Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a press conference with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman to discuss the ceasefire agreement just minutes before it was to go into effect. The Prime Minister reflected on Operation Pillar of Defense, saying, “All this was done with the firm support of leaders of the international community.” He thanked US President Barack Obama for his enduring support of Israel’s right to self-defense and continuing …More

Since the start of Operation Pillar of Defense, Hamas and other Palestinian militants have fired more than 1,200 rockets on Israeli cities, while the Israeli military has carried out more than 1,400 air strikes on Gaza. Today, a rocket struck an apartment building in the central city of Rishon Letzion. Channel 2 reported that the upper floors of the building went up in flames. As rockets continue to fall, the rumored ceasefire seems no closer to fruition. A press conference scheduled for 5 p.m. Egyptian time was …More

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton landed in Israel this evening, and immediately convened a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Thanking Secretary Clinton for her support, Netanyahu noted that Hamas looks to “maximize the number of civilian casualties. No country can accept a wanton attack on its civilians.” He said Israel was prepared to take “whatever action necessary,” adding, “I know this is not something I have to explain to America.” For …More

The BBC is still under fire following last week’s Israeli capital controversy. The British news agency received flak after it refused to designate Jerusalem as the Jewish state’s capital on its Olympic Internet profile. Now, Benjamin Netanyahu spokesman Mark Regev is continuing to protest. “I am afraid that despite your efforts, Israel is still discriminated against on the BBC’s London 2012 Olympics website,” Regev wrote to the BBC’s Middle East Bureau chief, Paul Danahar. The …More

For the summer Olympic games, the BBC created online profiles for every country and non-country participating. Each profile listed key facts, including capital, population, size and language. Each profile, that is, but Israel’s. On Wednesday, screen shots of the online sports section revealed that the BBC had replaced the slot for Israel’s capital city with its “top medal sports,” which included sailing and judo. In contrast, Palestine’s capital was listed as East …More

Israel's outgoing state comptroller issued a report highly critical of the government's handling of the Mavi Marmara Turkish aid flotilla to Gaza in 2010. The report, issued Wednesday on the eve of Micha Lindenstrauss leaving his position, said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision-making process was flawed and that the strategy did not follow the recommended protocol. In addition, the report said, key agencies were kept in the dark about what was happening and the possibility of extreme or fatal …More

A months-long hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners came to an end today, thanks to a deal fostered by Egyptian negotiators. Nearly 1,600 prisoners held in Israeli cells refused food, some for as many as 77 days, in a protest against administrative detentions, solitary confinement and a ban on family visits. Administrative detention is a method of holding terrorist suspects and Israel did not agree to cease the practice, though some Palestinian outlets are saying the opposite. Israel officials have confirmed, …More

The Israeli government has canceled a viral ad campaign encouraging expat Israelis to return to the Jewish state after a wave of complaints from American Jews. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the campaign canceled after receiving a letter from the Jewish Federations of North America calling the message "outrageous and insulting." Under the umbrella slogan "It's time to return to Israel," ads and billboards depicting everyday situations showed how Israelis and their American children risk losing touch …More