Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected on Monday any curbs on Jewish settlement in and around Jerusalem, defying Washington in Israel's deepening crisis with U.S. President Barack Obama's administration.
According to a report on Idex Online by CHAIM EVEN-ZOHAR, 2009 was probably the best year in a decade for India's diamond industry. In terms of polished diamond exports, India's $15.16 billion in 2009 was only 1.7 percent below the $15.42 billion of the 2008 calendar year. Measured in polished carats, the volume of exports was actually up some 13 percent, reaching a staggering 51.9 million carats.
Israeli-U.S. relations have hit a 35-year low over a West Bank settlement plan that threatens to derail peacemaking efforts with the Palestinians, Israel's envoy to Washington was quoted as saying on Monday.
Israel's relationship with the United States, a defining feature of the troubled Middle East, was under severe strain as diplomats scrambled on Saturday to save newborn U.S.-brokered peace talks with the Palestinians.
The Palestinians have threatened that indirect, U.S.-mediated peace talks with Israel may be thwarted unless Israel cancels a plan announced this week to build 1,600 new homes in a settlement near Jerusalem.
U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell returns to the region next week to try to salvage indirect peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinians have said the process may be thwarted unless Israel cancels a plan announced this week to build 1,600 settler homes near Jerusalem.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political standing is perilous because of divisions within his coalition over efforts to pursue peace with the Palestinians, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday condemned an announcement by Israel this week that it approved plans for new construction in East Jerusalem, saying it sent a deeply negative signal about U.S.-Israeli ties.
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Palestinians told U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday that Israel's new plan to build 1,600 homes for Jewish settlers challenged Washington's efforts to get indirect peace talks underway.
The United States on Tuesday criticized Israeli plans to build new housing beyond a disputed line in Jerusalem as it prepares to broker indirect talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders meant to lead to a two-state solution in the region.
Vice President Joe Biden assured Israel on Tuesday of Washington's commitment to its security and preventing Iran from producing nuclear weapons.
The Obama administration has boosted U.S. defense ties to Israel and will close ranks with its ally against any threat from a nuclear-armed Iran, Vice President Joe Biden said on Monday ahead of a trip to Israel.
The European Union's top diplomat, Catherine Ashton, has had a tough time since taking on the job four months ago, but will try to turn things around this week as she sets out her foreign policy goals.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday called the September 11 attacks on the United States a big fabrication that was used to justify the U.S. war on terrorism, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Dozens of people were injured in clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces in Jerusalem and the West Bank Friday, as tension over land and holy sites mounted ahead of a relaunch of U.S.-mediated peace negotiations.
Israeli police and Palestinians clashed near Jerusalem's flashpoint al-Aqsa mosque on Friday and about 30 people were injured, Israeli police and Palestinian medical workers said.
The debate about fixing the financial crisis seems to be missing a key factor -- a broad ethical discussion of what is the right and wrong thing to do in a modern economy.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday Western powers were trying to widen differences between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims to divert attention from the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
The United States, France and other Western powers are preparing a plan for a fourth round of U.N. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program and hope to persuade Russia and China to back it.
Italy has arrested seven people Wednesday on suspicion of trafficking arms to Iran -- two Iranians they believe are secret agents and five Italians, police said Wednesday.
The Israeli military called off a raid in Palestinian territory after a soldier posted details, including the time and place, on social networking website Facebook, Israel's Army Radio reported on Wednesday.
