Palestinians get life sentences for killing Israeli couple

An Israeli military court has handed life sentences to four Palestinians who gunned down an Israeli couple in front of their children in the West Bank last year.
The military said the four members of the Islamic militant group Hamas were sentenced today.
Eitam and Naama Henkin were shot dead as they drove through the West Bank last October. Their four children, including a four-month-old infant, were in the car but survived unharmed. Eitam was an American citizen.
Palestinians have carried out dozens of attacks over the past nine months, killing 32 Israelis and two Americans. Some 200 Palestinians have been killed during the same period, most identified by Israel as attackers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet US Secretary of State John Kerry in Rome amid growing international pressure for the resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians.
Netanyahu's office said today that the prime minister will meet Kerry early next week, without providing further details.

Israeli media has reported that the two will discuss resuming talks with the Palestinians that collapsed two years ago.
Netanyahu faces mounting pressure over the conflict with the Palestinians.
He opposes a French initiative, insisting a deal can only be reached in direct negotiations between the two sides.
Palestinians have welcomed the French initiative.

The Quartet of Mideast mediators the UN, US, European Union and Russia are finalizing a report on the conflict expected to be critical of Israel.