The U.S. and Israel remain divided on the issue of a settlement freeze (1) (2) (13), as Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak begins meetings with U.S. officials in Washington (4). A clash between Hamas and Palestinian security forces over the weekend leaves six dead in the West Bank (3). Ex-Pink Floyd rocker Roger Waters visits a Palestinian refugee camp and urges Israel to remove the West Bank separation barrier (8). Quartet envoy Tony Blair voices his optimism on the possibility of a diplomatic breakthrough in the coming weeks (9). American officials oppose Israeli plans to build a new hotel near the Old City in Arab East Jerusalem (12). Israeli settler council accuses U.S. of using “political terror” (14).

The Obama Administration weighs options for increasing the pressure on Israel to agree to a full settlement freeze (1) (2). Jewish settlers attack Palestinian workers in the West Bank (3). The United Nations fact finding team arrives in Gaza to begin its investigation into allegations of war crimes (4). Israeli settlers seek the eviction of dozens of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem (5). In an interview with Raghida Dergham, General David Petraeus insists that resolving the Palestinian-Israeli issue would decrease threats to U.S. troops (7). The Palestinian Authority confronts Hamas in the West Bank (11) (13) (16). In a posting on Ibishblog.com Hussein Ibish argues that ATFP was right to keep focusing on settlements over the past year (6).