Unlike some Olympic powerhouses, Israel has just three athletes competing in the winter games, including an ice-dancing brother-sister team and a skier. But that could change in the coming years if growing interest in one Olympic sport turns more competitive. Arieh O'Sullivan of The Media Line caught up with an enthusiastic squad of Israeli athletes who love to play ice hockey.

U.S. envoy George Mitchell recently said that Israel has reduced the number of checkpoints and roadblocks in the West Bank, helping economic growth. For its part, last year the U.S. gave nearly $1 billion in assistance to the Palestinians. Felice Friedson of The Media Line looks at broader attempts to foster growth and foreign investment in the Palestinian economy.

People have come to the Dead Sea for thousands of years to benefit from the minerals found in its mud. Now, salt therapy is being touted as the latest prescription for good health.

Official election results show that Lebanon has voted to maintain its pro-western government majority, which beat out another coalition led by Hezbollah. Mohamad Bazzi of the Council on Foreign Relations discusses what the results mean for Hezbollah, for the stability of Lebanon and for American foreign policy in the region.