Israel has offered the Palestinians a proposal that Jerusalem hopes will result in extended peace negotiations beyond the initial April 29 deadline set for the current round of talks, a Palestinian official told media sources. According to the official, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was reviewing the draft agreement. While an Israeli official refrained from providing details on the offer, he said, "Now the Palestinians need to reply if they are willing to continue negotiations." (Jerusalem Post)

Iran has named as its next ambassador to the UN, a member of the terrorist organization that held 52 Americans hostage in Tehran 34 years ago. Media reports Sunday disclosed the Iranian government has applied for a US visa for Hamid Aboutalebi, who was a member of a radical student’s group that seized the US embassy on Nov. 4, 1979, and held its staff hostage for 444 days. The State Department has not responded to the visa application, according to an Iranian diplomat. Aboutalebi’s appointment could lead to demands in Washington that the Obama administration take the unusual step of denying a visa to an official posted to the UN. ;In addition, it “could hamper progress toward a comprehensive agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear program,” which the US and other members of the P5+1 group are seeking to negotiate with Iran by July 20. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani tapped Aboutalebi for the UN position after an interim deal on Iran's nuclear weapons program was reached last November. (Israel National News)

PM Binyamin Netanyahu has slammed the UN Human Rights Council for “absurdly” condemning Israel in five resolutions while censuring Syria and Iran only once. "At the end of last week, the UN Human Rights Council condemned Israel five times, when the slaughter in Syria is continuing, innocent people are being hung in the Middle East and human rights are being eroded," he told ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting. "In many countries the free media are closed down and the UN Human Rights Council decided to condemn Israel," he added. "It's absurd. This procession of hypocrisy goes on and we shall continue to denounce and expose it. "According to Human Rights Watch, the 47-member UN body on Friday passed four resolutions critical of Israel's conduct toward the Palestinians and one on its "occupation of the Golan Heights." HRW said the motions on the Palestinians were carried by 46 votes to one, with only the US against, while the Golan resolution garnered 13 abstentions and a US 'no' vote. (Israel National News) “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: ‘Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.’” Ps 2:4-6

Sha'alu Shalom Yerushalayim.!!!!..  These are indeed troubling days for all of us - pray without ceasing.