Prime Minister Ariel Sharon joked with aides and discussed affairs of state today after suffering a mild stroke, but his illness raised questions about his ability to lead the country if elected to a third term in March elections.

In a bold political gamble, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has decided to leave his Likud Party, form a new political movement and push for quick elections.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon today agreed to hold early elections, possibly as soon as February, kicking off a political campaign certain to freeze all moves to restart middle-east peace talks.

Israel today closed the vital Gaza-Egypt border crossing just days before completing its military pullout from the coastal strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is considering delaying the Gaza pullout until mid-August, after the completion of a three-week Jewish mourning period that marks the destruction of the two biblical temples, Israeli officials said today.

Israel’s prime minister Ariel Sharon has cut all contact with newly-elected Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in a startling U-turn, saying he must halt terror attacks if he wanted peace talks.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon cut all contact with the newly elected Palestinian leader today, promising the silence would continue until Mahmoud Abbas moves to halt militant attacks.

Charly Wegman, Jerusalem

Under an emerging plan to dismantle settlements, Israel is considering moving Gaza Strip settlers to West Bank areas that Israel wants to annex under a final peace deal, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s spokesman said today.