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Israeli anger over anti-racism conference

Israel pulled its ambassador from Switzerland on Monday to protest a planned address by Iran’s president at a controversial anti-racism conference. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman “have decided to call the Israeli ambassador to Switzerland back for consultations, in protest of the conference in Geneva, in which a racist and a Holocaust denier, who openly declares his intention of erasing Israel, is a guest,” Netanyahu’s office announced Monday. Withdrawing an ambassador is a sign of serious displeasure between countries.

U.S. boycotts racism conference, says it ‘singles out’ Israel

The United States is boycotting a U.N. conference on racism next week over a document that "singles out" Israel in its criticism and conflicts with the nation’s "commitment to unfettered free speech," the U.S.

Palestinian graffiti spreads message of peace

Emblazoned on a long, tall, concrete barrier in the midst of a rocky Middle Eastern landscape is this spray-painted message: "Mirror, mirror on the wall. When will this senseless object fall?" It’s one of more than 900 graffiti messages that have been spray-painted by Palestinians on the controversial wall that separates Israel and the West Bank.

U.S. envoy to press Israel on two-state solution with Palestinians

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Israeli minister grilled in fraud probe

Israeli fraud investigators Tuesday questioned Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman for a third time regarding a long-standing probe over business dealings, a police spokesman said. For five hours, investigators asked Lieberman about suspicions of money laundering, fraud and breach of trust in a corruption investigation that dates back several years, police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said. Lieberman was also questioned by the Israeli National Fraud Investigation Unit for several hours on Thursday and Friday.

Israeli foreign minister spurns Annapolis peace process

Israel’s new hard-line foreign minister immediately distanced himself Wednesday from the 2007 relaunch of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians adopted by his predecessor, Tzipi Livni. Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the far-right Yisrael Beytenu movement, said the Annapolis agreement was never adopted by Israeli’s government and is not binding.

U.S. seeks seat on U.N. Human Rights Council

The United States is seeking a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council this year, the Obama administration announced Tuesday. This is a departure from the Bush administration, which was often critical of the group

Israeli military rejects Gaza abuse claims

The Israeli military on Monday rejected allegations that its soldiers committed atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza. The conclusion follows a military police investigation into claims made at a conference that the army had intentionally killed civilians and damaged property during Israel’s incursion into Gaza in December and January

Obama to visit France for D-Day anniversary

U.S. President Barack Obama will visit France in June for the 65th anniversary of D-Day, French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s chief of staff said Thursday

Report: Israel’s phosphorus shell use in Gaza ‘evidence of war crimes’

The Israeli military’s firing of white phosphorus shells over densely populated areas during the Gaza offensive "was indiscriminate and is evidence of war crimes," Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report on Wednesday. “In Gaza, the Israeli military didn’t just use white phosphorus in open areas as a screen for its troops,” said Fred Abrahams, a HRW senior emergencies researcher