Arab Israeli MP Haneen Zuabi on Tuesday told a UN human rights inquiry into Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla that its commandos had a "licence to kill."

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- As de facto Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas ventures into futile negotiations with Israel, the U.S. has given Israel the green light to resume construction in 57 Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, Israeli sources said, despite the alleged decision to freeze settlement activity until September 26.

US President Barack Obama claims direct talks between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Israelis will end the Israeli occupation of 1967.

During the Six-Day War of 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank, including East al-Quds (Jerusalem), the Golan Heights in Syria, Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, and the Gaza Strip.

Consistent with the established Israeli policy of denying non-Jews free access to their respective religious places in East Jerusalem, the Israeli occupation authorities have placed stringent restrictions against the entry of Muslims into occupied East Jerusalem.

27th August to 2nd September 2010

• A Middle East peace that wreaks havoc
• Hamas, the I.R.A. and Us
• UN team begins Gaza flotilla probe in Jordan
• Israeli actors refuse to take the stage in settlement theatre
• Israel academics snub settlements