Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby urged Arab countries to take a “firm stand” against Israel’s demand for Palestinians to recognize it as a Jewish state. Speaking Sunday at the Arab Foreign Ministers meeting in Cairo, Elaraby called the concession a deviation from the previously agreed-upon framework for peace talks.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry landed in Israel yesterday for the 10th time in less than a year. Shortly afterward, he made clear what has become more evident over the past month – that, within a few weeks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will have to make decisions that will determine whether the peace process is on the verge of a historic breakthrough or on the road to failure and a dangerous blowup.

As U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry returns to the region Thursday, the American message to the Israeli and Palestinian leaders is clear: It's time to start making hard decisions. Kerry is bringing his own ideas for the outlines of a peace deal, and early indications are that the plan will include hard-to-swallow choices for both sides.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas urged Christian pilgrims from around the world to visit the Holy Land to mark the visit of Pope Francis, set for 2014, in a Christmas message on Monday. The pontiff is to make a brief visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories from May 25, his first to the Holy Land, Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot said last week.

Mexican Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Meade called on the United States on Tuesday to widen an investigation into spying to include allegations that a U.S. government agency hacked former President Felipe Calderon's public email account.