On January 10, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the go-ahead for the construction of a wall along Israel's Gaza border. The barrier, which is expected to take two years to complete, will cost Israel one billion shekels.

"I have made the decision to close the southern border to smugglers and terrorists," Netanyahu said. "We are talking about a strategic decision to ensure the Jewish and democratic nature of the State of Israel." Netanyahu was referring, not only to Palestinian military activists but also to "illegal immigrants" that enter Israel through the border.

Israel's wall comes just weeks after Egypt announced the construction of its own steel wall along the Egypt-Rafah border, a decision which sparked outrage and demonstrations in both Cairo and Gaza. One Egyptian policeman was killed in cross-border clashes last week between Palestinians and the Egyptian military. On January 13, Egypt had already erected 23 watchtowers along its border with Gaza.

Egypt's wall along the Rafah border is being built to ostensibly curb tunnel smuggling across the border, a trade that has run rampant in the besieged Gaza Strip since 2007. The decision has caused tensions to run even higher between Egypt and the Hamas authority currently administering the Strip, which has dubbed it the "wall of death."

Death doesn't only come though the tunnels, however. Last week alone, five activists from the Izzedin Al Qassam Brigades and the Islamic Jihad were killed by Israeli fire in Deir Al Balah and Beit Layhia.

Meanwhile, while Hamas has called on its military groups to withhold rocket attacks against Israel so as to avoid Israeli retaliation, this has not been translated into a truce between the two sides. On January 15, Hamas and Islamic Jihad confirmed there was no suspension of hostilities agreed on with Israel. "There is no agreement for a truce," said Ayman Taha, senior Hamas leader. "No one has offered us an agreement to consult on."

This was apparent from statements coming from Israeli military leaders earlier in the week. On January 10, former OC Southern Command Major General Samia predicted that Israel would wage another war with Hamas, which he said was "practically inevitable."

"We are before another round in Gaza," Samia told Israel Army Radio. "I am very skeptical about the possibility that Hamas will suddenly surrender or change its ways without being hit much more seriously than it was during Cast Lead," adding that the Israeli army needs to carry out "a more focused strike with long-lasting results."

Israel is still not done with the repercussions of the first invasion, however. On January 15, British Labor Party legislator Gerald Kaufman, who is visiting Gaza along with 60 European parliamentarians said Israeli officials who authorized the use of white phosphorous during Israel's invasion of Gaza should be put on trial. "Anybody who uses white phosphorus should be arrested and should be tried for war crimes," Kaufman said.

Furthermore, on January 15, an Islamic Turish human rights group, Mazlum-Der petitioned a prosecutor to start legal proceedings against Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak for war crimes against Palestinians during Operation Cast Lead. Turkey's Justice Ministry has so far rejected similar appeals against Israeli officials.

However, given the strained relations recently between Israel and Turkey, this could change. The petition comes two days before Barak is scheduled to visit Turkey in order to smooth over tensions, especially after the recent spat between the two counties. On January 12 Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayolon summoned the Turkish envoy to the Knesset to chide him about a Turkish series that apparently depicts Mossad agents as killing Palestinian children. In a public humiliation, Ayalon was heard telling a cameraman during a photo op to film the Israeli delegation sitting on chairs positioned higher than that of the Turkish envoy with only the Israeli flag hung for the occasion.

Turkey of course, demanded an apology from Israel, which came on January 13. While the government officially accepted Israel's apology, it is yet to be seen how the Turkish people will welcome Barak on his official visit on the 17th.

In Jerusalem, 15 Israeli leftist activists were arrested in Sheikh Jarrah on January 15 during a weekly demonstration against Israel's policy of evicting Palestinians from their homes in the neighborhood. Among those arrested was the head of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Hagai Elad.

The Association condemned the arrests. "We harshly condemn the police's suppression of the freedom of speech which had no legal grounds. The demonstration was forcefully scattered even though it took place legally, with no provocations or disruptions of public order," it said in a written statement.

Also in Jerusalem, a Jerusalem court sentenced Islamic movement head inside Israel, Sheikh Raed Salah to nine months in prison on charges of incitement. Salah had previously been banned from entering the city.

On January 12, Netanyahu's office laid to rest any misconceptions over his stance on Jerusalem, apparently made by Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu Gheith. A few days earlier, Abu Gheith had said the Israeli premier had shown flexibility over recognizing Arab Jerusalem as the capital of the future Palestinian state. Netanyahu vehemently denied the claims saying that Jerusalem would remain unified under Israeli rule.

Furthermore, Netanyahu confirmed on January 10 that his government would resume settlement construction in eight months after the so-called 10-month moratorium on settlement building was over. In reference to the prisoner swap with Hamas, Netanyahu reiterated that it would not release Palestinians who are considered “symbols of terrorism”, even accusing the Palestinian Authority and President Abbas of incitement because the latter named a square in Ramallah after Dalal Al Mughrabi, a Palestinian woman who carried out a military operation against Israel in 1978.

In the West Bank, Jewish settlers continued to vandalize Palestinian property. On January 14, south of Hebron, settlers uprooted 70 olive trees belonging to Palestinians in the area. On January 10, Israeli occupation forces demolished homes, a school and barracks belonging to 35 families in the Tana Quarter near Bet Foureek under the pretext that they are built in an area for Israeli military training.

Finally, under an initiative from Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, the PA will deposit a monthly sum of $150,000 into a new fund named the National Honor Fund, aimed at removing all products made in West Bank settlements from the Palestinian market. According to statistics provided by the new fund, $500 million worth of goods produced in settlements find their way into the Palestinian territories each year.