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Israel calls off UNESCO Jerusalem tour, blaming Palestinians

Thomson ReutersMay 20, 2013 12:15

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel said on Monday it had canceled a visit by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to Jerusalem's Old City, saying the Palestinians had sought to politicize a conservation mission. No one was immediately available for comment at UNESCO's Paris headquarters. A month ago, it announced it would send experts to Jerusalem in mid-May to examine the state of conservation of the walled Old City, a World Heritage site.

Israel seeks to end back-of-the-bus gender segregation

Thomson ReutersMay 12, 2013 07:31

By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Back-of-the-bus seating for women on public transport in Israel will be outlawed soon, its justice minister said on Thursday, pledging sweeping legislation to stop Jewish religious zealots trying to enforce gender segregation in many spheres of life. The issue is at the heart of a long and emotional struggle between Israel's secular majority and an ultra-Orthodox Jewish minority over lifestyle in the Jewish state.

Israel seeking to 'sabotage' peace efforts

Agence France-PresseMay 10, 2013 13:26

The chief Palestinian negotiator has accused the Israeli government of trying to "sabotage" US moves to rekindle peace talks by signing off on plans for nearly 300 new settler homes near Ramallah. The Israeli announcement on Thursday came just days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly ordered a freeze on tenders for new West Bank settler homes to avoid harming efforts by US Secretary of State John Kerry to bring both sides back to the negotiating table.

Israel PM: any peace deal will go to referendum

Agence France-PresseMay 2, 2013 07:16

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he would put any peace deal reached with the Palestinians to a referendum, in a meeting with the Swiss foreign minister. "If we get to a peace agreement with the Palestinians, I'd like to bring it to a referendum. And I'd like to talk to you about your experiences with that," Netanyahu told Didier Burkhalter, the premier's office said in a statement.

Israel's ex-foreign minister accused by former deputy

Agence France-PresseMay 2, 2013 07:01

A key witness in the corruption trial of Israel's former foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman reiterated his accusations against the former nightclub bouncer at a court hearing on Thursday. Ex-deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon said his former boss pushed him to give an ambassadorial posting to Zeev Ben Aryeh, who had been accused of giving Lieberman confidential information about a police investigation into his affairs in 2008. At a first hearing on February 17, Lieberman pleaded not guilty to the charges in a trial which will decide his political future.

Israel PM: root of Palestinian conflict 'not territorial'

Agence France-PresseMay 1, 2013 07:15

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said the root of the conflict with the Palestinians was not about territory but about their refusal to recognise Israel as the Jewish state. "The root of the conflict is not territorial. It started a long time before 1967," Netanyahu said in a meeting with foreign ministry officials. "The Palestinians' lack of will to recognise the state of Israel as the national state of the Jewish people is the root of the conflict," he said.

Israel PM: Root of Palestinian conflict 'not territorial'

Agence France-PresseMay 1, 2013 06:45

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said the root of the conflict with the Palestinians was not about territory but about their refusal to recognise Israel as the Jewish state. "The root of the conflict is not territorial. It started a long time before 1967," Netanyahu told top foreign ministry officials. "The Palestinians' lack of will to recognise the state of Israel as the national state of the Jewish people is the root of the conflict," he said. hmw/jad/bpz

Graft trial of Israel's Lieberman gets under way

Agence France-PresseApril 25, 2013 07:15

Israel's former foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman was in court on Thursday as his trial on charges of fraud and breach of trust got under way in Jerusalem. At a first hearing on February 17, Lieberman pleaded not guilty in a trial which will decide the one-time nightclub bouncer's political future. Lieberman is suspected of trying to secure an ambassadorial posting for Israeli diplomat Zeev Ben Aryeh who provided him with confidential information about a police investigation into his affairs.

Israel's Peres to visit Pope Francis

Agence France-PresseApril 24, 2013 11:04

Israel's President Shimon Peres is to meet Pope Francis on a three-day visit to Italy that will begin on Monday, an official statement said. The Israeli president is also set to visit the city of Assisi, birthplace of Saint Francis of Assisi, after whom the new pontiff -- Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina -- chose his name. There he will be greeted by "hundreds of Franciscan monks" at the central Basilica, the statement fro the presidency said. Peres will also hold talks with Italy's prime minister and its president on Tuesday, the statement said.

Israel airline strike strands travellers for 2nd day

Agence France-PresseApril 22, 2013 11:31

Israeli airline workers were on strike for a second day on Monday to protest at the government's approval of an Open Skies deal with Europe, leaving frustrated travellers stranded. Sunday's vote prompted Israel's three privately owned airlines -- El Al, and charter firms Arkia and Israir -- launched an open-ended strike, cancelling nearly all their domestic and international flights. At Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, the sense of frustration was palpable among travellers who were unable to find seats on alternative airlines.