An Israeli military delegation called off a visit to Britain today fearing they could face possible war crimes charges.

An axe-wielding Palestinian went on the rampage in a West Bank settlement today killing a 13-year-old Israeli boy before fleeing.

PRIME minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party has initiated a coalition agreement with an ultra-nationalist faction that brings its leader significantly closer to becoming foreign minister, a Likud party spokeswoman said yesterday.

The leader of an ultra-nationalist splinter group took a step closer to becoming Israel’s foreign minister 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 Labour party leader Ehud Barak today rejected Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu’s invitation to join his government.

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.

Hard-line Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu was today chosen to form a new Israeli 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.

ISRAELI president Shimon Peres will hold talks with party leaders today before deciding whom he should ask to form a new government after an indecisive election, a statement released last night said.

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’S national election is likely to be a cliffhanger, pollsters said yesterday, on the eve of a vote in which right-winger Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party had been forecast to emerge victorious.

A long-range rocket from Gaza landed in an Israeli city today, police said.

Gaza militants launched two rockets into southern Israel early today, further straining a ceasefire that ended Israel's Gaza offensive two weeks ago.

EU FOREIGN ministers were questioning the point of rebuilding infrastructure in Gaza they had rebuilt several times in the past, during a special meeting attended by the Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni.

Israeli forces pounded dozens of Hamas targets early today as the army kept up pressure on the Islamic militant group ahead of a crucial vote on whether to end Israel’s punishing three-week-long campaign against Gaza’s rulers.

Israel today announced it was close to ending the bloody fighting it began three weeks ago in Gaza Strip.

Israeli warplanes blasted targets all over Gaza early today, including a mosque and a TV station, after a day of intensive airstrikes that killed more than 200 Palestinians.

ISRAELI opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday pledged to continue negotiations with the Palestinians if he wins February elections, backing away from earlier hints he would abandon peace talks.

ISRAEL MOVED closer to a bruising election campaign that will decide the future of peace talks yesterday, as polls showed moderate foreign minister Tzipi Livni in a surprisingly close race with hard-liner Benjamin Netanyahu.

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

An ultra-Orthodox Israeli party announced today it will not join a new coalition government being formed by prime minister-designate Tzipi Livni, making national elections more likely.

ISRAELI president Shimon Peres yesterday asked foreign minister Tzipi Livni to form a government, opening the way for the new Kadima party leader to become the second woman prime minister in the country’s history.

Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert has formally resigned this evening after handing a letter of resignation to president Shimon Peres.

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.

ISRAELI foreign minister Tzipi Livni won a clear majority in the Kadima party’s primary election yesterday, TV exit polls showed — placing her in a good position to become the first female leader in 34 years and sending a message that peace talks with the Palestinians will proceed.

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

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.

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Micheál Martin said a “separating barrier” or wall between Israel and the West Bank is “choking” the Palestinian people, who cannot travel to Israel for work, medical care or education.

Israel threatened Gaza with new ground attacks today as a US-led initiative failed to get Palestinian peace talks restarted.

THE BUSH administration was able to declare a clean sweep yesterday when Syria, the last Arab world holdout, said it would attend this week’s high-stakes Middle East peace conference.

A Palestinian rocket exploded this morning next to a day-care centre crowded with toddlers in southern Israel, sparking anger and panic in the frequently targeted town of Sderot and bringing warnings of retribution from Israeli leaders.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas lashed out at the Islamic militants of Hamas, accusing them of trying to build an “empire of darkness” in the Gaza Strip and pledging he would not negotiate with the “murderous terrorists”.

Israeli-Palestinian violence escalated dangerously when Israel killed five militants in airstrikes and hinted Hamas political leaders could be their next target.

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.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tsipi Livni today said the European Union is sticking to its position that the incoming Palestinian government meet international calls to renounce violence and recognise Israel’s right to exist, but left open the prospect the Europeans could soften their stance in the future.

Israeli and US leaders have agreed ahead of a three-way meeting with the Palestinians not to deal with a new Palestinian government that does not denounce violence, recognise Israel and accept peace agreements, an Israeli official said today.