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Jordan Warns Israel over E.Jerusalem Hotel Rooms

Jordan's King Abdullah II on Thursday warned Israel that building hotel rooms in annexed east Jerusalem would increase regional "tension and stability."

"Israel's continued policies and plans to build settlements and take unilateral measures in Palestinian territories, particularly Jerusalem, will hinder peace efforts and increase tension and instability in the region," a palace statement quoted the king as telling a U.S. congressional delegation.

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Palestinian Hunger Striker Moved to Israeli Civilian Hospital

A Palestinian prisoner who on Wednesday marked his 64th day on hunger strike has been transferred from an Israeli prison infirmary to a civilian hospital, his lawyer told Agence France Presse.

Jamil Khatib said his 27-year-old client Bilal Diab had been transferred from the infirmary at Ramle prison near Tel Aviv to the nearby Assaf HaRofeh hospital on Tuesday lunchtime.

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Abbas Says Arab Spring Will Impact Palestinian Cause

The rise of Islamist parties across the region in the wake of the Arab Spring will have consequences for the Palestinians, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday in Tunis.

"The rise to power of Islamist forces in revolutionary countries will no doubt impact on the Palestinian issue," the head of the Palestinian Authority said during a four-day visit to Tunisia.

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Palestinians Warn of Backlash if Hunger Strikers Die

Palestinian prisoners minister Issa Qaraqaa on Tuesday warned there would be a major backlash if any of the detainees on a mass hunger inside Israeli jails were to die.

"We will not accept our prisoners returning in coffins from the occupation's prisons," Qaraqaa told a 3,000-strong crowd demonstrating in solidarity with the prisoners in the West Bank city of Nablus.

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Meshaal to Cairo for Talks on Palestinian Reconciliation

Hamas head Khaled Meshaal is to travel to Cairo next week for talks with Egyptian officials on Palestinian reconciliation, a senior official of the Islamist movement said Thursday.

Hamas political bureau chief Meshaal "will visit Cairo early next week to discuss reconciliation and Egyptian-Palestinian relations," Ismail Radwan told Agence France Presse in Gaza City, without giving a specific date.

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Russia Joins U.S., EU in Concern over Israeli Outposts

Russia on Thursday joined the United States and the European Union in expressing concern over Israel's decision to legalize three settler outposts in West Bank.

"Moscow is treating this information with serious concern," the foreign ministry said in a statement, noting that the move in the occupied Palestinian territory "affects the chances" of new talks being held by the two sides.

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EU Urges Israel to Reverse Settler Outpost Decision

The European Union called on Israel on Wednesday to reverse its decision to legalize three settler outposts in occupied Palestinian territory.

"I am extremely concerned about the decision of the Israeli authorities regarding the status of the settlements of Sansana, Rechelim and Bruchin in the occupied Palestinian territory," said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

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Palestinian Hunger Striker Appeal Nixed by Israel Supreme Court

Israel's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a Palestinian prisoner who has been refusing food for more than seven weeks to protest being held without charge, his lawyer told Agence France Presse on Wednesday.

Hassan Safdi, 31, was arrested on June 29, 2011 and has been held without charge under a procedure called administrative detention, which means a prisoner can be held for renewable periods of up to six months.

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Israel Court Rejects Palestinian Hunger Strike Appeals

An Israeli military court on Monday rejected appeals by two Palestinian prisoners who have been refusing food for 55 days, their lawyer and a Palestinian prisoner rights NGO said.

"We just confirmed with Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahla's families that both their appeals were rejected today," a spokeswoman for prisoner rights group Addameer told Agence France Presse.

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Rocket Fired from Gaza Hits Israel

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket which hit open ground in southern Israel on Monday, without causing casualties, Israeli police said.

"There was a rocket that was fired... No damage or injuries were caused," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told Agence France Presse.

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