By MICHAEL GREEN 'In my parents' view, I'm stupid," says Sami Backleh, an articulate 28-year-old with two science degrees under his belt who spends most of his time working pro bono. "The mission is really hard, but it's important and I have to work at it.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, declared last night that Israel reserved the right to expand existing Jewish settlements in Arab East Jerusalem and in parts of the West Bank that it hopes to retain in any final peace deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday held their first summit since renewing peace talks last month, but failed to resolve a dispute over planned Israeli construction in east Jerusalem.

By Jeff Root Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday ruled out ceasefire talks with Hamas, calling the country's battle against the Islamic militant group a "true war". The Israeli army has been battling against Hamas and other armed groups that frequently fire rockets into southern Israel.

By Donald Macintyre Palestinian negotiators used the first session since the international Middle East conference in Annapolis to express their outrage over plans for an expansion of the settlement of Har Homa - already criticised by the US, EU and UK government.