Topic - Mahmoud Abbas

• World Briefs

  State Gov. Henrique Capriles handily won a primary vote Sunday to become the single candidate who will challenge Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, launching a race to try to dislodge a leader who after 13 years in power still has a loyal following.

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  Hamas strongman in Gaza rejects unity deal

  A rare public rift broke open Sunday in the usually tightly disciplined Islamic movement Hamas over a reconciliation deal that would require it to relinquish key areas of control in the Gaza Strip.

• Embassy Row

  The chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee chided the Obama administration Tuesday, saying the U.S. support for Israel must go "beyond rhetoric" as she met with Israel's outspoken foreign minister.

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  Palestinian rivals hold unity talks in Qatar

  The Palestinian president and the head of rival Hamas resumed talks Sunday over efforts to move along a reconciliation pact that remains stalled after nearly a year.

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  Palestinians hurl shoes at visiting U.N. chief

  Palestinians tried to block the U.N. chief from entering the Gaza Strip and flung shoes at his armored convoy on Thursday, the second day of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's mission to the region to keep informal peace talks alive.

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  Palestinian Authority likely to welcome back Hamas

  A Palestinian government that incorporates Hamas is likely to be formed this month, senior Palestinian officials told The Washington Times.

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  Israeli government offers concessions to settlers

  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has made two overtures to West Bank settlers in the run-up to his party's leadership race Tuesday: It's offering financial incentives to encourage people to move to settlements and opening the door to legalizing rogue settler outposts.

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  Activists: Climate of intolerance in West Bank

  A Palestinian atheist who was jailed and beaten last year for expressing anti-Muslim views on Facebook and in blogs says Palestinian security forces are harassing him again, despite government pledges to respect human rights.

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  Abbas: Palestinian-Israeli talks over

  A low-level dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians about a future border has ended without any breakthrough, the Palestinian president said Wednesday, reflecting the impasse plaguing the negotiations for at least three years.

• No progress, plenty of pessimism from Israelis, Palestinians

  Palestinian and Israeli officials Wednesday expressed pessimism over Jordanian-sponsored talks aimed at establishing a basis for a peace deal, signaling renewed entrenchment by both camps ahead of an international deadline.

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  Palestinian leader dismisses presidential rumors

  A top Palestinian leader says he will not run for president, even as the two main Palestinian factions inch toward a unity deal that would allow elections as early as May.

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  Longtime Hamas leader Mashaal asks to quit

  Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal has decided not to seek another term, the movement said Saturday, paving the way for a possible leadership contest at a time when the anti-Israeli Islamic group faces far-reaching decisions on whether to stay the course of militancy or moderate.

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  Palestinians to renew efforts for bid to U.N.

  Palestinian officials say that they will resume their effort to gain U.N. membership, and that they could launch a nonviolent third intifada because they see no chance of reaching a peace deal with the current Israeli government.

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  U.K.'s Clegg calls Israeli settlements 'vandalism'

  British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg accused Israel on Monday of carrying out "deliberate vandalism" by continuing to build settlements on land the Palestinians hope will form part of a future state.

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  Jordan-backed talks may help Palestinian leader

  After this week's attempt to restart Mideast peace talks, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas now is caught between undesirable choices.

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