Under pressure from Jewish overseas groups, Israel's PM will review restrictions at holy site

Israel on Monday advanced a project to build hundreds of homes in East Jerusalem, pushing ahead with plans for a surge of settlement building on occupied land in response to a successful Palestinian bid to gain limited recognition of statehood at the United Nations.

Formally stepping down Sunday to face corruption charges, Israel's outspoken foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, predicted that he would soon return to his post after expedited legal proceedings.

Israel's Prime Minister said yesterday that comments by the leader of Hamas showed that the Palestinian militant group wanted to destroy Israel.

Hamas' exiled political leader pledges to work with Fatah on his first visit to Gaza since 1967

Defying mounting international protests, Israel moved ahead Wednesday with plans for a West Bank settlement project near Jerusalem that has been widely condemned as diminishing prospects for a territorially viable Palestinian state.

Israel has not only "punished" the Palestinians for seeking and achieving an upgrade of UN status, it has also slapped the face of the UK and of Germany, both of whom withheld support for the Palestinians in the vote.

For eight days, the sounds of illegal commerce at the ragged southern edge of the Gaza Strip were silenced by the pounding thrum of battle.

The Ynet news site said the move had been approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's inner council

Peace at any price is a non-starter. So too is peace at Mr Netanyahu’s price

Mr Barak's resignation could mean the departure of the most moderating influence on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

President Barack Obama's decision to send his top diplomat on an emergency Middle East peacemaking mission Tuesday marked an administration shift to a more activist role in the region's affairs and offered clues to how he may use the political elbow room afforded by a second term.

Gaza suffered its bloodiest day yesterday since Israel launched a military offensive in the Palestinian territory, with a sharp escalation in the ferocity of attacks from both sides amid frenzied diplomacy to try to forestall an Israeli ground assault.

How the Arab Spring can be traced in the recent escalation of violence