Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that the extent of settlement building has been covered up by the Israeli defense ministry (1). US Mideast envoy George Mitchell announces plans to return to Israel shortly after February’s general elections (2) and urges Israel to open Gaza’s commercial border crossings as a way to choke off underground arms smuggling (8). The Economist examines the role of diplomacy after the Gaza incursion (3). Dozens in Gaza are believed to have been killed in a wave of internal reprisal attacks (5). Returning after his heated denunciation of Israel at the World Economic Forum Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan is greeted warmly in Istanbul (6). Hamas calls for new Palestinian leadership to replace the PLO (7).