Israeli security forces last month arrested two Hamas militants suspected of plotting attacks against civilian targets across Israel, it was revealed on Sunday following the lifting of a gag order.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Friday that Israel would retain control of a large West Bank settlement under any future arrangement with the Palestinians.

For the first time since left-wing activists began staging weekly protests against house evictions in the northeast Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, a contingent of right-wing activists has announced plans to hold a counter-protest during this week’s Friday demonstration.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared on Thursday that Palestinians would not accept any alternative to Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, despite other proposals.

Rabbi Yitzhak Shapira, head of the Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva in the Yitzhar settlement, was questioned by police on Monday after six of his students were arrested for possible involvement in the arson attack on a West Bank mosque on December 11, 2009.

Israel has opened two Gaza border crossings to allow humanitarian aid and a limited load of goods in to the sealed-off Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz on Sunday presented a plan to limit the number of migrant workers permitted in Israel.

The settlements blocs of Ariel, Ma'aleh Adumim and Gush Etzion are an indisputable part of Israel, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

The Palestinian Authority over the weekend expressed concern over Hamas's growing attempts to gain recognition from the international community and warned EU representatives against engaging in dialogue with the extreme Islamist movement.

It was hard to remain altogether cynical at the sight of dozens of settlers and Palestinians sitting close to one another, so much so that it was at times difficult to distinguish who was who.