BBC News, this is Mike Cooper.
The American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has told Israel that it faces tough choices if it's to achieve peace with the Palestinians. Speaking after a public row with Israel over planned Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian territory, Mrs Clinton said the status quo was unsustainable, and negotiations on a two-state solution were the only way forward.
"It will take direct negotiations between the parties to work through all the issues and end the conflict. United States stands ready to play an active and sustained role in these talks and to support the parties as they work to resolve permanent status issues including security, borders, refugees and Jerusalem."
Meanwhile, an Israeli soldier has been shot dead by colleagues on the Gaza border. An army spokesman said one of the group of soldiers opened fire on another after mistaking them for Palestinians who'd illegally crossed the border into Israel.
President Hamid Karzai has held peace talks with a delegation from Afghanistan's second biggest militant group Hezb-e-Islami. Mr Karzai's spokesman said he had yet to respond to a tentative peace plan offered at the talks two days ago. Quentin Sommerville reports from Kabul.
The two sides have been in contact before, but this is the highest profile meeting yet significantly taking place in the capital city Kabul. There's a growing recognition both within Afghanistan and from its foreign partners that insurgents have to be a part of any peace settlement and that the ongoing military operation alone won't be enough to bring peace to the country. President Karzai is expected to hold a peace jirga, a gathering of tribal leaders sometime next month.