Defense Minister and Labor Party leader of Israel Ehud Barak said Wednesday that it is possible that several large neighborhoods in east Jerusalem will become, in the context of a peace agreement, part of the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has sparked an outcry of protest from Israeli and American officials for his decision to meet with Hamas leaders during a week-long visit to the Middle East. Although he received a cold welcoming in Israel in recent days, he was warmly received by Egyptian officials and a large supportive audience during a speech at the American University in Cairo late Thursday.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is getting a cold reception in Israel. Mr. Carter is perceived as having a strong anti-Israel bias.

Jailed senior Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti says Palestinians are ready for peace with Israel, and he urges both sides to reach a cease-fire agreement as soon as possible.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he cannot speak about progress in the peace process with Israel until the two sides start putting a draft accord on paper.

Under U.S. pressure, Israel has begun easing travel restrictions for Palestinians in the West Bank. The move has aroused Israeli anxiety and Palestinian skepticism.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wrapped up a three-day trip to the Middle East saying peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians are moving forward, but Israel needs to stop its settlement activities.

United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in the Middle East to try and push forward Israeli Palestinian peace talks.

Israel says it will allow up to 600 foreign-trained Palestinian police to be deployed in the West Bank town of Jenin, site of frequent clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has accused Israel of implementing policies that he describes as "ethnic cleansing" in predominantly Palestinian east Jerusalem.

The leader of the Islamic militant group Hamas has laid out conditions for a cease-fire with Israel.

Israel says it will hold Hamas directly responsible for any rockets fired into the Jewish state from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, regardless of which militant group launches the strikes.