To an increasing number of Palestinians, Mr. Abbas is inextricably enmeshed with their broader problems. A colorless leader in the 10th year of what was meant to have been a five-year term — the Palestinian leadership has not held a presidential election since 2005 — he has failed to cultivate a successor and has systematically snuffed out any challenges to his rule. He has also not capitalized on a reconciliation pact signed nearly a year ago with Hamas, or taken charge of reconstructing the Gaza Strip after last summer’s devastating war with Israel.

Four days after Israel announced it would stop withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid tax funds to the Palestinian Authority, the payment remained held up over a dispute regarding the size of the PA’s unpaid electric bill. A Palestinian source said that the Israeli demand for electricity costs is far too high for the PA, Israel Radio reported on Tuesday. Multiple sources said the two sides are still NIS 400 million ($100 million) apart on their demands over the amount to be transferred.

The White House doesn’t have a specific list of demands for Netanyahu, or a timeline to meet them. But after six years of doubting the sincerity of his commitment to a two-state solution and grumbling that he wasn’t doing enough to advance peace, now they say they’re looking for serious moves toward restarting the process.

“For Netanyahu, there will always be circumstances in the way of a Palestinian state. He simply adds to the list as he sees fit, in a shallow attempt to give the impression that he supports a two-state solution, while stipulating conditions that make the creation and viability of such a state impossible,” writes Sharif Nashashibi.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s waffling on the idea of a Palestinian state comes as the idea is less popular in the United States than it has been in at least two decades.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said the United States should not be attempting to tell Israel how to negotiate peace with the Palestinians, and he wouldn’t do so if elected president.

Against the backdrop of Benjamin Netanyahu’s election win and the Israeli prime minister’s stated rejection of a two-state solution, Palestine will soon join the International Criminal Court (ICC), in a move expected to shake up a moribund peace process.

The complaints by 26 Americans on flights which were redirected or cancelled or were present at the airport on July 22 when most American and international airlines cancelled their flights due to rocket fire which struck close by, were filed with the DOJ as Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riad al-Maliki is set to meet with International Criminal Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda on Wednesday to formally finalize the Palestinians ratification of the ICC’s Rome Statute.

“Palestine is only days away from gaining full membership to the International Criminal Court (ICC) – part of its diplomatic bid to secure justice for victims, win more international clout and improve its negotiating position with Israel,” writes James Reinl.

The Interior Ministry’s District Planning and Building Committee on Monday invited the submission of a master plan for the construction of 2,200 new housing units for the Arab sector in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabel Mukaber. As part of the plan, several hundreds of housing units built illegally will also be retroactively approved.

Menachem Lubinsky, co-chairman for the International Committee of the Preservation of Har HaZeitim, told Arutz Sheva that Jewish presence on the Mount of Olives “prevents Arabs from creating a contiguous, illegal city that would go from Ramallah all the way to the doors of West Jerusalem.”

Palestinian citizens of Israel face systematic discrimination in housing policy, according to new figures from legal advocacy organisation Adalah released in a new study to mark ‘Land Day’.

Palestinian women from Beit Hanoun found shelter with their families at an UNRWA school. They tell of the rough living conditions after losing their homes and speak of their hopes for the future.

The top Palestinian official overseeing reconstruction of war-ravaged Gaza has submitted his resignation, a government spokesman said Tuesday. Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa was not available for comment on why he stepped down. It was not clear if Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would accept the resignation of Mustafa, an experienced economist.

Activists have begun a campaign calling for construction of a bigger hospital in Gaza’s Rafah, where the only hospital has been unable to meet the needs of the residents in times of peace and war.