Israel’s vice premier warned today that Israel would respond harshly if Palestinian militants continue to fire rockets from Gaza toward Israel, mentioning the possibility of an invasion by ground troops.

Likud’s governing body met today for the first time since Ariel Sharon’s defection, hoping to pick up the pieces of a shattered party even as the race to succeed him dissolved into a fury of backbiting.

ISRAEL has no immediate plans to kill Yasser Arafat, despite Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's latest threats against the Palestinian leader, Israel's vice premier said yesterday.

ISRAEL has not adopted a formal decision to kill Yasser Arafat, Israel's foreign minister said yesterday in an apparent attempt to soften remarks by the vice premier who said that assassination was an option.