REGIONS: COUNTRIES:

Israel and Palestine: An Interim Agreement
Ehud Yaari

More than 16 years after the euphoria of the Oslo accords, the Israelis and the Palestinians have still not reached a final-status peace agreement. Indeed, the last decade has been dominated by setbacks -- the second intifada, Hamas' victory in the Palestinian legislative elections and then its military takeover of the Gaza Strip -- all of which have aggravated the conflict.

New Palestinian Statehood Push and Nuclear Threat to Israel
Louis R. Beres

The Palestinian Authority still makes its aggressive intentions plain. On its official emblem, Israel is covered with an Arab Keffiyah headdress, next to a Kalashnikov rifle, and a picture of Yasser Arafat.

Israel's Challenges from the United Nations to the J Street Lobby
Harold Evans

It's depressing that almost the only news you get about Israel is so determinedly negative. If you asked nearly anyone about Israel, it's a good bet nobody would say ...

Palestinians Start to Show Progress
Mortimer B. Zuckerman

There is still a ways to go, but the progress being made by the Palestinians, especially in terms of controlling the terrorists and criminal gangs, is one of the most promising developments to have occurred in decades.

Obama Fumbling a Chance for Middle East Peace
Mortimer B. Zuckerman

Only four percent of Israelis see Obama as a friend. Obama should worry about this. So should we all, for the alienation has significant consequences for peace

On Gaza, the UN Targets Israel Again
Harold Evans

A new report is the gold standard of moral equivalence between killer and victim in Gaza.

Consequences of the Palestinian-Israel Status Quo
William Pfaff

There seems to have been a mistake made when President Barack Obama named former Sen. George J. Mitchell his special representative concerned with settlement of the Palestinian-Israel impasse. The president and Mr. Mitchell seem to have believed that the problem is one of negotiation between adamantly opposed but ultimately reconcilable parties

Shimon Peres on Peace, Obama's Tough Love, and Working in the Shadows
Arianna Huffington

It's hard to spend any time with Israeli President Shimon Peres and remain pessimistic about the possibility of peace. 'I'm 86,' he told me, 'and at a moment in my life when I have no personal agenda. I'm not interested in money. I'm not jealous of anyone. My only agenda is my country. I feel freer than I've ever felt before -- and with this freedom I can be most effective. At my age I don't want a suntan. I like being in the shadows.'

Biofuel Technology and Performance Issues Could Slow Acceptance
Ari Axelrod

Biofuels are a conundrum. Their potential advantages are undeniable: reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, lessening of our dependency on imported oil, support of domestic agriculture. And they certainly have their supporters. The Obama administration repeatedly affirmed its backing of rapid development of alternative energy sources, including biofuels. Still, the hurdles are high.

Israel Fortifies Presence in Latin America
Andres Oppenheimer

Following three years of frantic Iranian activities in Latin America that included three trips by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the region -- a fourth visit is scheduled in August to Brazil -- and the opening or enlargement of a half-dozen Iranian embassies, Israel is beginning to raise its own profile in the region.

Obama Presses Israel on Settlements
by William Pfaff

The Obama administration's confrontation with Israel over its colonies inside the Palestine territories began as a test of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's willingness to enter serious negotiations on a Middle Eastern settlement.

Israel's Cuban Missile Crisis All the Time
by Victor Davis Hanson

Why would the Iranian government spend billions of dollars on trying to develop a few first-generation nuclear bombs when the country is so poor that it has to ration gasoline? A lot of reasons have been offered by various experts.

Waiting For Netanyahu
International Current Events, News & World Affairs

As President Obama prepares to receive Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their first meeting, the situation is very similar to what it was in 1978.

Now as then, Israel is ruled by a rightwing coalition. Now as then, some of its elements are more hawkish than the prime minister and his Likud Party is. Now as then, talks with the other side are ongoing but leading nowhere.

Essence of Islamist Resistance:
Different View of Iran, Hezbollah & Hamas
by Alastair Crooke

Most Western analysts of political Islam make the same mistake. They instinctively assume that conflict with the West has mainly to do with specific foreign policies, particularly of the U.S. with respect to Israel, the Arab world and Iran, and, if those changed, all would be well.

Clinton affirms US Israel support
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denies US-Israel relations are in crisis amid a row over Jerusalem settlements.

Netanyahu in-law makes Obama slur
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu distances himself from his brother-in-law who called Barack Obama anti-Semitic.

Ashton condemns settler plan
EU foreign policy chief Baroness Ashton criticises Israel's decision to build new homes in occupied East Jerusalem.

Hamas leader seized in West Bank
A leading member of the Hamas militant group, Mahar Uda, is arrested in the West Bank, the Israeli army says.

Israel charges over human shield
Israel charges two of soldiers over the use of a Palestinian boy as a human shield during its offensive against Hamas in Gaza.

UN critical of Israel over blockade
The UN's top humanitarian official strongly criticises Israel's Gaza blockade and its expanding settlements.

Hamas releases British journalist
Hamas releases a British journalist it had held for a month in Gaza, saying at a news conference that it suspects him of being a spy.

Israel sued over dead US activist
A court case brought by the family of Rachel Corrie, a US protester killed by an Israeli army bulldozer in 2003, opens in Israel.

US attacks East Jerusalem plans
The US vice-president condemns Israel's approval of 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem, as he prepares to visit the West Bank.

Palestinians back new peace talks
Palestinian leaders back a new round of indirect peace talks with Israel, more than a year after they last broke down.

Plan to stop 'political' warrants
The UK is planning to stop attempts to secure "politically-motivated" arrest warrants for visiting foreign officials, the prime minister has said.

IDF soldier jailed after web leak
The Israeli military cancels a raid on a Palestinian village after one of its soldiers posted details of the operation on Facebook.

Arab ministers back peace talks
Arab foreign ministers back the resumption of indirect peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

New East Jerusalem plan unveiled
Israel unveils a new plan for an upmarket district of hotels and gardens in Arab East Jerusalem, but then immediately puts it on hold.

W Bank cabinet in shrine protest
The Palestinian Authority moves its weekly cabinet meeting to Hebron, the scene of daily protests about Israeli claims to two West Bank shrines.

Egypt lifts ban on gas to Israel
The supreme court in Egypt overturns an earlier ruling by a lower court that banned gas sales to Israel.

UN renews demand for Gaza probes
The UN renews its demand for Israel and the Palestinians to hold independent investigations into war crimes allegations.

W Bank clashes over heritage list
Palestinians and Israeli security forces clash in the West Bank city of Hebron over Israeli plans for heritage sites.

EU: Settlement goods not Israeli
The European Court of Justice rules that Israeli goods made in Jewish settlements cannot be considered Israeli.

Hamas man's son 'was Israeli spy'
The son of a jailed Hamas leader who converted to Christianity and moved to California says that he spied for Israel.

Aid worker diary: Part 25
Hatem Shurrab, an aid worker in Gaza for the UK-based charity Islamic Relief Worldwide, keeps a diary of his work amid the conflict.

Gaza voices: Hamas and the truce
Palestinians in Gaza assess the ceasefire "victory" for Hamas, and describe the aftermath of the conflict.

Israeli and Palestinian views
In pictures: Reaction to ceasefire

Broken town shows Gaza destruction
The BBC's Paul Wood reports from Gaza City on his impressions as he entered northern Gaza at the beginning of the ceasefire.

Gaza City voices: Pressure eases
Palestinians across Gaza City describe a welcome easing in conditions after Israeli tanks pull back.

Israeli voices: When to stop
Four Israelis discuss the conflict with Hamas.

Jerusalem
The BBC's Martin Asser looks at issues which divide Palestinians and Israelis.

Borders and settlements
The BBC's Martin Asser looks at the four main obstacles on the road to peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

Water
The BBC's Martin Asser looks at issues still dividing Arabs and Israelis.

Refugees
The BBC News website's Martin Asser looks at the issue of Palestinian refugees, one of the main obstacles to peace.

History of failed peace talks
In the 40 years since the Middle East war of June 1967, there have been many peace plans and many negotiations.

Profile: Fatah movement
After decades as the ruling party and heart of the Palestinian cause, Fatah seems to have slipped in Palestinians' affections.

Who is a civilian?
What can be defined as military target?

Guide: Gaza under blockade
The BBC News Website examines the Israeli restrictions on Gaza that aid agencies say have brought conditions in the Strip to their worst in decades.

Profile: Gaza Strip
Profile of the strip, including population centres, refugee camps and border crossings.

Who are Hamas?
Hamas, the main Islamist movement in the Palestinian territories, was born soon after the previous intifada erupted in 1987.

Q&A: Israeli Arabs
The BBC News website looks at the complex position of the 20% of Israeli's population that are of Palestinian Arab descent.

Gaza industry rebuilding struggle
Gaza's industries, already hit hard by Israel's two-year blockade, are struggling to recover from war damage six months on from the January conflict, reports the BBC's Heather Sharp in Gaza City.

Breaking silence on Gaza abuses
A report by a group of Israeli ex-military activists lends credibility to widespread claims that the laws of war were breached in Gaza.

Working West Bank checkpoints
You may be able to see Jerusalem from the West Bank but it doesn't mean it is an easy job delivering goods across the border.

Agencies rush aid to Gaza Strip
The UN says border crossings must be opened quickly to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered to the Gaza Strip.

After Arafat
Palestinian dream of independence is remote as ever

Sharing the land
Why Mid-East peace has remained elusive

Gaza scrutiny
The UN looks closely, but will report bring action?

US pressure on Arabs grows
Obama presses Arab states on peace process

PM concedes a little in key speech
Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu may have mentioned the words "Palestinian state", but his speech gave little else to encourage those who dream of peace, the BBC's Jeremy Bowen says.

Life of exile
High cost of leaving Israel's Orthodox community

Tunnel trade
How Gaza's economy has gone underground

Cinematic tension
Jewish-Arab film breaks new ground for Israeli audience

Goldstone fall-out plagues Abbas
Palestinian leaders face anger over UN report on Gaza

Cancer trauma inspires film
Palestinian film of woman's fight for cancer treatment

Tinder-box
Tensions run high in the streets of East Jerusalem

Primary colours
Israeli designer aims to 'recolour' grey public space

Cut and run?
Bombed out and banned: Gaza's male hairdressers

Bruised friendship
Has Israeli-US row brought ties to a 35 year low?

Fishy future
Are farms the future for Gaza's fishermen?

Dig for history
Archaeology and the struggle for Jerusalem

BBC News | In Depth | Middle East crisis | World Edition
BBC News Special Reports: Middle East Crisis, in-depth coverage and analysis on the struggle between Israel and the Palestinians plus audio and video.

Foreign minister: 'Not reasonable' to stop building in East Jerusalem
Pressure on Israel to refrain from building housing in East Jerusalem is "not reasonable," Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Wednesday.

It won't be easy to restore trust between U.S. and Israel
The current flap over Israeli settlement construction in East Jerusalem is a real humdinger, but it isn't the worst moment in the history of U.S.-Israeli relations.

Israel debates move to ban fur trade
It started with a graphic documentary on Israeli TV showing cats and dogs being skinned alive for their fur. The program also reported some clothes claiming to be made of synthetic fur were in fact made of real pelt.

Clinton dismisses any crisis with Israel
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is dismissive of the view that relations between the United States and Israel are in crisis after a row between the two countries over settlements.

Palestinians riot to protest synagogue reopening
Palestinians hurled rocks and burned tires in several neighborhoods in East Jerusalem Tuesday to protest the reopening of a landmark synagogue after more than 60 years.

Is the U.S. taking relations with Israel to the brink? Probably not
Relations between the United States and Israel have been rocky at best since President Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both took office, specifically over the U.S. demand for Israel to stop settlement activity and the Israeli refusal to do so.

U.S. was right to chastise Israel
If you listen to supporters of Israel, they essentially act as if Americans criticizing the Jewish nation is akin to committing treason against the United States.

Biden: U.S. won't play favorites between Israelis, Palestinians
The United States will hold both Israel and the Palestinians responsible for any steps that make peace between them more difficult, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday.

Parents demand answers from Israel in bulldozer death
A 23-year-old American activist stands in front of an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza. The bulldozer drives over her, crushing her to death. These are the facts.

Dozens injured in clashes at Jerusalem holy site
Dozens of people were injured during clashes Friday between Israeli police and Palestinian youths in east Jerusalem at one of the city's holiest sites.

U.N. presses for more investigations into Israel-Gaza war
The United Nations' General Assembly on Friday passed an Arab League-backed resolution calling on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to further investigate alleged war crimes during the Israel-Gaza war.

Australia warns Israel over Dubai killing
Australia warned Israel Thursday of a possible diplomatic rift if Israel condoned the use of fraudulent Australian passports in the killing of a Hamas leader.

Europeans press Israel for answers after Dubai killing
European officials pressed Israel for answers Thursday over the use of fraudulent passports by suspects in the killing of a top Hamas official, following media speculation that Israeli agents were involved.

No Palestinian partners for peace
Peace. For Israel, it's the name of the game. It's been that way since the state's founding in 1948. In fact, it's been at the heart of the Jewish journey from time immemorial.

Ancient road found in Jerusalem's heart
Archaeologists working under the direction of the Israeli Antiquities Authority have uncovered a 1500-year-old road running through the center of Jerusalem's Old City.

Archaeologists find Byzantine era road
Archaeologists working under the direction of the Israeli Antiquities Authority have uncovered a 1,500-year-old road running through the center of Jerusalem's Old City.

Human rights group slams Israel's probe of Gaza conflict
An international human rights organization on Sunday faulted Israel's investigation into alleged war crimes last year in Gaza.

Uncertainty looms over Gaza war crimes allegations
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the world body is unable to determine whether Israelis and Palestinians have done enough to investigate allegations that both sides committed war crimes during last year's war in the Gaza Strip.

Israel warns Syrian leader over war comments
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman issued a stark warning to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday that he and his family would lose their hold on power if Syria were to attack Israel.

Israel disciplines officers over Gaza shelling
The Israeli military has disciplined two officers for allowing artillery shells to be fired into a "populated" area of Gaza during Israel's three week war against Hamas last year.

Israel defends actions in 2009 Gaza conflict
As a deadline neared, Israel handed the United Nations Friday a report justifying its actions during last year's Gaza campaign and rebutting the so-called "Goldstone Report" as biased.

Israel plans barrier along border with Egypt
Israel will build barrier along its southern border with Egypt to stop illegal crossings, the prime minister said.

Israeli airstrike kills 3 Palestinians
Hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the nation would respond strongly to rockets and mortars fired into southern Israel from Gaza, three Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Protesters rally to end economic blockade of Gaza
Hundreds of protesters from the Gaza Strip and Israel converged on both sides of the main border crossing Thursday in an organized rally to call for the end of the economic blockade of Gaza maintained by Israel and Egypt.

Iran soccer chief apologizes for Israel greeting
The head of Iran's soccer federation issued a public apology and a member of his staff resigned after the federation mistakenly sent a New Year's greeting to its counterpart in Israel, Iranian officials announced Sunday.

Palestinian leader speaks from prison
One of the key players in Palestinian politics and therefore in any future peace talks with Israel has spoken to CNN from his Israeli prison cell. Marwan Barghouti is serving five life sentences following his conviction in an Israeli court on murder and other charges related to his role in planning attacks on Israelis during the second Intifada.

Israel could release 980 Palestinians to free soldier, prosecutors say
Israel could release 980 Palestinian prisoners in a possible deal to win the freedom of an Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas for three years, prosecutors disclosed Sunday.

Israel approves plan to build 900 homes
Israel approved a construction plan Tuesday for hundreds of houses in a disputed neighborhood on Jerusalem's southern outskirts, quickly prompting criticism from Washington.

Fishermen trawl under Israeli navy scrutiny
Sunrise over Gaza City illuminates a flurry of activity as fishermen come in from a long night on the sea and unload their catch to be taken straight to market.

Israel's lively start-up culture keeps economy thriving
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returns to Washington, D.C., Monday to address a conference of the American Jewish Federations at a time of concern in Israel that the U.S.-Israel relationship is adrift.

U.N. debates Gaza war investigations
A resolution calling for independent investigations into alleged war crimes committed by Israel and Hamas during last winter's Gaza war was the focus of debate in the U.N. General Assembly.

Somali group with al Qaeda ties threatens Israel
A militant Islamist group associated with al Qaeda has for the first time threatened to attack Israel, far from its normal base of operations in Somalia.

'New Jews' stake claim to faith, culture
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai about 3,300 years ago, he couldn't have seen these Jews coming.

Israel keeping Gaza parched, Amnesty International says
Israel is denying Palestinians access to adequate water supplies by controlling shared water resources, the human rights group Amnesty International said in a report released Tuesday.

Israel rules out questioning troops about Gaza offensive
The Israeli government has ruled out setting up an independent investigative body that would interview Israeli military personnel about allegations that the military committed war crimes during its offensive against Hamas earlier this year.

Israel, U.S. begin joint military exercises
Israel and the United States commenced what is believed to be their largest ever joint military exercises in missile defense Wednesday.

Israel's Peres rejects U.N. Gaza report
Israeli President Shimon Peres rejected a United Nations report on his country's incursion into Gaza as "one-sided" and "unfair" in an interview with CNN.

U.N. rights council backs Gaza 'war crimes' report
The United Nations Council for Human Rights approved a controversial report Friday which accuses Israel and Hamas of "actions amounting to war crimes, possibly crimes against humanity" during the December-January war in Gaza.

UN panel debates Gaza War report slamming Israel, Hamas
The U.N. Council for Human Rights began debate Thursday over whether to adopt the recommendations of a controversial U.N. report examining the three-week winter war between Israel and the militant group Hamas in Gaza.

UN to resurrect debate on Israel-Hamas war
The United Nations Human Rights Council will hold a special session Thursday to reopen discussion of Israel's three-week offensive against the Islamic militant group Hamas in Gaza.

Israel rejects findings of UN report on Gaza incursion
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a Monday speech at the opening session of the Knesset, slammed a United Nations report critical of Israel's tactics during its offensive into Gaza.

Turkish FM criticizes Israel over Gaza
Turkey excluded Israel from a planned NATO military exercise, partly because of Ankara's criticism of Israel's Gaza offensive nearly a year ago, Turkey's foreign minister told CNN Sunday in an exclusive interview.

Video of kidnapped soldier airs as Israel frees Palestinian prisoners
A "proof-of-life" video of an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants more than two years ago was made public Friday, after its delivery led to the release of Palestinian women prisoners.

Blair: Mideast peace talks will restart soon
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday that he believes within weeks Israel and the Palestinian Authority will begin talks aimed at a permanent resolution of their decades-long conflict.

Israel on Iran: All options still on table
Israel on Monday restated its long-standing policy regarding Iran after Russia's president indicated that Israel had taken the military option off the table.

Egyptian filmmaker boycotts festival in Israel protest
An Egyptian film producer has pulled his film out of the Toronto film festival in protest over the event's presentation of a series of films spotlighting the Israeli city, Tel Aviv.

Ad campaign trying to bring 'lost Jews' together backfires
Posters featuring lost youth are not an unusual site in any big city, but the ones that recently appeared on Israeli TV and on the Internet weren't what they seemed.

Gaza acts amounted to war crimes, U.N. report says
A United Nations report issued Tuesday says both Israel and the Palestinians committed actions amounting to war crimes during Israel's military incursion into Gaza from December 27 to January 18.

Ancient synagogue found in Israel
In what was slated to be the site of a new 122-room hotel, archaeologists say they have discovered one of the world's oldest synagogues in Northern Israel.

UN criticizes rocket attack on Israel
The United Nations has condemned Friday's rocket attack on Israel from southern Lebanon, and urged both sides "to exercise maximum restraint."

Israel approves construction of more settlements
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has approved the construction of 455 housing units in the West Bank, his office said Monday.

Israel may build more settlements before weighing housing freeze
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to approve building hundreds of new settlements in the West Bank before considering a freeze on construction in the area, a senior Israeli government official said Friday.

State Dept.: Policy against new Israeli settlements stands
The State Department is sticking with a strict no-new-settlements policy toward Israel, its spokesman said Thursday, but he held out the possibility that Israelis and Palestinians might eventually take a different path.

Israel weighs Iranian threat
Israel makes no secret that it sees Iran is its biggest threat but the scale of the threat is less clear cut.

Israel hits back over Swedish organ harvesting article
Israel on Sunday withheld the press credentials of a Swedish newspaper in retaliation for a controversial piece that suggested the Israeli army kidnapped and killed young Palestinians to harvest their organs.

Paper's organ harvesting article causes Israel-Sweden rift
Israeli troops are accused in a newspaper article of harvesting organs from dead Palestinians, and Israel wants Sweden's government to condemn the Swedish paper that published it.

Swedish paper's organ harvesting article draws Israeli outrage
Israel has expressed outrage about a Swedish newspaper article that called for an investigation into claims that Israeli soldiers may have harvested organs from dead Palestinians.

Israel defends Jerusalem evictions
Israel moved to defend itself in the face of international criticism Monday over its eviction of dozens of Palestinian families from a neighborhood of Jerusalem they have lived in for generations.

Israel minister: I'll quit if indicted for corruption
Israel's foreign minister will resign from the post if he is indicted on corruption charges, he said Monday.

Analysis: U.S. gives Israel 'big hug'
Don't you just love a parade? Apparently the Obama administration does too, as evidenced by the steady stream of top U.S. officials visiting Israel this week. A bevy of heavy hitters are there, the likes of which haven't been seen since the Persian Gulf War.

Jews protest Arab construction in Israel
More than 1,000 police officers were deployed to the southern Israeli Bedouin town of Rahat on Sunday morning as two dozen Jewish right-wing extremists protested what they said was unlawful Arab construction on neighboring hilltops.

Israel strips 'catastrophe' of nation's birth from books
Israeli textbooks for Arab school children will no longer say that Arabs refer to the period surrounding the birth of Israel as al-Nakba, or "the catastrophe," Israel's education minister said Wednesday.

Fugitive U.S. white supremacist captured in Israel
A fugitive American white supremacist was arrested Monday in Israel, ending an international manhunt that began in 2007, Israeli and U.S. officials said.

Hospital: Teen killed by Israeli tank fire
A 17-year-old girl was killed and another person was injured on Thursday by Israeli tank fire at the El Marej refugee camp east of Gaza City, hospital sources said.

Amnesty: Israel killed hundreds of Gaza civilians
Israeli troops killed hundreds of unarmed civilian adults and children, broke laws and committed war crimes during their winter offensive in Gaza, Amnesty International said in a scathing report released Thursday.

Israel moves forward with settlement construction
Israel plans to build 50 new housing units in an existing West Bank settlement near Jerusalem, the Defense Ministry said Monday.

Israel targets smuggling tunnels in Gaza
Israeli forces said they targeted two smuggling tunnels in Gaza on Sunday in response to rocket and mortar attacks in southern Israel.

Israeli settlers wary, defiant in West Bank
Many Jewish settlers in the West Bank believe the land was promised to them in the Bible by God.

Israeli PM promises peace speech
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he will deliver a major speech next week to lay out his plan for the country's peace and security.

Israel stages biggest-ever war drill
Israel started its biggest emergency drill in the nation's history Sunday to prepare civilians, soldiers and rescue crews for the possibility of war, the defense force said in a statement.

Analysis: Pope's visit to Israel puts focus on Catholic-Jewish ties
As he arrives in Israel, the focus for Pope Benedict XVI shifts from Catholic/Muslim ties, which were at the heart of his three-day visit to Jordan, to relations with Judaism.

Biden prods Israel on settlements
Vice President Joe Biden prodded Israel on Tuesday to halt the expansion of its settlements on the West Bank, a move he called a necessary step toward ending the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Freedom of the media declines worldwide, report says
"Global declines in press freedom" persisted last year, with setbacks highlighted in Israel, Italy, Taiwan, Hong Kong and elsewhere across the world, an annual survey said Friday.

Envoys walk out of U.N. anti-racism conference
Dozens of international envoys walked out during a speech by Iran's president Monday as he accused Israel of having a "racist government" and committing genocide.

Boycotts hit U.N. racism conference
A major United Nations anti-racism conference was thrown into further disarray Sunday when more countries joined a U.S. boycott amid concerns it was developing into a platform for attacking Israel.

Israeli police return fire, kill Palestinian woman
A Palestinian woman opened fire Saturday on Israeli border police in southern Israel before they shot and killed her, an Israeli spokesman said.

Israeli foreign minister spurns Annapolis peace process
Israel's new hard-line foreign minister immediately distanced himself Wednesday from the 2007 relaunch of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians adopted by his predecessor, Tzipi Livni.

Israel: 'Iron Dome' rocket shield test a success
Israel says it has successfully tested an anti-rocket system developed to protect the country from short-range rocket and artillery attack from Lebanon and Gaza, defense officials said.

Nearly 30 hurt as Israel extremists march in Arab town
Arab protesters threw rocks and hurled insults at flag-waving Jewish marchers in Israel's largest Arab city on Tuesday, an event that reflected fresh hostilities between Israel's Arab citizenry and rightist sectors of the Jewish state.

Israeli general: Soldiers did not act in 'cold blood'
Israel's top general said Monday he did not believe the country's soldiers "hurt civilians in cold blood" after newspaper reports quoted soldiers who said the army had treated Gaza as a free-fire zone during its offensive this winter.

Deal to free Israel soldier collapses
A potential prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas collapsed Tuesday when the Israeli Cabinet rejected the latest Hamas demands.

Pope to skip Holocaust museum on trip to Israel, envoy says
Pope Benedict XVI will not visit Israel's Holocaust museum when he makes his first trip to the region as pope in May, though he will visit a memorial that is part of the site, his ambassador to Israel said Tuesday.

Parents of captured Israeli soldier camp outside Olmert's home
The parents of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit set up camp Sunday outside the residence of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in hopes of pressuring government officials to a secure a deal with Hamas that would bring their son home.

Israel launches airstrikes into Gaza
Israel launched airstrikes into Gaza on Saturday, responding to a series of rockets fired by Hamas the day before, the Israeli military said.

Israel asked by Mauritania to close its embassy
Mauritania has requested that Israel close its embassy in the West African country, according to an official in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign affairs.

Olmert: Gaza will face 'painful' hit if attacks don't stop
Israel will retaliate against Palestinian-controlled Gaza with a "painful, sharp, strong and uncompromising response" if rocket attacks do not stop, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday.

Israel targets smuggling tunnels
Israeli aircraft attacked seven smuggling tunnels underneath the Gaza-Egypt border Wednesday in response to rocket attacks on southern Israel, the Israeli military said.

1,800-year-old marble head unearthed in Israel
Archaeologists in Israel have discovered what they believe is the bust of a Roman boxer from the second or third century.

Amnesty seeks embargo against Israel, Palestinians
The human rights group Amnesty International is calling on the United Nations to impose an arms embargo on Israel and the Palestinians, saying both sides used weapons supplied from abroad to carry out attacks on civilians during their three-week conflict in Gaza.

Israel claims woman hurt in rocket attack
A woman was injured Saturday when a rocket landed in northern Israel, a spokesman for the Israeli police said.

Israel demands release of missing soldier
Israel on Wednesday demanded the release of an Israeli soldier seized by militants more than two years ago as a condition of lifting its economic blockade on Gaza, a government spokesman said.

Israel expects pope to visit in May
Pope Benedict XVI will visit Israel in May, outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced Sunday.

Israel denies reports of Hamas negotiations
Israel's prime minister denied media reports that it is negotiating with the militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, but said there will be Israeli "consultations" Sunday "regarding the situation in the south."

War of words between Israel and Turkey sparks formal complaint
Turkey's Foreign Ministry summoned Israel's ambassador to the Turkish capital of Ankara on Saturday to issue a formal complaint over a top Israeli commander's reported remarks criticizing Turkey.

Israel centrists just keeping lead
Israel's centrist Kadima is maintaining its one-seat lead over right-wing Likud but with about 100,000 ballots yet to be counted the result is not yet official, the Central Elections Committee said Thursday.

Kadima, Likud claim mandate to govern
The leaders of Israel's two largest parties jockeyed to form ruling coalitions Wednesday, each claiming a mandate to govern as unofficial election results indicated a virtual tie between them.

Exit polls: Kadima leads Israeli vote, big gains for Likud
Israel's two largest parties each claimed a mandate early Wednesday after exit polls showed a surprise first-place finish by the ruling Kadima party and dramatic gains by its conservative rivals.

Palestinian despair deepens ahead of elections
My eyes stung, I was coughing, my nose was running. Along with cameraman David Hawley and freelance producer Kareem Khadder, I had just been tear-gassed -- not for the first time last Friday -- during a day-long clash between Palestinian kids and Israeli soldiers in the West Bank town of Na'alin, on the West Bank.

Israel launches fresh Gaza air strikes
Israel launched air strikes against a number of targets in Gaza Monday to retaliate against Palestinian militants who have fired a "barrage" of rockets inside the Jewish state in recent days, the military said.

How Israel's electoral system works
Israel was founded on democratic principles with the Jewish state's declaration of independence in 1948 including a commitment to the "complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex." It has remained a continuous democracy ever since.

Israel: News & Videos about Israel - CNN.com
Find stories, videos, and photos about Israel from CNN.com.

A Long Overdue Moment of Truth in Israel
The crisis in relations with the U.S. has undercut Benjamin Netanyahu's fence-straddling and goes to Israel's basic schism.

For Israel and America, a Disagreement, Not a Crisis
Construction in Jerusalem is not derailing the peace talks. The problem is the Palestinians’ increasing demands.

Israel Seeks to Mend Rift With the U.S.
Israeli officials said they were working on a plan to defuse tensions over building in East Jerusalem.

Bibi’s Tense Time-Out
President Obama should not settle on the settlements and more when it comes to Israel.

U.S. Mulls Own Plan for Mideast Talks
The move would be a risky one for President Obama at a time when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government is fragile and Palestinians are deeply divided.

Let’s Fight Over a Big Plan
Israel, America and the moderate Arabs need their own strategy in order for a Palestinian plan for a two-state solution to work.

Israel Objects to U.S. Construction Demands
Israel said it would reject U.S. demands and expressed anger over the public upbraiding of the prime minister.

Opportunity in a Fight With Israel
A dispute could shore up President Obama’s credibility as a peacemaker by showing that he has the fortitude to push Israelis and Palestinians toward an agreement.

The Biden Effect
Israel must acknowledge U.S. anger over the plan to build new housing in East Jerusalem if the quest for peace is to advance.

Rebuilt Synagogue Is Caught in Disputes Over Jerusalem
Israel officially inaugurated a rebuilt synagogue in Jerusalem’s Old City, entangling what was intended to be a festive event with the diplomatic row over new Israeli construction.

Israel Feeling Rising Anger From the U.S.
An ill-timed housing announcement has left the Israeli government scrambling to respond to a tough list of demands by the Obama administration.

Driving Drunk in Jerusalem
The fracas over Israel’s announcement of plans for new housing in East Jerusalem is a distraction from a potentially history-making moment.

Netanyahu Offers Apology, but No Shift in Policy
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel did not indicate that new housing plans in East Jerusalem would be canceled.

Op-Classic, 1999: Israel’s Best Friend
Yasir Arafat was my enemy, but now he is the best hope for peace, wrote the former diplomat and spymaster David Kimche.

Israel Seals Off West Bank to Prevent Unrest
Israel wants to prevent Palestinians from entering the country for 48 hours, in reaction to clashes following Friday prayers that have taken place in the past few weeks.

NYT > Israel
World news about Israel, including breaking news and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Silwan: The Untold Story
How Palestinian leaders made conflict in this East Jerusalem neighborhood inevitable.

Why Most Do Not Understand Prophecy
One cannot unlock the mystery in Bible prophecy without this indispensable key.

Solomonic Wall Discovered in Jerusalem
Recent three-month excavation raises more ruins of ancient Jerusalem.

With Friends Like Germany, Who Needs Enemies?
Germany’s actions over Iran prove it cannot be trusted.

The Landmark Meeting No One Noticed
It occurred Monday in Berlin.

"We Need a Better Grasp of the Limits of Our Power"
Israel’s first stab at tough diplomacy ends in humiliation.

The Oldest Known Hebrew Inscription Confirms Biblical Record
Once again, the Bible is right, and the critics are wrong.

White House Fed Up With Israel and the Palestinians
The White House says the U.S. will reduce its involvement in the Middle East peace process if no progress is made. Bible prophecy says that is exactly what will happen.

A Nightmare Alliance
The warming Iran-Egypt relationship could become Israel’s greatest security threat.

Is Global Warming Causing Extreme Weather?
Extreme droughts in one nation, heavy snows in another. Is this a coincidence, or is something behind it?

Who Will Blink First?
High noon approaches in the U.S.-Iranian showdown.

What Is Benjamin Netanyahu Thinking?
Endorsing Palestinian statehood, freezing settlements, negotiating with Hamas—is this the man Israelis thought they were electing?

The Irrational Reason for Snubs
A midnight van run that illustrates a prophecy being fulfilled

Remember Hamas?
With bolder words and fiercer rockets, the Islamic militant group poses a growing threat.

America's Most Important Ally--Germany!
The U.S. ambassador to Germany makes a historic and startling announcement.

EU--Divide and Conquer
The EU is about to endorse the division of the city of Jerusalem!

Israel Turns to Germany
The German foreign minister’s visit to Israel highlights the growing bond between these two countries.

Hamas Rockets Can Reach Tel Aviv
Iran’s threat to Israel increases.

Is Jerusalem About to Explode?
New round of violence erupts on the Temple Mount.

Concerns Resurface Over Turkey-Israel Ties
When will Israel realize that Turkey is no friend?

Hezbollah Found to Have Chemical Weapons

When Middle East Peace Talks Resume ...
Will violence be more or less likely?

Summer Camp, Hamas-Style

Iraqi Terrorists Setting Up in Gaza

Hezbollah Is Back

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