NEWS: Israel is focusing "national investment" in nine sites in the occupied Palestinian territories. Palestinians accuse occupation forces of killing a farmer near the Gaza border, but Israel denies any responsibility. Palestinians also say occupation forces killed a teenager in the West Bank. A new manuscript details Jewish life in 11th-century Persia. Centrist parties in Israel are hoping a last-ditch voter drive movement will help alter what looks like a sure victory for PM Netanyahu. Settlers, however, appear confident of a strong right-wing victory. The UN Human Rights Council says Israel seems to be resisting a routine review of its rights record. Palestinians say Israeli forces arrest the former mayor of Al-Bireh village in the occupied West Bank. Teachers and other civil servants are on strike this week in the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu says "preconditions" from Pres. Abbas are making negotiations impossible. A group of Israeli academics predict that a Netanyahu victory in the coming Israeli election will mean the end of the peace process. Winter storms intensify the plight of Palestinians in Gaza. COMMENTARY: Jeffrey Goldberg says Pres. Obama wants Netanyahu to act in Israel's best interests by withholding settlement activity and pursuing peace. Bradley Burston expresses admiration for the Palestinian E1 tent city protest. Uzi Benziman says Netanyahu is widely perceived as someone addicted to deceit. Yoel Meltzer says Israeli ultranationalists, torn between Likud and the Jewish Home parties, may soon merge into one large extremist group. David Bernstein says Israeli politics are cyclical, not stuck on the far-right. Hassan Barari says it's tragic that peace is not an issue in the Israeli election, but blames regional trends as well. Shalom Yerushalmi says Israel's settlements cannot actually be evacuated. Gideon Rachman says Netanyahu is a "tactical genius" but a "strategic idiot."