On November 27th, a "Middle East peace conference" was held in Annapolis,Maryland. Leaders of Fatah who rule only over parts of the West Bank attended but Hamas, which now rules over Gaza, did not. During the talks there was no mention of freezing Israeli settlement expansion, of halting construction of the separation/apartheid wall, of the question of Jerusalem, the Palestinian refugees and borders. There was some vague reference to "core issues", without specifying what these are. There was no reference to the embargo against Gaza or the ending the occupation of the territories Israel seized in 1967.

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Israel has revealed that money will be put aside to construct 740 new buildings on West Bank settlements next year. Palestinian officials in the West Bank say Israeli settlement growth plans will scuttle negotiations. Abbas has said talks over Jerusalem and refugees would not begin until settlement activity has stopped.

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Under seige, living conditions in Gaza continue to worsen. Israeli military incursions into Gaza and targeted assassinations of militants have become an almost daily occurrence since the Annapolis summit. Food imports into the Gaza Strip are only enough to meet 41 percent of demand, the World Food Program (WFP) has said, though critical UN humanitarian food supplies are being allowed in. The cost of many basic items, such as beef, wheat and some dairy products have increased significantly, while locally grown produce is fetching extremely low prices on the local market, as exports are banned, threatening the livelihood of farmers. Health officials in the Gaza Strip say they are also concerned about hundreds of patients unable to travel to Israel or other countries for vital treatment, and that local hospitals lack essential medical equipment, drugs and fuel.

Only 41 percent of Gaza’s food import needs being met | Building hope from rubble | Israel says strikes on Gaza will be ongoing | Israeli tanks push deep into Gaza | Israeli raids target Islamic Jihad | Gazans Mark `Eid in Zoo | Tearful `Eid at Rafah Crossing | “No fuel, no gasoline, no benzene” | Israeli ministers back Hamas truce | Gaza’s medical sector suffers Israeli sanctions, restrictions | Gaza: Building hope from rubble | PFLP seeks emergency Arab League Summit | Reuters Journalist Shot by Israel | Weekly Summary of Israeli War Crimes