Charles "Chas" Freeman, the former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, withdrew his acceptance of the position of chairman of the National Intelligence Council, citing the media furor around his alleged anti-Israel views. In a statement issued after he withdrew himself...
Israeli Govt Close: Say Hello to Foreign Minister Lieberman
When Yisrael Beiteinu chief Avigdor Lieberman issued his demands for joining a Netanyahu-led government, the enormity of what he was asking shocked a lot of experts: three major ministerships, including foreign affairs - an unprecedented amount for a 15 seat party....
Israeli General: Iran Capable of Creating Nuclear Bomb
Speaking at an Israeli cabinet meeting today, Military Intelligence chief Major-General Amos Yadlin declared that Iran "has crossed the technological threshold, so that reaching a military nuclear ability is only a matter of matching the strategy to the goal of...
Lieberman Demanding ‘Full Autonomy’ as Foreign Minister
Avigdor Lieberman, the controversial leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party which scored a major gain in last month's elections, seems set to join Benjamin Netanyahu's would-be coalition government, putting the role of foreign minister in the hands of one of these least...
Report: Israel ‘Seriously Considering’ Attacking Iran
A report issued today by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) warned that the Israeli government believes that it still retains the ability to destroy Iran's nuclear program with a unilateral attack, and as the international community's diplomatic...
US-Israel Ties May Suffer Over Rightist Govt
Top Israeli officials are reportedly concerned that a potential rightist government led by Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu would establish that the Annapolis peace process is dead, and this "will undoubtedly harm Israel's relations with the US." An unnamed official...
Lieberman to Meet With Heads of Religious Parties
On Monday, Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman is scheduled to meet with representatives from some of Israel's religious parties, in an attempt to come to some sort of understanding over the differences that are standing in the way of a narrow far right...
Barak Presses for Labor to Join Netanyahu’s Coalition
It hasn't even been a week since the Labor Party publicly ruled out joining a right-wing coalition government headed by Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu, but the prospect of moving from a key ministership to head of a secondary opposition party already has party...
Likud-Kadima Coalition Talks Fail
It was a familiar story today when Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party met with their centrist rival Kadima (the top vote-getting in this month's elections) on forming a coalition. A lot of talk, no agreements, and both sides blaming the other for the failure. Kadima...
Likud, Rightist Parties Clash Over Civil Agenda
Having apparently failed in his attempts to court the Kadima and Labor parties into a grand coalition, Benjamin Netanyahu's attempts at forming a far-right government seem to be faltering as well. While everyone seems to be on board for the Likud leader's hawkish...