The leader of an ultra-nationalist splinter group took a step closer to becoming Israel’s foreign minister today.

Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party signed a coalition agreement with the right-wing Yisrael Beitenu faction, naming its leader, Avigdor Lieberman, as the incoming foreign minister, Israeli media reported early today.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is using her second overseas trip to assess Mideast peace prospects, reconnect with European allies and remind her Russian counterpart that US efforts to rebuild relations with Moscow have their limits.

Israel’s hardline prime minister designate, Benjamin Netanyahu will meet the head of the dovish Labour Party today after failing to tempt centrist leader Tzipi Livni into a broad, moderate, coalition government.

FAR-RIGHT politician Avigdor Lieberman endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu for Israeli prime minister yesterday, all but guaranteeing that the US-educated hawk will be the country’s next leader.

Far-right Israeli politician Avigdor Lieberman has endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu for prime minister.

Final results in Israel's election tonight give the moderate Kadima Party one more seat in the new parliament than Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud.

Moderate Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni of Israel’s governing Kadima Party declared victory in a tight race with hawkish Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

The two front-runners in the race to rule Israel urged voters to head to the polls today to tip the scales in a surprisingly tight general election.

Israel looks set to elect a new hardline government in elections tomorrow.

GAZA’S deeply entrenched Hamas rulers won’t be easily toppled, even by Israel’s unprecedented bombings on Saturday that killed more than 280 people, most of them men in Hamas uniform.

Israeli prime minister-designate Tzipi Livni today abandoned her efforts to form a new coalition government and said she would recommend early parliamentary elections.

Embattled prime minister Ehud Olmert today told his Cabinet that he is stepping down.

Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni declared victory today in the Kadima Party leadership race by a narrow margin of 431 votes.

Rivals for the leadership of Israel's ruling party are facing a vote today which will put the winner a step closer to leading the country.

Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert will step down immediately after his party chooses a successor this month, a confidant said today.

ISRAELI police questioned Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday for the second time since he announced he would resign after his centrist Kadima party chooses a new leader in September.

Israeli police have questioned Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for the fourth time in a corruption investigation that has brought about his political downfall.

Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu today called for immediate elections in the wake of his rival Ehud Olmert’s decision to quit as prime minister.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert today said he will not run in his party’s primary election in September.

Israel launched air strikes and a ground raid on Gaza today exchanging fire with Palestinian gunmen, killing two militants and a 12-year old boy.

The Israeli Cabinet today voted overwhelmingly to release 90 Palestinian prisoners in an effort to shore up the moderate Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, in his power struggle with Islamic Hamas militants.

Elder statesman Shimon Peres has been elected Israel’s next president, winning the support of 86 of parliament’s 120 members in a second and final round of balloting, Channel TV reported today.

Shimon Peres leads by a wide margin after first round of presidential voting in Israel today, giving him the edge in the second round to take place this afternoon.

Former Premier Ehud Barak, trying to regain control of his Labour Party, today called for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign because of the harsh findings of an inquiry into last year’s Lebanon war.

Israeli vice premier Shimon Peres today announced his candidacy for president of Israel.

A former prime minister and a political newcomer who both pledge to bring down Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s government will face each other in a run-off after an inconclusive vote for leadership of Israel’s Labour Party.

Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he authorised the army to do whatever it takes to halt Palestinian rocket fire, but warned his Cabinet there was no quick solution.

A campaign to oust Prime Minister Ehud Olmert shifted to the streets today, with a mass rally in Tel Aviv expected to draw tens of thousands of opponents calling for the embattled Israeli leader to step down.

Israel’s popular foreign minister today called on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign, the highest-ranking official to call for his ousting in the wake of a harsh report about his performance during last year’s war in Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called an emergency meeting of his Cabinet this morning in a desperate attempt to hold on to power.

Allies and opponents today clamoured for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s resignation after scathing criticism from an official commission of his performance during last year’s Lebanon war.

A government probe in last summer's war in Lebanon accused the country's wartime leaders of "very severe failures" in their handling of the conflict, dealing a harsh blow that was sure to fuel new calls for embattled Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign.

Israel prime minister Ehud Olmert and defense minister Amir Peretz faced new calls to resign today after Israel’s army chief stepped down, succumbing to widespread outrage over the handling of last summer’s inconclusive war in Lebanon.

Israeli defense minister Amir Peretz, leader of Israel’s Labour Party, has chosen Arab MP Raleb Majadele to be a cabinet minister, Israeli media reported today.

Former Israel Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who announced his return to politics this week, enjoys a wide lead over the Labour Party’s current leader and would win the party’s leadership race if elections were held today, according to a poll published in an Israeli newspaper today.

Nearly seven out of 10 Israelis are dissatisfied with prime minister Ehud Olmert’s performance and his greatest political rival would win an election, according to an opinion poll today

Israel’s parliament today granted Israeli president Moshe Katsav’s request to temporarily step down in light of a police investigation into accusations he sexually harassed former employees.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has put his plans for a unilateral pull-out from much of the West Bank on hold for now, but has not abandoned the idea altogether, a Cabinet minister said today, confirming a newspaper report.

Israel’s justice minister, a top ally of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, faces possible indictment on sexual harassment charges, in a new blow to a government that emerged politically weakened this week from a 34-day war against Lebanese guerrillas

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired three home-made rockets into Israel today, hours after Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert pledged to push forward with airstrikes against the militants despite a recent string of civilian casualties.

Israel’s new government is drawing up plans to divide the holy city of Jerusalem, according to officials.

Incoming prime minister Ehud Olmert laid out his vision for Israel’s future borders in a major policy speech to parliament today.

Israel's new government was to take office today, bringing incoming prime minister Ehud Olmert a step closer to implementing his plan of withdrawing from parts of the West Bank and drawing Israel's borders by 2010.