It is "a matter of time" before the Syrian regime headed by President Bashar al-Assad is ousted from power by a popular uprising, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said on Monday.
The White House on Thursday urged Israel and the Palestinians to avoid actions that jeopardize efforts to restart stalled peace talks as both sides feuded over a planned settlement expansion.
Israel's interior minister has given final approval for the construction of 1,600 new settler homes in east Jerusalem, his spokesman said Thursday, prompting a furious reaction from Palestinian officials.
