US President Donald Trump will recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and direct the State Department to begin the lengthy process of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the city, according to senior Trump administration officials. The announcement, which is expected at 18:00 GMT on Wednesday, comes amid global condemnation of the move.
Two 19th-century nuns on Sunday became the first Palestinians to gain sainthood during an open-air mass celebrated by Pope Francis in St Peter's Square attended by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.
The Vatican concluded its first treaty that formally recognizes the State of Palestine, with an agreement on Catholic Church activities in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority, the Holy See said on Wednesday.
Sweden has recognized the State of Palestine, the country’s foreign minister has announced, making it the first European Union country to do so. The 130 other nations that already recognize a Palestinian State include Hungary, Slovakia and Poland although these three countries took this step before joining the EU.
The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday endorsed an upgraded UN status for the Palestinian Authority, despite intense opposition from the United States and Israel.
The Quartet of Middle East negotiators urged Israel and the Palestinians on Friday to resume peace talks within one month and aim for a deal by the end of 2012.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said US President Barack Obama vision of a Palestinian state on the borders of 1967 could leave the Jewish state indefensible.
Uruguay announced on Tuesday it had recognized a Palestinian state, becoming the latest in a string of Latin American countries to make an endorsement in recent months the United States has called premature.