Nabil Abu Rudeina

Iran and Israel appeared to step back from the brink of broader conflict as lawmakers in the United States approved new Israeli military aid on Saturday despite growing criticism of its ally's war in Gaza.

Hamas said Jan. 5 it was "totally opposed" to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's plans to re-submit to the UN Security Council a resolution on ending Israel's occupation which failed last week.
      
"Hamas is totally opposed to any return to the UN Security Council by the Palestinian Authority," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement.
      

Suspected extremists torched a West Bank mosque in an apparent revenge attack Nov. 12, as the Palestinian leader and the U.S. top diplomat were to meet Jordan's King Abdullah over the spiralling violence.

Israel's closure of the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound to all visitors following the shooting of a Jewish hardliner is tantamount to a "declaration of war," Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Oct. 30.      

Sweden on Oct. 30 officially recognized the state of Palestine, Stockholm's foreign minister said, less than a month after the government announced its intention to make the controversial move. 

"Today the government takes the decision to recognise the state of Palestine," Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said in a statement published in the Dagens Nyheter daily.

Hamas warned Wednesday that Israel would pay for the kidnap and murder of a Palestinian teenager in annexed east Jerusalem, in suspected revenge for the murder of three Israeli teens.