Israel okays more settler homes

Israel has retroactively legalised some 800 homes in four settlements in the occupied West Bank, the interior ministry said.

They included 377 homes in the Yakir settlement, 187 in Itmar and 94 in Shilo in the northern West Bank, as well as 97 more in Sansana in the south of the occupied Palestinian territory, it said. The decision was taken two weeks ago, but was only reported in the Israeli press yesterday.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will meet with the prosecutor of the world's only permanent war crimes court, Palestinian officials said amid a surge of fresh violence with Israel. It will be Abbas's first meeting with the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court since the Palestinian Authority sparked controversy by joining the tribunal in January.

Meanwhile, two Palestinians allegedly tried to stab Israeli police at a West Bank checkpoint yesterday, one of whom was shot dead while the other was wounded by Israeli fire, police said.

Since the beginning of the month, at least 63 Palestinians and nine Israelis have been killed in violence.