Israel was hit by a general strike on Monday that closed hospitals, banks, ports and the country’s main international airport but was scheduled only to last four hours. The decision to let the strike go ahead on a limited basis from 6:00 am (0400 GMT) was taken by the National Labour Court which debated the [...]

Israel on Sunday released a list of 477 Palestinian prisoners to be released next week as part of the deal to secure Gilad Shalit’s freedom, many of whom were involved in bloody militant attacks. Hundreds of them are serving life terms after being convicted of involvement in attacks, including the 2001 bombing of a Tel [...]

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak has given the green light to build 277 new homes in the Ariel settlement of the occupied West Bank, his office said on Monday. “Defence Minister Ehud Barak last week approved the marketing of 277 housing units in the Neuman district in Ariel,” it said, referring to a sprawling settlement [...]

Israeli workers across the Jewish state took part in a one-day strike on Monday, throwing their weight behind an economic protest movement that has spread across Israel and rattled the government. It was difficult to gauge how many workers had heeded the call to stay home, though Shlomo Buhbut, president of the Local Authorities Union, [...]