Prime minister Ehud Olmert convened his top ministers today to discuss Israel’s response to the latest wave of Palestinian rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.

More than 100 Palestinians began crossing into Israel en route to the Gaza Strip today, almost two months after Hamas’ takeover of the seaside region triggered the closure of the border with Egypt.

Israel will not respond militarily to the takeover over of the Gaza Strip by the Islamic fighters of Hamas, an Israeli Cabinet minister said today.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert today ruled out peace talks with the Palestinians, saying contacts will be limited to humanitarian issues until the new coalition government explicitly renounces violence and recognises Israel’s right to exist.

ISRAEL yesterday protested against a plan by Russia to have talks in Moscow with Hamas, the Islamic militant group that swept recent Palestinian elections and whose charter calls for Israel’s destruction.

ELDER statesman Shimon Peres looks set to leave Israel’s Labour Party, his political home for 60 years, and join Ariel Sharon’s government if the prime minister is re-elected in March.

A deal was emerging today for elder statesman Shimon Peres to leave the Labour Party, his political home for 60 years, and join Ariel Sharon's government if the prime minister is re-elected in March.

Israeli Transportation Minister Meir Sheetrit today ordered four Israeli cruise ships carrying hundreds of tourists not to dock at the Turkish port of Alanya after receiving warnings of a possible terrorist attack, officials said.

ISRAELI Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is being investigated over an alleged €1 million bribe, it was reported yesterday.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, whose Likud party has been hurt in the polls by corruption charges, is being investigated over an alleged £1m (€1.54m) bribe, it was reported today.

Senior Israeli Cabinet ministers and security officials today ordered increased military pressure on the Palestinians after a weekend burst of violence in which four Palestinian attacks claimed 21 Israeli lives and 12 Palestinians died.

Israel has cut off contact with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Six more Palestinians were killed today after tanks moved into the biblical town of Bethlehem and commandeered two hotels.

Israeli and Palestinian security commanders were meeting to try to agree on the next steps in the shaky US-sponsored truce, but each side expressed suspicions about the actions and intentions of the other.