Go ahead for 1,600 Israeli settler homes

A plan to build 1,600 settler homes in East Jerusalem has been approved by Israel's interior minister Eli Yishai on 11.08.2011. The project triggered a diplomatic row following its announcement last year during a visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

The decision could weigh on US-led efforts to discourage the Palestinian moves towards a United Nations endorsement of statehood in the absence of peace talks suspended due to Israeli settlement construction.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not agree with cuts in military spending to finance social measures.

At the same date, a member of the armed section of Hamas was killed in an explosion quoted as accidental in Southern Gaza Strip.

Fatah and Hamas have resumed negotiations in Cairo. New rockets fell in Israel.

Fatah and Hamas have resumed negotiations in Cairo to put into practice the reconciliation agreement reached in April. Discussions went well with the two parties deciding to continue talks in the beginning of September to level the remaining issues not agreed upon, among others the formation of the new government.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Sunday Israel should sever contacts with the Palestinian Authority over its plans to ask the United Nations in September to upgrade the Palestinians' status in the world body. Lieberman said he would "demand that we cut off all contact" with the Palestinian Authority, led by Western-backed President Mahmoud Abbas, "at the earliest moment," ahead of a request to upgrade Palestinian status at the United Nations.[...](Reuters, 16h59)
In spite of the Saturday arrest of two Islamists suspected to have shelled Israel, a new rocket fired on Sunday by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fell in Southern Israel without victims or casualties.

Islamic group members arrested by Hamas security forces for rocketing Israel

Hamas security forces have apprehended two members of an Islamic group suspected to have fired rockets against Israel from the Gaza Strip.

Israel deploys new interceptors

The coastal town of Ashkelon will receive a new interceptor missile battery, as a response to barrage of rockets militants fired from the Gaza Strip during the last two days, Israeli military forces informed on 05.08.2011.