The American Charities for Palestine reports on the progress of a major public works project in the West Bank village of Beit ur al Tahta (1). Middle East Progress features a piece by Ian Bomberg examining the importance of economic growth in the West Bank (2). The Christian Science Monitor looks at visits being made by locally based U.S. diplomats to Israeli settlements (3). Quartet envoy Tony Blair praises recent steps taken by the Israeli government to ease the quality of life in the West Bank (6). The World Bank pledges $12.5 million for Palestinian Authority reconstruction operations in Gaza (7). Haaretz speculates on the slowed construction of the West Bank barrier wall (12).