chosen to violate all international and bilateral agreements and resolutions and it has chosen to violate international consensus," Abbas said. The move, he said, would serve "the extremist groups which try to turn the conflict in our region into a religious war that will drag the region ... into international conflicts and endless wars." Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have been frozen since 2014. Trump's adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is leading Trump's efforts to restart them but those efforts have shown little progress. Israel's West Bank settlement building has been one of the main obstacles. Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which dominates the Gaza Strip, said Trump's move was "flagrant aggression against the Palestinian people" and urged Arabs and Muslims to "undermine the U.S.'s interests in the region" and to "shun Israel."

Israel hails Trump's 'historic' declaration, Palestinians condemn

The head of the United Nation&#39;s West Asia commission, Rima Khalaf,&nbsp;resigned on Friday&nbsp;after what she described as pressure from the secretary general Antonio Guterres to withdraw a report accusing Israel of imposing an &quot;apartheid regime&quot; on Palestinians, Reuters reports.

The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), which comprises 18 Arab states, published the report on Wednesday and said it was the first time a UN&nbsp;body had clearly made the charge, Reuters reports.

They add that UN&nbsp;Under-Secretary General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Rima Khalaf announced her resignation at a news conference in Beirut.

The Israeli news site <a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4936865,00.html" target="_blank">Ynet news</a>&nbsp;reports that UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday&nbsp;that the report was published without consulting the UN secreteriat first.

They also report that Israel&#39;s foreign minister spokesman liekened the report to a Nazi propoganda publication, describing it as &quot;despicable and a blatant lie&quot;, and&nbsp;adds that the US, a staunch Israeli ally, expressed outrage at the report.

(Reuters)

The report accused Israel of imposing an 'apartheid regime' on Palestinians, the first time this charge has ever been levelled by a UN body

The head of the United Nation's West Asia commission, Rima Khalaf, resigned on Friday after what she described as pressure from the secretary general Antonio Guterres to withdraw a report accusing Israel of imposing an "apartheid regime" on Palestinians, Reuters reports. The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), which comprises 18 Arab states, published the report on Wednesday and said it was the first time a UN body had clearly made the charge, Reuters reports. They add that UN Under-Secretary General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Rima Khalaf announced her resignation at a news conference in Beirut. The Israeli news site Ynet news reports that UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday that the report was published without consulting the UN secreteriat first. They also report that Israel's foreign minister spokesman liekened the report to a Nazi propoganda publication, describing it as "despicable and a blatant lie", and adds that the US, a staunch Israeli ally, expressed outrage at the report. (Reuters)

Head of UN West Asia commission resigns over report on 'apartheid' Israel

Security forces from the Islamist group&nbsp;Hamas&nbsp;executed three convicted Palestinians at dawn today, a move condemned by local and international human rights groups and likely to lead to deeper division among Palestinian factions.

The three were found guilty of murder in separate cases and sentenced to death after a trial and all appeals were exhausted,&nbsp;Hamas&nbsp;said. Two were executed by firing squad and the third, a policeman, was hanged, security sources said.

&quot;To achieve public deterrence and block crime, the relevant authorities implemented at dawn today&nbsp;execution rulings against three convicted of horrifying murders,&quot; the general prosecutor&#39;s office in Gaza said in a statement.

Hamas, which has been in control of Gaza since 2007, had been under pressure not to carry out the executions, with the European Union and United Nations joining in calls from human rights groups for the decision to be set aside.

Under Palestinian law, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has to agree to the use of the death penalty. Because of splits between&nbsp;Hamas&nbsp;and Abbas&#39;s Fatah party, the Islamists did not receive approval from the president for the sentence.

The policeman put to death was employed by the Palestinian Authority, the Fatah-led administration based in the West Bank, which has ever diminishing influence in Gaza.

In a statement, the Palestinian Authority said the executions were illegal.

&quot;Carrying out the executions represents a flagrant violation of the Palestinian basic law,&quot; Ahmed Brak, the attorney general based in Ramallah, told Reuters.

He said those who participated in the executions were complicit in murder and would be subject to law at the &quot;local and international level&quot;.

Human rights groups last week demanded that&nbsp;Hamas&nbsp;hold off on the executions, but the Gaza-based attorney general said the sentences could be carried out.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said enforcing the death sentence without the Palestinian president&#39;s ratification constituted extra-judicial execution. International human rights groups condemned the decision.

&quot;The death penalty is an inherently cruel and irreversible punishment in all circumstances,&quot; said Sari Bashi, the director for Israel and Palestine at Human Rights Watch.

&quot;It&#39;s particularly egregious to execute defendants sentenced in Gaza, whose court system is rife with coercion, torture and compromised procedures,&quot; she added.

In recent weeks there have been several murders in Gaza, leading to pressure on&nbsp;Hamas&nbsp;to crack down on perpetrators.

Islamist militant group Hamas executed three convicted Palestinians

Security forces from the Islamist group Hamas executed three convicted Palestinians at dawn today, a move condemned by local and international human rights groups and likely to lead to deeper division among Palestinian factions. The three were found guilty of murder in separate cases and sentenced to death after a trial and all appeals were exhausted, Hamas said. Two were executed by firing squad and the third, a policeman, was hanged, security sources said. "To achieve public deterrence and block crime, the relevant authorities implemented at dawn today execution rulings against three convicted of horrifying murders," the general prosecutor's office in Gaza said in a statement. Hamas, which has been in control of Gaza since 2007, had been under pressure not to carry out the executions, with the European Union and United Nations joining in calls from human rights groups for the decision to be set aside. Under Palestinian law, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has to agree to the use of the death penalty. Because of splits between Hamas and Abbas's Fatah party, the Islamists did not receive approval from the president for the sentence. The policeman put to death was employed by the Palestinian Authority, the Fatah-led administration based in the West Bank, which has ever diminishing influence in Gaza. In a statement, the Palestinian Authority said the executions were illegal. "Carrying out the executions represents a flagrant violation of the Palestinian basic law," Ahmed Brak, the attorney general based in Ramallah, told Reuters. He said those who participated in the executions were complicit in murder and would be subject to law at the "local and international level". Human rights groups last week demanded that Hamas hold off on the executions, but the Gaza-based attorney general said the sentences could be carried out. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said enforcing the death sentence without the Palestinian president's ratification constituted extra-judicial execution. International human rights groups condemned the decision. "The death penalty is an inherently cruel and irreversible punishment in all circumstances," said Sari Bashi, the director for Israel and Palestine at Human Rights Watch. "It's particularly egregious to execute defendants sentenced in Gaza, whose court system is rife with coercion, torture and compromised procedures," she added. In recent weeks there have been several murders in Gaza, leading to pressure on Hamas to crack down on perpetrators.

Hamas executes three convicted Palestinians in Gaza

palestinians

Palestinians, News on Palestinians, stories on Palestinians, articles on Palestinians, Palestinians stories at Wion, Palestinians news, Palestinians latest news