This week, the US put rumors to rest that it may have a peace plan in the making. On April 9, US National Security Advisor James Jones said his administration was discussing ways to get the peace process back on track but did not have any new plan in the offing. "There's been no decision made regarding a concrete plan," he said to Washington reporters.

Probably better, given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attitude towards any American intervention. According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, Netanyahu told his aides during private meetings last week that he would not accept any imposed peace plan. It won't work and it won't be acceptable if a settlement is forced on us," Netanyahu reportedly told his aides. Apparently, Netanyahu has his own plans in the making. On April 4 during the end-of-Passover festival, Mimouna, Netanyahu told an audience in Or Akiva that Israel would, "continue developing in the north and the south, and certainly in Jerusalem."

That is obvious, especially in Jerusalem, where Israeli settlers continue to make claims on homes in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. On April 6, two more families in the Palestinian neighborhood were notified to evacuate their homes within one month. According to the settlers' claim, they have documents dating back to the Ottoman era proving their ownership. Hatem Abdel Qader, a longtime Fateh veteran in Jerusalem, says the claims are completely bogus. According to him and other Palestinian sources, Jewish settlers intend on demolishing 28 homes in Sheikh Jarrah and evacuating hundreds of Palestinians from the quarter. The Al Ghawi and Hannoun families were forced out of their homes months ago, which were taken over by right-wing settlers. Furthermore, the west Jerusalem municipality has ordered the families to pay the moving costs of their expulsion from their homes amounting to thousands of shekels.

This does not sit well with many, including a group of Israeli and foreign activists who come to Sheikh Jarrah and protest every Friday. On April 10, four international peace activists were detained by Israeli forces during the weekly protest. On April 5, OCHA, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs even stated the obvious scheme, which is that the settlers are trying to impose a new status quo in Jerusalem.

In the West Bank, at another weekly protest in Bilin several other Palestinian and foreign nationals were arrested including a field worker for B'Tselem and a cameraman for the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements.

On a brighter note, on April 7, Palestinian residents of Jerusalem opened the Rachel Corrie Park for children in Sheikh Jarrah. The park is located near the demolished Al Kurd home. While a group of settlers tried to attack journalists on the site, Palestinians were still able to place a sign in Arabic and English naming the park the “Sheikh Jarrah Children’s Park in honor of Rachel Corrie, the symbol of freedom and independence."

On April 3, death struck again at an Israeli checkpoint. Sixty-three year old Mohammad Alayan died of dehydration and cardiac arrest after he was delayed for several hours at the Huwarra checkpoint near Nablus. According to medical sources, Alayan, who is also a French citizen, was barred from crossing the checkpoint on route to Jordan for medical treatment. The French embassy has demanded an explanation into his death from Israel whose army says it will "investigate the incident."

On April 6, Israeli authorities banned Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, from entering the Gaza Strip. Gandhi, who previously met with Palestinian leaders and dignitaries in Ramallah, said he was saddened by the decision and applauded the Palestinians' non-violent resistance in Bilin. "It is our duty to awaken the international community from its slumber, and I will contribute in this effort to support the Palestinian people's just cause,” Gandhi said.

Apparently, even King Abdullah II of Jordan is unhappy with Israel, saying his country's relationship with Israel was at an all-time low in an interview with the Wall Street Journal published on April 5. “I was extremely optimistic by the vision he [Netanyahu] had for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians and the Israelis and the Arabs. However, I have to say that over the past 12 months, everything I've seen on the ground has made me extremely skeptical."

In Gaza, residents are in the dark again. On April 9, the lights went out after the Strip's limited fuel supplies dried up and its only power plant was forced to shut down. The crossings were also closed due to the power shortage according to Gaza officials and would not open until Sunday. Palestinian Energy Authority Vice President Kanaan Ubeid said all four generators at the power station had stopped functioning altogether. "Our fuel supply has reduced from 2,200 units per day to 750, and this is not enough to run even one generator," Ubeid said.

Furthermore, on April 4, Israel threatened to launch another military strike against Gaza should rockets continue to be fired at northern Israel. This comes just one day after Israel pounded the Strip with seven strikes according to Palestinians, which hit several targets including a cheese factory, studio and a metal workshop. Three children were hurt in the strikes.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is drumming up support for his two-year declaration of independence plan for Palestine. According to the Spanish foreign ministry, an Ad Hoc Liaison Committee meeting will be held on April 12 and 13 to discuss the building of a Palestinian state and financial assistance to the Palestinians. According to the ministry, 20 delegations and Quartet Committee envoy Tony Blair will be in attendance.

On his part, Fayyad seems revved up, talking in detail about his plan in an interview with Haaretz last week. Some of his sentiments were not met welcomingly however, especially from Hamas and the PFLP. In response to a question on the refugee issue, Fayyad said the leadership is "preparing to absorb the refugees in the Palestinian state within the 1967 borders." This was taken by some as a relinquishment of the right of return, which is a red line among the overwhelming majority of Palestinians. Hamas denounced Fayyad's statement, saying they violated international resolutions while the PFLP demanded that the premier stand trial.

Fayyad, however, has remained undeterred. On the occasion of Easter, which fell on April 4, Fayyad reassured the masses in Bethlehem that next year, "Inshallah we shall celebrate in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in east Jerusalem, the capital of the Palestinian state".