Israel / Palestine
Current Operations
UNTSO
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UN-led)
Since: 06/48
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TIPH-2
Temporary International Presence in Hebron (Other)
Since: 02/97
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EUPOL COPPS
EU Police Co-ordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support (EU)
Since: 11/05
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EU BAM Rafah
EU Border Assistance Mission at Rafah Crossing Point in the Palestinian Territories (EU)
Since: 11/05
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Abbas to resume statehood bid in UN: official (16.05.2012)
(Source:Xinhua)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will resume diplomatic efforts to obtain statehood through the United Nations after starting to "despair of" resuming peace negotiations with Israel, a Palestinian official said Wednesday.
Palestinians and the end of the peace process – new ICG report (07.05.2012)
(Source:International Crisis Group)
The bad news is the U.S. presidential campaign, Arab Spring, Israel’s focus on Iran and European financial woes portend a peacemaking hiatus. The good news is such a hiatus is badly needed.
Hamas says holding secret diplomatic talks with EU states (02.05.2012)
(Source:Haaretz)
Europe and the U.S. have been rethinking Mideast policy since the Arab Spring uprisings toppled several pro-Western regimes in favor of Islamists.
UN official hopes exchange of letters can help advance Israeli-Palestinian dialogue (23.04.2012)
(Source:UN News)
A senior United Nations official today voiced the hope that the recent exchange of letters agreed to by Israeli and Palestinian leaders can provide an opening for further dialogue that will contribute to progress in the Middle East peace process.
Abbas sends Netanyahu letter with Palestinian demands (17.04.2012)
(Source:BBC)
A letter detailing Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's demands for restarting peace talks has been handed to Israel's prime minister. Palestinian officials gave the document to Benjamin Netanyahu at a meeting in Jerusalem, at which both sides said they were "committed to reach peace". Mr Netanyahu will reply within 14 days.
Israeli and Palestinian premiers will meet this month for talks (04.04.2012)
(Source:New York Times)
The Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers will meet this month, officials said Wednesday, but the talks may only sharpen differences that have brought peace negotiations to a standstill. … The Palestinian prime minister, Salam Fayyad, would be the highest-level Palestinian official to meet with Mr. Netanyahu since peace negotiations broke off in 2010.
Back to basics: Israel’s Arab minority and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – new ICG report (14.03.2012)
(Source:International Crisis Group)
“Back to Basics: Israel’s Arab Minority and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict”, the latest Crisis Group report, examines the situation of Palestinian citizens of Israel, emphasising that beyond immediate government measures, Jews and Arabs must answer profound questions for a sustainable two-state solution.
Israel and Gaza factions agree on truce (14.03.2012)
(Source:Al Jazeera)
Israel and Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip have agreed to an Egyptian-mediated truce to end days of cross-border violence that have left 25 Palestinians dead, according to Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials.
Time for Israeli and Palestinian leaders to get serious about peace talks – UN official (28.02.2012)
(Source:UN News)
The United Nations political chief today called on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to get serious about overcoming the current impasse, noting that the talks begun last month have stalled and the situation on the ground in the West Bank and Gaza remains dangerous.
Fatah-Hamas agreement may heal Palestinian rifts (15.02.2012)
(Source:VOA News)
Two rival Palestinian organizations, Hamas and Fatah, agreed on a power-sharing accord earlier this month. Experts say the new agreement is another step forward in healing the rift between the two organizations, whose territories are separated by Israel.
Abbas to head interim Palestinian government (06.02.2012)
(Source:Reliefweb)
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas is to head an interim consensus government under a deal signed with Hamas on Monday, ending a long-running disagreement over the post that stalled Palestinian reconciliation.
Israel condemns Palestinian reconciliation deal (06.02.2012)
(Source:RFE/RL)
Israel's prime minister says it will be impossible to hold peace talks if the Palestinians go through with a new reconciliation deal.
In Middle East, Ban urges stepped-up efforts to resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict (01.02.2012)
(Source:UN News)
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on Israelis and Palestinians to take steps that will build trust and ensure an environment conducive to sustained negotiations, voicing his hope that the nascent talks begun last month between the two sides will continue.
Jordan praises Israeli-Palestinian talks (03.01.2012)
(Source:Al Jazeera)
First meeting between Israelis and Palestinians in 15 months described as "serious" bid to restart peace talks.
UN groupings criticise Israeli settlement activities (20.12.2011)
(Source:BBC)
All the regional and political groupings on the UN Security Council have criticised Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, in a highly unusual move. The envoys said continued settlement building threatened chances of a future Palestinian state.
Senior UN official laments lack of progress in Israeli-Palestinian peace process (20.12.2011)
(Source:UN News)
The realization of a two-State solution for Israelis and Palestinians has not advanced, with violent incidents erupting at a worrying rate over the past month, a senior United Nations official warned today.
Quartet holds talks with Israelis, Palestinians (14.12.2011)
(Source:AFP)
Members of the international peacemaking Quartet appeared to make little progress on Wednesday after separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials in a bid to kick-start stalled peace talks.
Israel to release frozen Palestinian funds (01.12.2011)
(Source:Al-Jazeera)
Israel has announced that it will release tens of millions of dollars of tax funds owed to the Palestinians, ending a standoff that the Palestinians say has caused grave damage to their fragile economy.
Abbas calls on Palestinians to mount non-violent resistance against Israel (16.11.2011)
(Source:Haaretz)
Palestinian president says his people ‘will not succumb to the occupation,’ says will meet Hamas leader next week to discuss implementation of unity agreement.
UN calls for immediate resumption of direct Israel-Palestinian talks (14.11.2011)
(Source:UN News)
The United Nations and its diplomatic partners in the search for Middle East peace today called on Israel and the Palestinians to resume direct talks without delay or preconditions, following separate meetings with officials from both sides in Jerusalem. Today’s discussions are a follow-up to similar meetings held last month, at which both sides agreed to come forward with comprehensive proposals on territory and security within three months.
Peres to Palestinians: peace will be achieved through talks, not UN (09.11.2011)
(Source:Haaretz)
Middle East peace will be achieved with direct talks between Palestinians and Israel, not through unilateral action at the United Nations, President Peres said at the annual memorial commemorating the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in Jerusalem. Speaking at the ceremony in the capital's Mount Herzl, Peres said that a "territorial compromise is essential to ending bloodshed and wars."
Quartet to meet with Israelis, Palestinians in order to jump-start negotiations (08.11.2011)
(Source:Haaretz)
Envoys of the Quartet of Middle East peace mediators will meet separately with Israeli and Palestinian officials on Nov. 14 in Jerusalem, their latest effort to jump-start the stalled peace process, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday.
In UN-backed talks, Israel and Palestinians agree to offer peace proposals (26.10.2011)
(Source:UN News)
The United Nations and its diplomatic partners in the search for peace in the Middle East met separately today with Israeli and Palestinian officials in Jerusalem, with both sides agreeing to come forward with comprehensive proposals on territory and security within three months.
Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad says the time 'not ripe' for talks (20.10.2011)
(Source:BBC)
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has said that the time is not ripe for resuming "meaningful" talks with Israel. He said the problem was not a lack of talks but the absence of the right "terms of reference" for a peace deal.
Quartet pledges to restart Middle East talks (09.10.2011)
(Source:Al Jazeera)
Diplomats representing the Middle East Quartet - the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia - have agreed to encourage the Palestinians and Israel to return to direct talks. After discussions in Brussels on Sunday, Catherine Ashton, the EU foreign policy chief, said the Quartet will invite both sides to a meeting in the coming days.
Palestinian National Council granted observer status at European assembly (04.10.2011)
(Source:Haaretz)
Partial membership of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) means PA has two years to renounce terrorism, recognize Israel's right to exist.
Israel supports proposal to restart Mideast talks (02.10.2011)
(Source:New York Times)
Israel on Sunday formally accepted an international proposal to return to peace negotiations with the Palestinians, but any immediate resumption of talks appeared unlikely as the Israelis and Palestinians differed sharply over the letter and spirit of the proposal.
Palestinian UN bid goes to Committee (28.09.2011)
(Source:VOA News)
The United Nations Security Council took its first official step Wednesday toward considering the Palestinian application for full U.N. membership, passing it to a special committee that will review it and make recommendations.
Western powers angered as Israel agrees settler homes (27.09.2011)
(Source:BBC)
Western powers have expressed dismay at Israeli plans to build 1,100 more homes on the edge of Jerusalem. The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the move "counter-productive" to peace talks while the EU said the plan should be "reversed".
Obama: no shortcut to Middle East peace (22.09.2011)
(Source:Al Jazeera)
Barack Obama, the US president, has said "there is no short cut to the end of a conflict that has endured for decades" between the Israelis and the Palestinians. In a speech to the UN General Assembly, Obama expressed frustration at the failure of both parties to bridge their differences and at the Palestinians' decision to seek full membership of the UN through the Security Council later this week. While conceding both sides had "legitimate aspirations," Obama said peace would not come through statements and resolutions at the UN, but rather only through a resumption of direct negotiations.