Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon called on Europeans to ''make it clear to the Palestinians that failure to comply with the Quartet's conditions will be met with sanctions.''
Speaking with Israel Radio, Defense Minister admits he did not feel Fatah-Hamas reconciliation was likely, adding Palestinians officials did not expect a deal either.
Forging Palestinian unity is regarded as crucial to reviving any prospect for an independent Palestinian state, but Western powers have always refused to deal with Hamas because of its refusal to recognize Israel and renounce violence.
Premier lambastes Abbas' Fatah movement for agreeing to reconciliation deal with rival movement; Abbas: Netanyahu must choose between settlements and peace; Hamas: Israel was an impediment to Palestinian unity.
Rival groups will form interim government and then move toward setting a date for a general election, four years after their government collapsed when Hamas overran the Gaza Strip.
Flotilla organizers delaying launch until after outcome of election to Turkish parliament, leading Israeli Foreign Ministry officials to speculate a strengthening of ties between flotilla organizers and Turkish government.
President says Israel's focus should be on making peace not on offering peace plans; comment comes amid reports of a planned U.S. initiative to restart stalled peace talks.
After losing her entire family at the age of 12, Russian Jew Liora Tamir was certain there was no one left; at 65 her daughter found that she had a long-lost cousin in Israel.
Israel's ambassador to UN warns the organization not to allow new flotilla, planned for May, to launch; U.S., Germany also call on flotilla organizers to find other ways to deliver aid to Gaza.
