By , LONDON/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson cautioned Israel on Wednesday against annexation in the occupied West Bank, saying it would violate international law and harm its drive to improve relations with the Arab world.Israeli leaders decided in May that a cabinet debate on annexing parts of the West Bank, under a U.S. plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace, could begin from July 1, raising speculation the government would convene on that date.But with no agreement yet with Israel’s main ally Washington on the scope and timing of the move, and talks ongoing, no...…By , LONDON/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson cautioned Israel on Wednesday against annexation in the occupied West Bank, saying it would violate international law and harm its drive to improve relations with the Arab world.Israeli leaders decided in May that a cabinet debate on annexing parts of the West Bank, under a U.S. plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace, could begin from July 1, raising speculation the government would convene on that date.But with no agreement yet with Israel’s main ally Washington on the scope and timing of the move, and talks ongoing, no...WW…

By , , DUBAI/JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced on Thursday that they will normalise diplomatic ties and forge a broad new relationship, a move that reshapes the order of Middle East politics from the Palestinian issue to the fight against Iran.Under the accord, which U.S. President Donald Trump helped broker, Israel agreed to suspend its planned annexation of areas of the occupied West Bank. It also firms up opposition to regional power Iran, which the UAE, Israel and the United States view as the main threat in the conflict-riven Middle...…By , , DUBAI/JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced on Thursday that they will normalise diplomatic ties and forge a broad new relationship, a move that reshapes the order of Middle East politics from the Palestinian issue to the fight against Iran.Under the accord, which U.S. President Donald Trump helped broker, Israel agreed to suspend its planned annexation of areas of the occupied West Bank. It also firms up opposition to regional power Iran, which the UAE, Israel and the United States view as the main threat in the conflict-riven Middle...WW…

By , JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to secure a solid parliamentary majority in Israel’s election on Tuesday but a potential deal with a rival rightist could make him the eventual winner, TV exit polls showed.Not even a campaign in which Netanyahu showcased Israel’s world-beating COVID-19 vaccination rollout could break through two years of political deadlock underscored by four elections.Israel’s centre-left made a better showing than expected, according to the exit polls, after highlighting longstanding corruption allegations against Netanyahu and accusing...…By , JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to secure a solid parliamentary majority in Israel’s election on Tuesday but a potential deal with a rival rightist could make him the eventual winner, TV exit polls showed.Not even a campaign in which Netanyahu showcased Israel’s world-beating COVID-19 vaccination rollout could break through two years of political deadlock underscored by four elections.Israel’s centre-left made a better showing than expected, according to the exit polls, after highlighting longstanding corruption allegations against Netanyahu and accusing...WW…

By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel’s top general said on Tuesday that its military was refreshing its operational plans against Iran and that any U.S. return to a 2015 nuclear accord with Tehran would be “wrong.”The remarks are an apparent signal to U.S. President Joe Biden to tread cautiously in any diplomatic engagement with Iran. Such comments by Israel’s military chief of staff on U.S. policymaking are rare and likely would have been pre-approved by the Israeli government.“A return to the 2015 nuclear agreement, or even if it is a similar accord with several improvements, is bad and wrong...…By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel’s top general said on Tuesday that its military was refreshing its operational plans against Iran and that any U.S. return to a 2015 nuclear accord with Tehran would be “wrong.”The remarks are an apparent signal to U.S. President Joe Biden to tread cautiously in any diplomatic engagement with Iran. Such comments by Israel’s military chief of staff on U.S. policymaking are rare and likely would have been pre-approved by the Israeli government.“A return to the 2015 nuclear agreement, or even if it is a similar accord with several improvements, is bad and wrong...WW…

By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered construction plans advanced on Monday for some 800 Jewish settler homes in the occupied West Bank, anchoring the projects in the final days of the pro-settlement Trump administration.Palestinians condemned such construction as illegal. The timing of the move appeared to be an attempt to set Israel’s blueprint in indelible ink before Joe Biden, who has been critical of its settlement policies, becomes U.S. president on Jan. 20.Moving ahead with the projects could help shore up support for Netanyahu from settlers and...…By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered construction plans advanced on Monday for some 800 Jewish settler homes in the occupied West Bank, anchoring the projects in the final days of the pro-settlement Trump administration.Palestinians condemned such construction as illegal. The timing of the move appeared to be an attempt to set Israel’s blueprint in indelible ink before Joe Biden, who has been critical of its settlement policies, becomes U.S. president on Jan. 20.Moving ahead with the projects could help shore up support for Netanyahu from settlers and...WW…

By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel will hold a snap election in March after parliament failed on Tuesday to meet a deadline to pass a budget, triggering a ballot presenting new challenges for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Slideshow Campaigning in Israel’s fourth parliamentary election in two years gets underway with Netanyahu facing public anger over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and while he is engaged in a corruption trial, the first against an Israeli prime minister.Israel’s longest-serving leader will also have to contend with a new rival from the right, Gideon Saar, a...…By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel will hold a snap election in March after parliament failed on Tuesday to meet a deadline to pass a budget, triggering a ballot presenting new challenges for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Slideshow Campaigning in Israel’s fourth parliamentary election in two years gets underway with Netanyahu facing public anger over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and while he is engaged in a corruption trial, the first against an Israeli prime minister.Israel’s longest-serving leader will also have to contend with a new rival from the right, Gideon Saar, a...WW…

By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Americans born in Jerusalem will now be able to list Israel as their birthplace on their passports, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Thursday, in a nod to Washington’s recognition of the contested city as Israel’s capital.It was the latest in a string of pro-Israel policy shifts by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration ahead of his re-election bid next week.Five years ago, when former President Barack Obama was in the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a law that would have let Jerusalem-born Americans list Israel on their...…By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Americans born in Jerusalem will now be able to list Israel as their birthplace on their passports, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Thursday, in a nod to Washington’s recognition of the contested city as Israel’s capital.It was the latest in a string of pro-Israel policy shifts by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration ahead of his re-election bid next week.Five years ago, when former President Barack Obama was in the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a law that would have let Jerusalem-born Americans list Israel on their...WW…

By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel’s parliament approved a government-backed edict on Wednesday likely to stifle protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged corruption and his handling of the coronavirus crisis.The legislation, ratified after an all-night debate in the Knesset, bans Israelis from holding demonstrations more than 1 km (0.6 miles) from their homes, a measure the government said was aimed at curbing COVID-19 infections.Critics of the new measure, which becomes part of Israel’s second national lockdown that went into effect on Sept. 18, said it was really...…By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel’s parliament approved a government-backed edict on Wednesday likely to stifle protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged corruption and his handling of the coronavirus crisis.The legislation, ratified after an all-night debate in the Knesset, bans Israelis from holding demonstrations more than 1 km (0.6 miles) from their homes, a measure the government said was aimed at curbing COVID-19 infections.Critics of the new measure, which becomes part of Israel’s second national lockdown that went into effect on Sept. 18, said it was really...WW…

By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Palestinian militants fired rockets from Gaza into Israel, wounding two people, on Tuesday at the same time as Israel and two Gulf Arab states signed normalisation agreements at the White House in Washington.There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack from the Hamas Islamist-run territory.Palestinians, who seek an independent state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza view the U.S.-brokered deals between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain as betrayal of their cause.Warning sirens sounded in the coastal cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod as...…By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Palestinian militants fired rockets from Gaza into Israel, wounding two people, on Tuesday at the same time as Israel and two Gulf Arab states signed normalisation agreements at the White House in Washington.There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack from the Hamas Islamist-run territory.Palestinians, who seek an independent state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza view the U.S.-brokered deals between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain as betrayal of their cause.Warning sirens sounded in the coastal cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod as...WW…

By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel’s president on Monday invited the United Arab Emirates’ de facto leader to visit Jerusalem, praising his role in achieving a “noble and courageous” deal to normalise relations between Israel and the UAE.Both countries announced on Thursday they would forge formal ties under a U.S.-sponsored deal whose implementation could recast Middle East politics ranging from the Palestinian issue to dealing with Iran, the common foe of Israel and Gulf Arabs.The deal drew anger and dismay in much of the Arab world and Iran but a quiet welcome in the Gulf.“In these fateful...…By JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel’s president on Monday invited the United Arab Emirates’ de facto leader to visit Jerusalem, praising his role in achieving a “noble and courageous” deal to normalise relations between Israel and the UAE.Both countries announced on Thursday they would forge formal ties under a U.S.-sponsored deal whose implementation could recast Middle East politics ranging from the Palestinian issue to dealing with Iran, the common foe of Israel and Gulf Arabs.The deal drew anger and dismay in much of the Arab world and Iran but a quiet welcome in the Gulf.“In these fateful...WW…